Do You Give your Twinfants Bottles of Water?

My pedi suggested that I start giving the girls water in a bottle in between meals, no more than 2oz per day to hopefully help soften their stools. It seems really early to me. My girls adjusted age is about 1 week at this point. What are you thoughts on this?

 

Are they constipated? I have never given mine water by itself but they have it in every bottle!

 

QUOTE(PgTimesTwo @ Jan 4 2008, 05:44 PM) [snapback]558191[/snapback]
Are they constipated? I have never given mine water by itself but they have it in every bottle!


They both have issues with on again off again constipation.

 

QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Jan 5 2008, 01:26 AM) [snapback]558158[/snapback]
My pedi suggested that I start giving the girls water in a bottle in between meals, for a total of 2oz per day to hopefully help soften their stools. It seems really early to me. My girls adjusted age is about 1 week at this point. What are you thoughts on this?


Are they breastfed? Breastfed infants do not need water (and indeed it can harm them by throwing off their electrolyte balance) except under very extreme heat circumstances, and even that is debatable. If you're formula feeding, I'm not sure what the guidelines are. It seems awfully early even with formula, but someone else would be more qualified to answer than I.

 

Our pedi told me to give my son 2oz of water in a bottle when he was constipated ... it would happen quite a bit with him in the beginning. He would go like a week between BMs, and when he finally had one, it would hurt and he would cry so much and it would be SO hard! The water totally did the trick for us! I don't think there is any harm in it ... the doc just said not too much because you don't want it to fill their bellies so they don't drink their formula. But if you do it between bottles, you should be fine!

 

I used to add an extra 1/2 an ounce of water to our formula bottles a few times a day to keep things running, so to speak.

 

We did water at 2 weeks for constipation and then about a week later pear juice. Things really started moving then. To this day we still do juice when things are slow. We had constipation issues because of the rice cereal in the formula.

 

QUOTE(Tammy Fine @ Jan 4 2008, 08:14 PM) [snapback]558250[/snapback]
We did water at 2 weeks for constipation and then about a week later pear juice. Things really started moving then. To this day we still do juice when things are slow. We had constipation issues because of the rice cereal in the formula.


Same story over here, I give mine 2 ounces of pear juice.

 

Ditto here on what CHJH did - I will add an extra 1/2 oz of water in my DD's bottle because she is on soy, and it causes constipation. Things are better now that we are on a variety of solids. Of course, I knew she would finish her bottles - otherwise I might be concerned that it would compromise her calorie intake overtime.

Good Luck, Suzi

 

QUOTE(CHJH @ Jan 4 2008, 08:52 PM) [snapback]558206[/snapback]
I used to add an extra 1/2 an ounce of water to our formula bottles a few times a day to keep things running, so to speak.


I do that frequently as well (I'm bfing and supplementing). They're gaining lots of weight, so it doesn't appear to be hurting them...

 

That does seem early... Have you tried glycerin suppositories to get things moving?

 

QUOTE(fuchsiagroan @ Jan 5 2008, 07:29 AM) [snapback]558520[/snapback]
That does seem early... Have you tried glycerin suppositories to get things moving?


We were told not to use those and to try water and juice first. If that did not work, he had us change the rice cereal to oatmeal for a couple feedings. That worked VERY WELL.

 

We gave water to Becca here and there when she was very little (on the advice of our pedi), now we use apple juice (diluted) to help her along.

I don't see what harm water can do, other than filling their tummies a little bit - that's why you make sure you give very little.

 

my pedi told me the same thing... But what i would do is make the formula a little thinner.. By adding an extra half of oz to their bottles. But they were also 2 months old. They werent one week. My Pedi told me that babies cant handle more than 2 oz of water in their little bodies..

 

we've never had constipation issues (just once when DS was very small) and the glycerine suppository was the WORST experience in the world...I'd use a bit of water or juice first and if it doesn't work then something else but PLEASE PLEASE do not use a suppository - they burn and DS screamed for an HOUR until he pooped and he pooped most of it out unmelted - so it was basically just like sticking something up his butt and leaving it there!

 

QUOTE(betseeee @ Jan 4 2008, 08:49 PM) [snapback]558200[/snapback]
Are they breastfed? Breastfed infants do not need water (and indeed it can harm them by throwing off their electrolyte balance) except under very extreme heat circumstances, and even that is debatable. If you're formula feeding, I'm not sure what the guidelines are. It seems awfully early even with formula, but someone else would be more qualified to answer than I.



Just popping in from the expecting side.

I agree with this post. I am a healthcare provider myself. Water has definitely been known to cause electrolyte problems in babies. I would be careful with it...


Here is a link that I found with more information about this:
http://www.stlouischildrens.org/tabid/88/i...in-Infants.aspx

 

We also use pear juice (2oz/day) to keep things running. We started with prune juice, but it was too harsh (they started this in the NICU prior to their due date). The gastro said that pear juice was good because it has other beneficial qualities (though precisely what those are is beyond me at this point). We are also adding 1/2 tsp of milk of magnesia. I haven't started that yet, but he said it would work wonders. If you are going to try the suppository, our doc said to only use 1/3 of an infant suppository (we used the liquid, not solid one). How long has it been since your lo pooped? I don't let mine go beyond a week, but the gastro said that a breastfed baby can go 10-14 days.

Good luck. I hope things start "flowing" soon!!

Jenny

 

QUOTE(AmynTony @ Jan 5 2008, 05:23 PM) [snapback]558735[/snapback]
we've never had constipation issues (just once when DS was very small) and the glycerine suppository was the WORST experience in the world...I'd use a bit of water or juice first and if it doesn't work then something else but PLEASE PLEASE do not use a suppository - they burn and DS screamed for an HOUR until he pooped and he pooped most of it out unmelted - so it was basically just like sticking something up his butt and leaving it there!


Did you cut the suppository in half lengthwise? That's what our doc and pharmacist told me to do the one or two times I needed to use them later on. It thins it out (and then I smoothed the sharp edges with my hands). I can't say they loved the experience, but it was not agony in any way - no worse than taking a rectal temp.

And it says right on the jar that the suppository may not melt compeltely, so that's normal.

 

I never gave water, but have you tried giving about an ounce of prune juice in at least one of their bottles (mixed with formula)? This worked wonders for our constipation issue. Every morning in the first morning bottle Grace got 1 ounce of prune juice mixed in.

 

I don't see what harm water can do, other than filling their tummies a little bit - that's why you make sure you give very little.
[/quote]


My sister-in-law is a pediatrician (just out of training so knows the latest recs) and says to never, never give a breast-fed baby water. She says it can do LOTS of harm by making them drop sodium and messing up their electrolytes.

One of my girlies (breastfed) would go like 8 or 9 days btwn poops and my ped said to try glycerin suppositories ... that if that didn't work, give her prune juice (only 1 oz) as a last resort (from a dropper since she won't take a bottle and that even if she would it is a little bitter and she may not like it ...). FWIW ... the other day I called the office b/c one of my girls seemed to have a cold and I wondered if she needed to come in ... the nurse there said to try drinking lots and lots of water (me) and it would make my breastmilk watery so she would get more fluids ... my SIL said she had never heard of that but who knows?? You could try it ... Kind of goes along with making formula with a little extra water.

Also, FWIW ... the suppositories worked like a charm with my girl. We got the toddler ones and only used like 1/3 of it and she would fill 3 diapers in a matter of minutes then be a MUCH happier girl!

As for giving formula fed babies water ... I don't know if that is OK or not ... if a ped said it is, it must be?!

 

QUOTE(TraciF @ Jan 7 2008, 04:57 PM) [snapback]561026[/snapback]
My sister-in-law is a pediatrician (just out of training so knows the latest recs) and says to never, never give a breast-fed baby water. She says it can do LOTS of harm by making them drop sodium and messing up their electrolytes.



Wow, that's interesting. I know I was exclusively breastfed and I think my parents gave me water - here and there. Again, we gave Becca water occassionally, but she wasn't exclusively breast fed. At any rate, I stand corrected.

Miriam

 

QUOTE(AmynTony @ Jan 5 2008, 12:23 PM) [snapback]558735[/snapback]
we've never had constipation issues (just once when DS was very small) and the glycerine suppository was the WORST experience in the world...I'd use a bit of water or juice first and if it doesn't work then something else but PLEASE PLEASE do not use a suppository - they burn and DS screamed for an HOUR until he pooped and he pooped most of it out unmelted - so it was basically just like sticking something up his butt and leaving it there!



Me again, just reading these answers ... the suppositories we used were liquid?! I didn't even know they came NOT liquid. We just got them at like CVS or something ... I don't know the brand ... Meredith didn't even seem to notice that we did it ... we just squirted it up there and she pooped ... no fussing involved. hmmm ...

 

QUOTE(akameme @ Jan 7 2008, 12:00 PM) [snapback]561031[/snapback]
Wow, that's interesting. I know I was exclusively breastfed and I think my parents gave me water - here and there. Again, we gave Becca water occassionally, but she wasn't exclusively breast fed. At any rate, I stand corrected.

Miriam


Who knows?! Maybe it is one of those recommedations that is there so people won't give babies lots and lots of water but a little bit is OK ... ya know? The only reason I asked her about it at all is b/c my sister's baby was throwing up a lot and she wondered if the baby was getting dehydrated and couldn't get in touch with her ped so I called Sara and she said that ... to never give water, to give pedialyte. Then for our slow pooper ... she said try taking a rectal temp ... if no good, try suppositories, if no good, then try pear juice. There are a lot of things our parents did and we turned out OK =) We were ALL tummy sleepers! =) =)

 

My pedi said to be careful because it gives them fluid without nutrition. She said that breastmilk or formula offer enough fluid.

 

I gave Savannah water because she was constipated, not much at all. It was around the smae age... Mine were born 35 weeks 4 days so i am not sure if that matters or not.

 

QUOTE(TraciF @ Jan 7 2008, 11:57 AM) [snapback]561026[/snapback]
I don't see what harm water can do, other than filling their tummies a little bit - that's why you make sure you give very little.
My sister-in-law is a pediatrician (just out of training so knows the latest recs) and says to never, never give a breast-fed baby water. She says it can do LOTS of harm by making them drop sodium and messing up their electrolytes.

One of my girlies (breastfed) would go like 8 or 9 days btwn poops and my ped said to try glycerin suppositories ... that if that didn't work, give her prune juice (only 1 oz) as a last resort (from a dropper since she won't take a bottle and that even if she would it is a little bitter and she may not like it ...). FWIW ... the other day I called the office b/c one of my girls seemed to have a cold and I wondered if she needed to come in ... the nurse there said to try drinking lots and lots of water (me) and it would make my breastmilk watery so she would get more fluids ... my SIL said she had never heard of that but who knows?? You could try it ... Kind of goes along with making formula with a little extra water.

Also, FWIW ... the suppositories worked like a charm with my girl. We got the toddler ones and only used like 1/3 of it and she would fill 3 diapers in a matter of minutes then be a MUCH happier girl!

As for giving formula fed babies water ... I don't know if that is OK or not ... if a ped said it is, it must be?!


Yes the doctor asked us to give gripe water. Not exactly water