Water for newborn baby

[K2012]

This is new to me, I was told not to give water to my baby untill he’s at least 6 months old but just read in another topic that formula fed babies should have water in hot weather. I’ve just read it on the NHS website as well, so what do you do, just add a bit more water when preparing the baby formula or give it separate?

My baby is 7 weeks old and having baby formula.

Thank you in advance

I think young babies can have water as long as it's boiled and then cooled down.

Yes boiled and cooled, and separate from the feed I think.

Give it separately, just plain boiled and cooked water in a sterilised bottle. No more than 1-2oz and after a feed, never before as it fills them up without having any calorific value

*cooled not cooked!

I am not a medical expert, but I was told that when it's really hot, small amounts of cooled boiled water are fine to help keep hydrated. This should be in addition to normal milk intake not instead of though.

Separate to the formula. You need to know they're still getting the milk they need not filling up in water.
And I think no more than an ounce at a a time?

Thanks for all the replies. These days when it’s really hot how much water a day would you give a 7 week old baby?

Is this advice new by the NHS, that you can give water to a baby less than 6 months old?

I’ve read different things on google and most of them have said it’s dangerous to give water to a newborn baby as their kidneys aren’t fully developed and midwife and health worker have never mentioned it either so this is all new to me.

At 7 weeks you can very easily cause hyponatremia ( water intoxication) so I would be offering less formula more often, to ensure hydration.

Such a young baby your talking very small amounts a oz or 2 max and in between feeds if it seems like they need it their fontenelle is a great guide for this if its sunken they need something to drink if not sunken then they are fine between feeds

It's the difference between giving it to them as a drink (which is dangerous), and giving it to supplement excessive fluid loss due to heat (sort of for medical reasons). Clearly water isn't bad itself (given it makes up formula) it's water in the absence of other things (ie milk) that's bad.

If you, an adult, rapidly drank 8pts (or something like that, a lot anyway) water when dehydrated you could get water poisoning, but obviously you should be drinking that over a day. It's the same sort of thing.

Personally I'd offer 1oz after a feed when it was particularly hot, so not if there's air con or at night or if they've fed to sleep, so maybe 3 times. Unlikely to take much of that if any, and that's fine. If they drink it all then might need more milk instead.

I don't know why you'd give water rather than just offering more milk?

Just offer more milk.

Yes they can definately have cooled boiled water but only an ounce or two at a time.

I gave water to my 3dc when they were newborns. Its helps with constipation too.

I was also told to add an extra ounce of water to every formula bottle.

The easiest way is to add an extra ounce to the formula whilst it's hot.

My HV told me to offer my baby more milk feeds. Do not add extra water to the formula.
When my baby had a night of violently spewing one night, she told me to just keep offering formula as that has all the fluids he needs and offer extra feeds instead of offering cooled boiled water.
Keep an eye on the fontenelle if it is dipped/sunken this is a good sign that they are dehydrated and offer extra formula feeds.

Thanks for all the replies. I won’t give water yet will increase the baby formula.

Health visitors are there to answer these types of questions too x

I spoke to the health visitor today, she said I can give baby a few sips of water in this heat after he’s had his milk. She didn’t mention ounces only sips