question from Kazza

[razzle]

Posting this for Kazza...

Child Care Q

:wave: Hi Pinky,
I love reading your advice. I was reading a reply you gave saying not to give breastfed babes extra water in warm weather, they'll feed more often prob but they'll get what they need from Mum. I was wondering about giving my son water, so you answered that for me.

My query is my 4 month old son will be having a one off day in a child care centre next month. The centre recommended I send him with EBM and water in a sipper cup. What should I do in this situation? Just send heaps of EBM incase it's warm?

[Pinky McKay]

Hi Razzle and Kazza,

While it isnt necessary to give babies extra water (as long as you feed according to the baby's cues), for a day in childcare at 4 months I would send some extra breast milk and also the requested sippy cup of water. The baby will then at least get the clean cup and water that mum has prepared ( and if he doesnt want it he can have the extra breastmilk) -it would be awful to have him given some formula (which may sensitise him to milk allergies) or perhaps juice instead. Besides, it is the baby's sucking that alters the consistency of the milk as he feeds and he may be a bit thirsty or feed the expressed milk a little more quickly from a bottle, so it is better to have 'extra' acceptable fluid than take a chance that some well-meaning person would offer something else.

Pinky