My parents babysat DD today and I left with them a formula bottle + backup water bottle in case we were going to stay for dinner and she needed more then one bottle. I gave them instructions on how to make the formula bottle up if the needed it however they didn't listen and fed her about 90mls of water...
Is that ok for her to have as a once off thing? She was asleep when we got there and was really hungry when we got home so feed her a full bottle again. I am just worried it might of hurt her
It won't hurt her hun.
While babies don't strictly need water, for formula fed babies it doesn't hurt for them to have it as extra hydration on warmer days.
How silly of your parents though
It won't hurt. It's not ideal, but it won't hurt. Remember, back in the 1970s parents were told to give babies water and baby rice from 6 weeks! So your parents "know" it's OK to give water, even though we don't do it because it's not the best for them. At least it was just water and not rice too!
I think DS drank some water at a very young age, he tended to help himself quite a bit. Not at 8w though.
Actually babies are prone to over-hydration called water intoxication. Although I would think 90mls as a one-off wouldn't cause this? Google water intoxication for more information. Generally it happens when a large amount of water is taken too quickly.
90mls in a baby that age is unlikely to cause water intoxication.
Don't fret about the water intake. Over the summer months we encouraged DD to have boiled water (she was a Feb baby) when she was on formula for 2 reasons;
1). extra hydration
2). to avoid constipation which can sometimes happen with formula fed babies.
But seriously, don't stress about it - just make sure you reiterate to your parents how to make the formula. Your parents may have just been confused and prefered to err on the side of caution and give plain water instead of risking "mixing it wrong".
I agree with what the others said but definatly go over with your parents what you want them to do when she is in their care. That is the really important aspect.
On a midwife home visit the lady told us to give water to DD if she seemed comstipated (a quarter teaspoon of brown sugar in 100mls of water) - (looks like damp brown sand)..DD was prem by 2 mths - and this appt she was about 2.5mths old...
Are you saying it wasnt' boiled? If so a one off is fine, because it's been done, but I can't believe they thought it was ok?? I might have the wrong end of the stick here though.. next time maybe take a few bottles!! Maybe you could look at getting some neocare from the health food shop (baby probiotics) just check what age it's from. I think I gave it to DD at that age. But if it was boiled water, and bub drank it, I wouldn't worry at all.x ox
Thanks for all your replies! She was given boiled water that was in a bottle waiting to be made up just in case we needed it. She had a full bottle of milk already made up to drink.
When I asked them why they gave her water their answer was that she didn't seem hungry just thirsty and then justified it by saying she drank 90mls of water and only 20mls of milk...
*sigh* of course she only drank 20mls of milk because she had water gut!!!
Don't worry I plan to type up exact instructions so they can stick it on their fridge lol they get over excited to see their first grandbaby and clearly don't listen to instructions.
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8w old baby drinking water?
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