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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Oh no I think I have been dehydrating DD

51 replies

hobbgoblin · 07/06/2010 16:32

She has been non stop screaming today and so I resorted to taking her in the bath with me to sooth her. She fed in the bath and then weeed on me and her wee was so dark - got me thinking. She woke all last night and was wriggly and unsettled and chomping on boob constantly. I fed her 3 times each side in the bath and then she went sleepy so let her fall asleep on my bed wrapped in her bath towel. While she was asleep I decided I'd give her a bottle of water on waking. She has just gulped about 90z of boiled water which has just shocked me!

She is BLW, 10 months old and apart from when we have a bbaysitter for the odd evening she is EBF with goats milk formula otherwise.

She is now awake and a smiley baby again.

I feel terribly guilty. I have been very stressed the last couple of days and not eaten at all so I'm guessing my milk has been zapped.

Am I correct thinking that before 12 months I wasn't supposed to be topping up with any other liquids if my milk was still in good supply?

OP posts:

Thandeka · 07/06/2010 18:07

Saw this earlier but thought someone more expert might have posted but having checked back thought I would post to bump this for you. I only have a 4 month old so not started weaning yet but I do give her a smidge of water now and again to get her used to the taste and because I thought once you started weaning you could also give water butit shouldn't be the main liquid intake which should be milk. As far as I now your milk supply can't be affected by what you eat or drink (hence women in developing countries being able to bfeed) but I think it can be affected a bit by stress I think.
I do know you have to be careful not to give too much water to little ones as it can upset their electrolyte balance and 9oz water sounds like loads to me but think that's just because I am used to 4 month little tummies!

I think well done you for working out what is wrong with her and try not to feel guilty- blimming kids need to come with ability to tell us what is wrong if you ask me! It may be an idea to chat to hv or doc to get their perspective as they will be more expert than me.

Thandeka · 07/06/2010 18:12

Oh and ps yup they often say no water if bfed but my doc advised it as dd only poo's once a week! I only ever give her a couple oz after a feed now and again on a hot day but then she isn't on solids and I think water is allowed more when on solids as solids can constipate.

Missus84 · 07/06/2010 18:15

Do you give her a drink with meals?

noblegiraffe · 07/06/2010 18:15

I think you should be offering water at least with meals and probably throughout the day, especially in the hot weather we've been having. My 9 month old has a few sucks from his sippy cup sometimes when it is offered, other times he shakes his head and pushes it away. We've been having problems with constipation and the doctor has been stressing that he should be getting water as well as milk.

Good news is that you don't have to bother boiling it, tap water is fine.

IMoveTheStars · 07/06/2010 18:21

if exbf, then you don't need to offer other fluids, even in hot weather (in this country)

When weaning, you should offer water with meals.

Original poster

hobbgoblin · 08/06/2010 10:50

Thanks everyone. Looks as though water here and there will be a good idea. I am aware that many GPs and sometimes HVs advise water based on old fashioned thinking and that expert BF counsellors tend to say EBF alone even when weaning. Not sure who is right to be honest but would like the latter to be true because I like BF.

I will get practising with the Doidy this week.

DD does only poo intermittently and always has done. She is nothing like her siblings at all who had daily dirty nappies. Sometimes they can be hard poos but mostly they are soft, just not very frequent.

I wonder if stress has affected things more than food (my lack of)... I know she had a good feed at 6am this morning because she was gulping so that is reassurring.

OP posts:

SPBHatesFootball · 08/06/2010 10:54

I've never heard anyone say that a weaning baby shouldn't be offered water
i think your supply will be fine, but i personally would start giving her a cup of water

Original poster

hobbgoblin · 08/06/2010 10:56

Yes, the doidy is a cup but gave a bottle because wanted to make sure I got some decne tfluid into her right away.

So far with the Doidy she just enjoys tipping it over herself and laughing!

OP posts:

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:01

The main question has been answered but wanted to pick up on an earlier point re: pooing weekly - it's TOTALLY normal for an exclusively breastfed baby to go up to 2 weeks without pooing, because breast milk is so well digested. Excl. BF babies do not need water even when it's hot.

SPBHatesFootball · 08/06/2010 11:01

DS never resally got to grips with a doidy cup - never actually tried it with DD, might have to give it a go.
You do realise what a mean mother you're being don't you? One of DD's favourite games is making a little lake on the floor beneath her highchair

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:03

Ugh, that's what I get for leaving a tab open for hours and not refreshing before replying - I repeat everyone else. Doh!

colditz · 08/06/2010 11:07

I would go against the flow here and say that when you are dealing with an exclusively breastfed baby who is so clearly seriously dehydrated as the Op's baby was, you damn well give it a drink of water before it ends up in hospital.

SPBHatesFootball · 08/06/2010 11:10

colditz, I think most people agree! I've never heard that bf babies over 6 months shouldn't be given any other drinks.

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:13

colditz - the OP's baby is not exclusively breastfed it was the mum with the 4mo old pooing weekly I/we were talking about?

colditz · 08/06/2010 11:20

Oh were you? You didn't say...

colditz · 08/06/2010 11:22

However, you DID say that exclusively breastfed babies don't need water even when it is hot, and again, I would argue that if they are showing as many clear signs of dehydration as the Op's baby was, they DO need water.

Original poster

hobbgoblin · 08/06/2010 11:22

eh?

OP posts:

Original poster

hobbgoblin · 08/06/2010 11:23

fontanelles not sunken, skin still plump so she wasn't getting enough fluid that day and thus dehydrated but not seriously I don't think.

Blimey do you have to make me feel utterly crap?

OP posts:

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:25

Well, given that it was only that person who talked about pooing weekly (and the OP clearly mentioned she was weaning, therefore not EBF) I thought my post was specific enough. I'm sorry if I confused you though

I shall henceforth include usernames in my replies

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:28

She says, forgetting to include a username...

@hobbgoblin - sorry, will stop hogging your thread now..

Original poster

hobbgoblin · 08/06/2010 11:32

i am confusing the isssue now and am confused about the advice.

What I mean is DD is EBF beyond the solids she has. So, apart from the odd time we have a sitter she always has just my breast milk alongside her solids. I thought (indeed have read) that up until 12 months that was okay and that just because she now takes solids it doesn't mean she needs water as her liquid intake and breast milk will still provide sufficient liquid and hydration.

This seems to stand to reason as the BM hasn't got less fluid like! However, the issue may have been that my supply dropped off due to stress.

On the other hand I could be totally wrong and regardless of supply perhaps all babies should have water alongside everything else ponce they are weaned???????????

OP posts:

winnybella · 08/06/2010 11:38

You are supposed to offer water alonside the meals (at least) when you wean your baby.

You mean that she's been on solids for months and you never gave her water?!!

If the baby gets only bm, than, that's fine, no need for water.

But once it starts having solids in their diet, you should offer water.

colditz · 08/06/2010 11:38

there's nothing wtrong with offering a drink of water, it's only water, it's not sunny delight. It won't stop them breastfeeding (which I agree should definitely still happen)

Missus84 · 08/06/2010 11:38

Where did you hear it about up to 12 months? I had always understood that an exclusively breastfed baby doesn't need any supplemental drinks as long as they're fed on demand - but once solids are introduced they can have water or other drinks alongside food. I guess if you were still exclusively breastfeeding at 12 months maybe then a baby wouldn't need any other drinks?

jemjabella · 08/06/2010 11:38

Ok, just to clarify - I was talking to Thandeka earlier about her LO not needing water just because he poos weekly.

Stress DOES NOT affect supply (although it can inhibit letdown).

I don't have a definitive answer re: breastfeeding, weaning and water as advice varies even amongst BF professionals

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