Water and formula feeding

[pommedeterre]

DD is ff and 13 weeks. How much water should she be taking?
I offer water to her twice a day - in the morning and afternoon and she takes maybe half an ounce or less each time. Is this enough?
It is also very hard to judge 'between feeds' with her as she likes to snack rather than do big regular feeds so am also scared of filling her up on water and her taking less milk. Anyone else struggling with the water issue?

I never offered extra water till mine started weaning (16 weeks for dd, 6 years ago and 23 weeks for ds, 3 years ago). Is she constipated? Do you feel she is thirsty? If not, then no extra water is required.

The usual advice is that ff babies don't normally need water - formula is 90 or more per cent water anyway, and as you say, filling up on water is not good. Have you asked your HV? She'll prob confirm that except in very hot weather (and maybe when weaning), water is not needed.

However, if you prefer to give her water for some reason, she's not going to fill up on 2 half-ounce mouthfuls a day

formula fed both my DCs and offered water briefly to DS, but gave up as it seemed a bit pointless, all he wanted and needed was milk

with DD i never offered water until we started weaning at 25 weeks or so...

unless you are somewhere blisteringly hot, i don't believe there is any need to offer water, milk will feed her and quench her thirst

I formula fed DS and didn't need to give him anything other than formula. On one occassion when he was a bit constipated, HV sugguested making his formula a bit weaker (to get more water into him) and to give him half a bigger bottle and normal time, then half an hour later (he drank them both, so got his normal amount of "food").

I started weaning him at 6 months. At 10 months we went to the south of France and it was absolutely scorching, so he had (and wanted and needed) extra water then.

Yes, good point that if she wanted more she'd take it! We are in the south of England so while very lovely and warm at the moment not exactly tropical climes!
I'd spotted other mums giving full bottles of water so started worrying.
Thanks for the help.