Babies and water

No!

Didn't in my day!

Gave mine boiled, cooled water regularly - it was recommended, certainly in those days! Babies get thirsty.

Both my children gave their children boiled water as babies I think. I certainly did. Better than juice!

Haven't heard that one before!

Dd was told the same with dgd1 in the hot summer 2 1/2 years ago. I was worried about dehydration.
She's also paranoid about sunburn. I'm surprised the wee things dang get ricketts.

When DGS was born DD1 was told not to give him water, breast milk was sufficient for all his needs. As this was in Australia with a hot summer approaching I thought this was ridiculous advice, and advised her to give him cool boiled water which she did.

DD2 never drank any water at all, she absolutely refused anything from a bottle.

Galen - there has been at least one case of rickets in North Queensland (and probably a lot more) as the rule is slip, slop, slap.

Although DD1 was advised to let DGS have a couple of minutes sunlight on his bare body because he was jaundiced, this is not the norm.

We were advised to give babies boiled water also, which I did for both of mine, but DIL was told not to do it. I had a long chat with my DIL's Mother and we agreed that the current advice is totally different from our day. Also sleeping positions, we were told to put babies on sides or tums. Now it's strictly on their backs apparently, I don't know how our survived!

I certainly gave mine cooled boiled water, they have turned out okay, they also slept on their tummies .
Strikes me like everything else in the medical profession , want to change things for changes sake, tell you one thing one minute next minute All change Boring .
Hmmm

I suggested boiled water to DiL when DGD was tiny but I got the same response as rosequartz: the midwives said it was unnecessary with breast milk. I suggested it 3 times but then backed off in good MiL fashion. Whether it would have been helpful we shall never know but she happily drinks it now she is on solids.

Yes thats the line at the moment no water, breast gives everything they need. I thought my two were better having a drink of boiled water

It's the low exposure to sunlight that worries me! Mine would spend all the time possible naked when the weather was suitable. They weren't allowed to burn though!
Now it's siunscren cream every 10mins! Sunsuits that give almost as much cover as a burkha and don't let the little angels out in it for too long!
Balderdash!

With breast-fed babies, the reasoning is that if they quench their thirst with water, they could miss out on getting enough nutrients and antibodies through their breast feeds.
A baby feeding more frequently to quench their thirst will get more fore milk which is thinner, so they won't 'overfeed' (The hind milk is the fat-rich part).
No idea what applies with formula-fed babies.

Have things really changed? I remember being told water was not necessary for breast fed babies over 30 years ago. I never gave mine water until they started on solids.

Agreed nightowl.

Not where I lived at the time - water was recommended between feeds for breast-fed babies over 30 years ago!

My youngest is 30 and breast fed and I was advised to give boiled water.

Didn't do any harm 43 years ago! I never used a bottle but sips from a grapefruit spoon which was just the right shape.

How strange, there must have been a wide variation in advice, perhaps things are more standardised now. Perhaps the influence of the Internet?

Mine had boiled water in summer, though they were not breast-fed.

It is hard on a breastfeeding mother in summer to keep quenching the baby's thirst as well as his hunger - and it must make her need a lot more water too, to be drinking for two.

Mine were bottlefed, and when I was trying to get them off a feed in the middle of the night, I would tank them up last thing, then give them boiled water if they woke. Very often they would fall asleep after a short drink. I believed that they were thirsty, not hungry. After a couple of weeks of this, they did not bother waking up at all - not worth it for a measly drink of water.

I don't remember finding it hard, I don't think my babies drank any more in summer than winter. My youngest was born during a very hot summer. My winter born baby was the one who fed every two hours day and night - now that was hard.

DD is going through that 2hr day and night feeding night and she is worn out, thought he would improve after his tongue tie was seperated but not yet

Your poor DD glass. I remember wondering if I would ever sleep properly again. He was my first baby so I didn't know any better. I think we tried everything to no avail, so can't offer any advice or words of comfort! But we survived somehow! I hope your poor daughter gets some respite soon, she's doing well to stick with it.