AskDoctorKT

One of the major reasons why nursing mothers fail to achieve exclusive breastfeeding is that, they insist on giving water to their babies before they clock 6 months. In this blog post, I have compiled a list of 10 reasons why they shouldn’t. Read on!

1. Breast milk already contains 88% of water. I mean, this is literally water, water and water with a sprinkle of lactose, proteins, fats and vitamins!

2. You can’t be 100% sure of the purity of that water you want to introduce into your baby’s delicate immune system. No amount of purification can beat the naturally available water in breast milk!

3. You can’t be 100% sure of the cleanliness of the cup, spoon or bottle you’re using to give your baby water. Let him suckle the natural water straight from mama!

4. Once you start giving extra water to your baby, he begins to crave for more. The more water he drinks, the less space he has to take breast milk. This will ultimately affect your milk production because breastfeeding is a demand and supply business!

5. Once your baby’s stomach has been filled with water, he may refuse to breastfeed at the right time. You can guess the rest of the story right?

6. Once your baby gets used to drinking water from a cup or spoon, he may also insist on drinking breast milk from cup or spoon. Don’t do this to yourself. That’s double work for an already tired mom!

7. If you’re using a feeding bottle, that could even be worse. Your baby may now prefer the bottle teat to your natural, God-given nipples. We call this NIPPLE CONFUSION. Why should your baby suckle from you when there’s an easier way?!

8. When your baby still looks hungry after a feeding session, and the next thing you offer is water, he will become even hungrier (and angrier). Paradoxically, it will seem like your baby never gets satisfied, until you add water.

9. If the weather is hot and dry, there’s a likelihood that your baby will feel more thirsty. But guess what? He still doesn’t need water! Mummy can drink extra amount of water and produce more breast milk!

POV: I exclusively breastfed one of my babies in a very hot weather and I didn’t give him water until he clocked 6 months!

10. If your baby is sick and you need to mix some water with his medications, that doesn’t count as anything significant. Besides, he’s only going to take the medicine for a few days. Please, do not exceed the exact amount of water required for the mixture. This will not only affect his breast milk intake, but may alter the dosage of the given drug, thereby reducing its efficacy.

PS:

Giving your baby too much water may cause water intoxication and electrolyte imbalance.

Unlike adults, babies have a different chemical composition of water and salts. If they drink too much water, the amount of sodium in their blood will be diluted. Effects of low sodium concentration include:

•Drowsiness
•Muscle spasms and cramps
•Convulsions
•Nausea and vomiting
•Generalised body weakness
•Difficulty in breathing.

So, tell me, have I been able to convince you?

Get a copy of Nature’s Superfood for more tips for successful breastfeeding.

©Doctor KT
2022