Hi,
I just thought of something today as my baby has started to have some solids now and I could not find one certain answer whilst looking through several web-sites. So I would really appreciate any advice on this one:
that is ...
When a baby starts eating solids do I also start to give her water? I am still breast feeding but is that enough now that there are also other foods in the diet. I was thinking that maybe I could boil and cool down some water and try to see whether she is thirsty but I am just not sure whether this is a good idea, and if it is, then how often would she need water.
Marianne
Question on Weaning
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scoobymcdoo
- Posts: 675
- Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:46 pm
I always offered Sophie water when we first started weaning. I would never eat a meal myself without having a drink of some sort so I just applied the same to her...no idea if it is right or wrong, I just went with what I personally did! Now she has water with her meal as we do.
Sorry- of no help at all!
Hannah
Sorry- of no help at all!
Hannah
I gave my daughter water when I started giving her solids. She liked water but when I stopped breastfeeding and gave her milk she lessened her water intake and drank loads of milk. Now she's sort of levelled it out and drinks about half a mug of milk with each meal and drinks quite a lot of water with the meal and also between meals too.
I don't think water will do your baby any harm so you could just try and give it to her. About how often just go with the flow. She'll let you kow if she doesn't want any. At least mine did. She just turned away or pushed the bottle or mug away. But perhaps offer it to her after you've breastfed and not before? That way, you don't fill her up before you breastfeed.
I don't think water will do your baby any harm so you could just try and give it to her. About how often just go with the flow. She'll let you kow if she doesn't want any. At least mine did. She just turned away or pushed the bottle or mug away. But perhaps offer it to her after you've breastfed and not before? That way, you don't fill her up before you breastfeed.
saving chimpanzees is a big hairy deal
I agree with Penelope. I don't think boiling water is really necessary in Finland. However, use cold water not warm or lukewarm. Warm /lukewarm water will have many more microbes than cold water. You can let the cold waer stand for a bit in room temperature before you give them to your baby so it's not too cold for her.
saving chimpanzees is a big hairy deal
Thank you!
Thank you to all of you for your replies!!!
This water question seems to have changed from the past as my mother was apparantly told to give water to a breastfed baby and I instead was told at the Neuvola that breastfed babies do not need water unless they have a case of serious diarrhoea. Hence I have not given her water before (whether this is right or wrong I do not know but she has been fine until now and definitely not dehydrated) but when it comes to weaning I thought that this is real "food" so it does really make sense to give water with this extra food coming ... but I could not find any information on what kind of water and how much and when to start etc
Anyway ... now I feel like an idiot ... my poor baby must have been thirsty today and I just did not think on time!
Well ... lesson learned.
This water question seems to have changed from the past as my mother was apparantly told to give water to a breastfed baby and I instead was told at the Neuvola that breastfed babies do not need water unless they have a case of serious diarrhoea. Hence I have not given her water before (whether this is right or wrong I do not know but she has been fine until now and definitely not dehydrated) but when it comes to weaning I thought that this is real "food" so it does really make sense to give water with this extra food coming ... but I could not find any information on what kind of water and how much and when to start etc
Anyway ... now I feel like an idiot ... my poor baby must have been thirsty today and I just did not think on time!
Well ... lesson learned.
You have no reason to feel like an idiot 
You weren't sure so you asked a question... and there is no such thing as a stupid question. We all muddled through the baby years... as the others said it is all about instinct. It is probably true that a baby doesn't need extra water when it is breast fed, but I found it practical to carry a bottle of water around, especially in summer or in the car. I remember one of mine hated the bottle and would only sip from a cup!
Good luck with the weaning. My advice (you don't have to listen!) keep foods separate at first.... don't mix up too many foods together. If baby refuses a particular food, don't force it but try again a few days later. No sugar and no salt.
You weren't sure so you asked a question... and there is no such thing as a stupid question. We all muddled through the baby years... as the others said it is all about instinct. It is probably true that a baby doesn't need extra water when it is breast fed, but I found it practical to carry a bottle of water around, especially in summer or in the car. I remember one of mine hated the bottle and would only sip from a cup!Good luck with the weaning. My advice (you don't have to listen!) keep foods separate at first.... don't mix up too many foods together. If baby refuses a particular food, don't force it but try again a few days later. No sugar and no salt.
Hi Wheely,
Just to add - I gave water to baby right from the start when I was still breastfeeding. Just a few spoonfuls at first. The idea which was given by my mother was so that the baby gets used to the taste of water from the beginning and so will have no problems with water later on. The other was to introduce baby to the idea of being spoonfed so that baby will also not balk at the spoon when it comes to weaning time. Both worked well and the transition to weaning has been smooth. I noticed your little one was doing beautifully with the spoon and her fruitmush so that's a great start!
I gave mine water at room temperature and sometimes added some hot boiled water to the icy cold water from the tap when I needed to get it to room temperature.
Just to add - I gave water to baby right from the start when I was still breastfeeding. Just a few spoonfuls at first. The idea which was given by my mother was so that the baby gets used to the taste of water from the beginning and so will have no problems with water later on. The other was to introduce baby to the idea of being spoonfed so that baby will also not balk at the spoon when it comes to weaning time. Both worked well and the transition to weaning has been smooth. I noticed your little one was doing beautifully with the spoon and her fruitmush so that's a great start!
I gave mine water at room temperature and sometimes added some hot boiled water to the icy cold water from the tap when I needed to get it to room temperature.
Hi guys,
as the Neuvola pointed out to Wheely, it is not advisable to give water to a baby who is beeing breastfed, because the baby gets everything it needs from mommy's milk. The water only takes up stomache space that baby needs to fill with the milk. Water is just water, but baby needs all the good things from the milk it can possibly get. In some cases giving extra water can even lead to premature weaning.
Wheely, you can start to offer your daughter water with every meal of solids, but don't worry if she doesn't take it yet, as I am assuming you will start with one meal a day. She still gets enough fluid from your milk. You will know that she gets enough fluids by checking her diaper. As long as she has a dripping wet diaper twice a day and no problems pooing, i.e. the poo is not to hard, she is just fine.
as the Neuvola pointed out to Wheely, it is not advisable to give water to a baby who is beeing breastfed, because the baby gets everything it needs from mommy's milk. The water only takes up stomache space that baby needs to fill with the milk. Water is just water, but baby needs all the good things from the milk it can possibly get. In some cases giving extra water can even lead to premature weaning.
Wheely, you can start to offer your daughter water with every meal of solids, but don't worry if she doesn't take it yet, as I am assuming you will start with one meal a day. She still gets enough fluid from your milk. You will know that she gets enough fluids by checking her diaper. As long as she has a dripping wet diaper twice a day and no problems pooing, i.e. the poo is not to hard, she is just fine.