how much? and water?

[Bea]

a quickie here, baby quite happy babbling, but you know how they turn!!

4 months old, weaning, onto swede now! How much should i be giving? Annabel Karmel, recommends a tablespoon, but she seems to be eating about a tablespoon and a half, once at lunch and the same at tea? am i giving too much, she seems quite happy with the given amount.

Plus, should i be giving her cooled boiled water to drink? She still on the breast, but we're having a bit of a battle with the bottle, so how would i give the boiled water? a little cup?

Help!
Thanks

Yeah Bea, I'd echo Pamina's advice, dd ate until she refused and it hasn't done her any harm. I think there is a difference between stuffing food into them and them actually deciding to eat some more just because they quite fancy some. If its the latter then I would say there's no problem, remember that although I'm sure A Karmel has lots of good ideas she doesn't know your baby and I hesistate when I see guidelines drawn around these gorgeous little creatures, they are so very individual, so I'd go with the flow...

As for your comments regarding cups, rush out and buy yourself a Heinz baby basics cup from 4 months. They are fab! I never bothered with bottles for dd at all and these are great because the flow is so slow they can manage them really young. You can give the boiled water in this but also expressed milk or formula, works a treat and then you don't have the hassle of trying to get rid of the bottles when they are older.
Good luck

Hi Bea. One teaspoon? My dd went from one ice cube to six in as many days when I started weaning her (ie she started screaming when she finished two cubes). I think Lizzer's right - I don't think you could overfeed a child even if you wanted to.

On the subject of drinks, she probably doesn't actually need any more liquid than her breastfeeds. Remember that the food she's getting at the moment is almost all water anyway. Unless you are in a desperate hurry to get your child off breastfeeding (for example if you're going back to work), I would bypass bottles all together. My daughter used an anywayup cup (with a valve that they have to suck on to get the flow). My HV said that bf babies often take to those better as they are used to having to suck. It took her about two weeks to get the hang of it which seemed like forever at the time! But my friend's baby, who was also b.fed, took much better to the long soft spout.

The only thing I'd add is that you can overfeed a baby and by that I am referring to my SIL who gets almost neurotic when her son doesn't eat as much as she feels he should (that usually means half of what he ate yesterday for example). As other have said, just feed her what she wants. If she refuses do not insist. Some days she might go for 5 spoons and some days it will be 1... that might be becasue she is a bit under the weather or because she doesn't fancy what you are giving her that day.
I rememeber DS not wanting to eat an avocado once - and he normally loved it - and I decided to taste it... and it had a funny taste though it look completely normal.... so don't force it, she won't starve herself and if she looks like she isn't liking something, try it yourself just in case !

Breastfeeds is enough liquid for just now. Once she is taking more solids she can drink from a cup. A bottle is impractical when a baby can sit up supported from around 4 months anyway. You won't need to boil the water after around 6 months. The amount of solids seems OK.

Resurrecting this thread,as I'm at this stage...

DD(5 months) is getting bottles of EBM at nursery, breast fed at home. Happily takes pureed veg at about midday (1-2 tablespoons) and about a tablespoon of pureed fruit (with a little rice/ similar) at teatime.

When should I start to introduce water?? Every time we've tried to give her water so far (either from a bottle or from an Avent spout) she's refused point blank to entertain the idea! Tried EBM with the spout, but wouldn't take that either, so may go out and get one of those Heinz beakers. Would a little fruit juice in the water make it more palatable, or would this be starting a bad habit?

Don't put fruit juice in the water...bad habit to start imo. I started my son, i think around 5 months with water in Tommy tipee beakers which have nice large handles and a rubberized spout that sort of seemed a nice soft introduction to drinking from something other than my breast. For the first month or so, I had to help him use the beaker, but he soon got the idea on his own. And he loves water.

but don't worry about it too much right now. I'm sure your dd is getting plenty of liquids at the moment.

Tissy, if your dd is having breastmilk then there is no need for her to have water (or juice). There is sufficient water in the breastmilk to sustain her; in fact, in warmer weather the water content of breastmilk actually increases (isn't the body a clever thing!?) So I guess the main thing is for you to make sure you keep your fluids up! She will also be getting some water from the vegetables. Basically you don't need to introduce water as a drink yet (and I would certainly not put juice/cordial in it - if you can get her to like "plain" water it is a definite plus later) but if you want to keep trying now and then there is no harm in it... But leave the sweet drinks for as long as possible IMO!

Would agree that if baby has sufficient breastmilk during day then additional drinks are unnecessary as yet, but you could always give nursery a beaker of water as a stand by for hot weather if you're worried. You'd know if baby wasn't getting enough fluid as would affect volume of wee produced, cause constipation etc.

We introduced juice as a drink for ds only when he was more than a year, and then only at breakfast as I understand that the vitamin c helps the absorption of iron( especially prevalent in cereals) and his eating habits otherwise were patchy. Prior to that, and at other times in the day, he had, and still largely prefers, water. DD almost 10 months is only now starting to drink water, and then only when she is extremely thirsty.

My advice would be to keep off the juice/squash (especially the over sweet 'Baby Juices' ) as long as possible - you'll do your baby's teeth a favour and hopefully cultivate a good habit.

I'm resussitating this thread to see what anyone thinks. DS2 is 6 months and has 2 solid meals per day, and breast feeds. He has been a little constipated this week, but doesn't seem to like his fruit purees. Should I persevere with water in a beaker? (He's not interested so far)

Hi Droile, Personally, I didn't give any drinks other than breast milk until about 10 months, when d.s. started to drink water from a beaker. Sorry, a bit brain dead - will try to be more constructive a bit later!

Do you think he is constipated because of too little fluid, or just adjusting to solids? Could you try adding fruit (dried apricot supposed to be gd for constipation) to other stuff?
I'd say keep offering water (maybe just at one mealtime) but don't worry if not drunk - it takes a while to get used to beakers etc. Should be getting enough fluid from breastmilk.
Hope this makes sense - must dash.

Thanks both. The dried apricot is a good idea. I suspect that breast milk is enough, just wanted reassurance.

droile, I'm sure your ds is fine, but I remember my GP going through the signs of dehydration with me - dipping/bulging fontanelle, saggy skin, no tears, dry mouth, constipation, stronger smelling & less volume of wee. they always reassured me when I worried about dd especially on hot days and during illness.

Bea, the whole issue of water when breasfeeding is also a cultural one. The Africans (I was brought up in Africa) and many Asians believe in feeding babes water with solids and between breastfeeds whereas most of the books I've read say it's not necessary as enough water is found in breast milk. My GP, an African gentleman recommended feeding water when babe was having trouble breastfeeding (laziness!).
Just like formula milk, he will take as much or as little water as he needs.

Droile - breast milk is all that is required. If you think he is constipated up the breast feeds. He may not be costipated at all though, may just be a change of function due to solids.

Hope I'm not going to put anyone off their lunch with this one. I have been concerned that DS2 is constipated as well. He is almost six months and one three small meals a day and takes five good b/feeds, he has a cold so the last few days it has been six/seven b/feeds. His nappies as nice and wet so I don't imagine he could be constipated just probably as Mears says adjusting to the solids. However this morning (this is the disgusting bit) at 3.50am he woke up and had a dirty nappy, I changed it and whilst changing it he started to poo again, basically I saw the poo come out, then go back in again, and that is the last I have seen of it! Could this still come under adjusting to the solids or could there be some other problem here?

Just re-visited this and think it is probably a question that is beyond even Mumsnetters. Just find that with my exciting life, I get a bit poo obsessed sometimes! I'm sure he will not burst and it'll come out soon!

Demented you made me laugh out loud. Mainly because I found myself seriously considering your question. I am now worried about my own scatological obsessions

I've seen this happen, demented. Don't worry, it'll come back out again soon.

Yes, it did come out, big time!!!

Just been to my parents for a few days and it started as soon as we arrived and basically every nappy since Wednesday night has been dirty. The poor wee soul now has a sore bum.

Ah, poor little one. Sometimes it's like a sausage factory, isn't it. I remember once in a vast, posh M&S loo when DS1 was a baby, a never-ending poo came out while he was on the changing mat. I just stood there for minutes on end, grabbing wads of paper to wrap it in every few seconds. I've never seen anything like it. Neither had the women who came in to spend a penny.

LOL Droile!!!

Unfortunately today he does actually seem properly constipated, rabbit purlies, etc. Think we might try the water, even if he doesn't take it at least he's been offered it, he still b/feeds well, five times a day, six/seven times a day over the past week or so as he has a cold, he may just be getting to the point where he could do with some water.

Should these latest postings be on the "Food" thread?!!