Newborn baby isn't getting any water, and new mom refuses to take any help.?

Question

My friend just had a baby, and she refuses to give her child water [baby is almost a month old]. It has been hot around the area, and she only feeds her child formula, and nothing other. When I was a newborn, my mom said she started feeding me water and small amounts of juice a little after I was a month old.

I think it is absurd that you shouldn't feed a child water, water causes no harm. But my friend is refusing to feed her child water until she is finally past 6 months. My mother [a mom of two] has had experience with children, including my sibling and I, and our baby cousins, but my friend refuses to take her advice.

Call me ignorant, but if I were a mother who had no one to go to for help other than the internet and the doctor, I would atleast take an experienced mother's advice. Yes, my friend has no one to go to, and she has not much of an idea, and as much as my mom and I try to help, she refuses to take it.

Is she being stubborn?

I didn't mean to sound as if I was bashing or being too judgmental of the way she was raising her child. I have an 8 month old, and I was only providing her with the help I've received from my mother and other relatives. I raised my child by giving her tiny bits of water within the 2nd month, and not providing her with juices until last month.

I too am stubborn, but it's just a matter of opinion.

Answer 1

Formula has all the water a baby needs. Giving a baby water takes up room in the stomach that should be filled with nutrition, not just fluid.

You and your mom are the ones being stubborn. Back off and let her parent her child.

Answer 2

She's not being stubborn, she's being a careful mom to her baby. It is dangerous to give a baby water before 6 months old, and once they're 6 or 7 months they say to only give them maybe an ounce or two a day just to get them used to using a sippy cup.

Her child is fine with just formula, and I'm sure you're mom meant well by giving you and your sibling water or juice at such an early age but it's really not recommended these days. Not only could it be dangerous for a baby, but have you seen in the news adults dying from drinking too much water - who would think something like water could do that but it's true.

Your friend seems to know what she's doing, and if she continues to ask her pediatrician or research on the internet she should do great.

Answer 3

I would say then the two of you need to mind your own business.. It is not necessary to give and infant water.. Formula is fine.. You can tell if an infant is dehydrated by if the soft spot on top of the head is sunken in or he/she's eyes are sunken in.. If so the baby needs more fluids.. Formula is mixed with what? WATER so the baby is getting exactly what it needs in the proper amounts.. If you start giving a baby water the baby then won't drink the appropriate amounts of formula which has the nutrients that water does not have. The water will also mess with the baby's electrolyte balance. So, your friend is fine and her baby is fine too.. If it's hot then give the baby a nice cool sponge bath or something like that. Sometimes advice though coming from a caring place is "outdated" your mother's advice though it may have been good "back in the day" isn't right for today. Let your friend raise her baby the way she wants to and unless you see the baby in grave physical danger than it's best to leave it at that.. Or if she comes to you for your mother's or your advice... When I was pregnant I got all kinds of "unsolicated" advice and it was annoying.. Things that were so outdated and unecessary I just did my own thing and I have 2 healthy children... Good luck

Answer 4

I wouldn't be so rude to call you ignorant but uneducated about a newborns needs. She is not stubborn but correct. Formula or breastmilk is all a child needs for the first several months. Water is unneccessary and can do more harm than good.
1. Water can damper the little ones appetite and she will not get her neccessary nutrients and not put on as much weight as she should.
2. Water can cause diarrhea. Newborn poop is already quite runny already
3. Exessive water, which isn't much for a newborn can upset her delicate electrolyte balance.

I worked at WIC before I had my baby and sat through clients being counseled. They were told not to give them water.

What was accepted as gospal 20-30 years ago is not always the best route or was correct in the first place

Answer 5

Your 'help' could seriously hurt her baby. Babies under 6 months should NOT have anything besides breast milk or formula.

Direct quote from http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/:

A baby may "fill up" on water, resulting in him taking less breast milk or formula. This then deprives him of the nutrients essential for healthy growth and development.

Too much water can stop your young baby's body from absorbing the nutrients it needs from milk. It can also lead to an imbalance of electrolytes.

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Just because your mother had 2 children does not make her an expert or a pediatrician. Don't insult your friend's intelligence by assuming that if she isn't listening to your mother then she isn't getting sound advice from somewhere. The Internet is FULL of great resources for new moms, and I am sure she has a pediatrician she can call.

She is NOT being stubborn, she is doing the right thing for her baby.

Answer 6

No, shes doing what she knows to be best for her baby.

Giving water to a infant who is taking nothing other than breastmilk or formula can be very dangerous.

It can lead to water-intoxication, which can cause seizures and death.

Water intoxication is what happens when the sodium levels in your blood get over-dilluted.

The baby does not need water. If you really want to give her a hard time about something, how about giving her a hard time about not breastfeeding? At least you won't sound like an idiot who doesn't know what shes talking about.


Oh, and juice should never be given to an infant. To a toddler every once in a while, as a treat, sure! But giving it to a baby on a regular basis is just encouraging bad eating habits.

Answer 7

WOW, you are in no position to judge, and the formula is giving that child everything it needs, it is really none of your business, not all good moms will do things your mothers way i have 5 kids and they never got water til the 6 month time either, my eldest is 17 and very healthy not that i think mothers who give there children water are wrong there kids are healthy too, it's a personal decision, this is your friend huh? glad your not my friend, you are not helping you are judging and being a horrible friend, be supportive, you do not have to agree with her, but because she does not agree with you does not make her wrong, as a new mother she needs a true friend not a know it all judge mental friend be supportive if you care about your friend, apologize and give her a hug, tell her what a great mom she is

Answer 8

Alot of babies won't take water even if you try to give it to them. My daughter wouldn't take water till after she was 6 months old. Another thing..think of this...so what if the baby only breastfeeds but won't take a bottle...the mommy can't get straight water to squirt out. It's fine and baby is getting enough water in the formula. If her baby is almost a month old then she has probably already taken the baby to the pediatrician or about to and they will let her know. If it's that big of a deal the pediatrician will ask if she is doing that or not and tell her yes or no if she needs to. Don't worry.
Your mom gave you juice that early? They say not to till the baby gets older...they should just stick to formula mainly till several months down the road. ***Juice has acids and stuff in there that the baby can not digest in early months and can cause cranky babies, rash's,and bad diapers***

Answer 9

No. Formula is mostly water and a baby that young takes in a lot of it since that is all he has. I am an experienced mother of four and my mother had eight children. We lived in a very hot place...well very hot all summer. She never gave a small baby water because they got plenty from the formula. I have never given a tiny baby water either. If the baby is not taking enough formula then you can try a couple of oz. of water in between feedings, but it usually is not necessary at all.

Answer 10

I'm not sure what other advice you've tried to offer her but, chances are she will take your advice if she wants to. I never fed my kids water and I have many years experience taking care of babies and I never gave any of them water. Chances are she is not doing her baby any harm at all by not offering her water. I thought water could fill them up when you really want them to fill up on what's nutritious. I'm also sure that ultimately it certainly doesn't matter either way. Why are you thinking it's so important for her to listen to you in this matter? Why is she stubborn just because she diagrees with what you think she should do? Even if you'd raised 300 kids and they'd all eaten cereal at 4 months old and done fine, would it matter to you if someone waited until 5 months old to do the same? Many things don't matter and this sounds like one of those things to me. Is her baby healthy? And happy? And gaining weight? Leave the mother alone and let her make her own decisions.