Hunger or thirst?

[LJaydow]

Both my mum and MIL keep saying that in this hot weather, LO might be crying because he is thirsty rather than hungry, and occasionally when he cries to offer him cooled boiled water.

Is this correct?

 

[discoclare]

There's just been another thread about water. Is your LO BF or FF? With a BF baby they definitely don't need any water until weaning ireespective of temperature as the foremilk / hindmilk adjusts itself with temperature and age of baby. With FF I always thought you could give it for constipation, thirst I don't know, some people say you can and some not, I'll leave someone more experienced to answer that bit.

 

[LJaydow]

FF, by the way

Hope ive not been thick and overlooked the other thread

 

[amy19604]

Ive always offered cooled boiled water between feeds if the baby is on formula. Breastmilk is like food and drink, formula is just food, apparently.

 

[RHR]

Hi hun, I personally would offer him a little bit of water as it has been so hot, especially if he is ff. My dd is ff and has drunk loads of water whereas she doesn't normally. Yes, she's a heck of a lot older than your lo. If he doesn't want any he wont drink it.

 

[sapphire1]

Before Holly was on solids I only gave her a little water if she was constipated. I was told that for young babies, it's better to give extra milk rather than extra water in hot weather. In extreme cases, too much water can cause something called water intoxication. Cooled boiled water was routinely offered in the past, as the formulas were heavier then. Modern formulas are a lot lighter so extra water shouldn't be necessary. x x

 

[kiraelliott]

Yeah I was told at the hospital that formula has all the water a baby needs, they don't need extra. Back in the day the ratio was different so most mothers fed water as well. xxx