Boiled Water - at what age?

[Zodiac]

At what age do you start feeding a baby cooled boiled water?

My baby is a bit colickly and constipated & my mum said she used to give me water to ease this. Can I do this from this early (he's only 5 weeks old & premature)

The books I've read say that babies get all they need from my breast milk so nothing else is required?

Thanks

 

[Josephine_Beth]

I started at 2 weeks. It's only recently the doctors have said no. Look back to when we were babies. Our mum's were feeding us foods from 10 weeks old, tea from 8 weeks old, water and warmed milk from birth.

To be honest, I think they should have some water, they cry, not only cus they are hungry but because they are thirsty, too. To see if your baby is dehydrated, check to see if her'his lips are dry and cracked.........it's a give way.

The above isn't 'official advice', just what I've been doing.

 

[kimmumof2]

hi hun if baby is formula fed then usually you can give it them from birth as FF can sometimes make them constipated and also make them thirsty, BF babies dont usually need it but some mums still giv it if babies will take it. i started both mine on water from 2/3 weeks.

xxxx

 

[Gem & Leland]

hi

y baby was 6 weeks early , and is now 3 weeks old , and ive been told to give boiled water , especially on the passed couple of hot days weve had , also cos his now taken more formula then breast .

 

[Gem & Leland]

oh and to try and cure hiccups !

 

[cloud9]

i don't know if it is different for prem babies but i never gave dylan water till he was been weaned

i spoke to the doc about his bowl movements and he said with breast fed babies they don't worry so long as they go once a week

re thirst:
the top of the milk is more fluid as a drink the last is cremier with the calories so the first 1o mins is really a drink for them.

breat milk also contain the amount of calories they need if youa re filling them up with water they may not gain the weight they need to which i would think is twice as important in a prem baby

 

[lisa&alex]

if the babys soft spot is depressed they could probably do with some water.. theres nothing wrong with giving cooled/warm boiled water from a few weeks old.. edward has it and chamomile tea. its great for colic.

 

[maybebaby]

I was about to post then realised cloud said everything I was going to say. If he's exclusively breastfed he won't need water, and breastfed babies quite often don't poo for days - it's completely normal.

I'm not sure if it's different for preemies, maybe check with your HV if you're unsure.

 

[Squiglet]

i was told by our paediatrician to give Serena this infusion tea of camomile and fennel (made with boiled water) and have been giving it to her since she was a week old because she was colicky... it really helps her and she guzzles it down as if she is dying of thirst... She is pretty much exclusively bf'd although occasionally if we are out of a night, or if she has been excessively sick during the day, we might give her 30mls of formula... but that's rare if we give her this tea..

 

[Kylie1007]

Yesterday Finn was crying uncontrollably so I rang the HV who said to give him some boiled water to help unblock him - and it worked too! (3 pooey nappies in about 15 mins ) She also said that I could try a really really weak solution of o.j and water - so weak that it doesn't colour the water.