The question: It is so hot here, I think it was over 100 degrees yesterday. I breastfeed my 2 month old daughter. My mother in law told me that it was so hot I should give her some extra water out of a bottle to make sure she doesn’t get dehydrated. What is your opinion?
My opinion is that your dear mother in law is operating on information that was taught to breastfeeding moms decades ago. You absolutely should NOT give your breastfeeding infant (especially if he’s feeding on demand) water unless it is directed by a pediatrician on a medical indication. Simply being warm outside, is not a medical indication either. There are so many reasons why you shouldn’t give water to a breastfed infant I have decided rather than writing my typical blog I am just going to list several reasons why giving a breastfed newborn a bottle of water is a bad idea.
1. It can decrease your supply. Anytime you replace breastfeeding with something it will decrease your supply.
2. Replacing breastfeeding sessions with water (which is essentially what you would be doing) won’t hydrate your baby–it will malnourish him. Your baby needs the nutrient dense food of breast milk. Water not only has now calories, it doesn’t have nutrients either. You would be taking his healthy caloric meal and replacing it with. . .’nothing’ but the ‘nothing’ fills his tummy so he doesn’t want to eat.
3. Breastmilk is composed of 88% water. That is sufficient to keep an infant hydrated in the first 6 months of life–even if it’s really hot outside.
4. Numerous studies performed in various locations (hot, dry, humid, cold, etc.) show that baby can get all his necessary liquids by feeding on demand.
5. Giving your baby water or juice (after 3 months) can introduce contaminants and/or allergens to your baby.
A few side notes: Once a baby starts solid foods and/or is learning to use a sippy cup a few ounces of water with solids or in a sippy cup is fine. This will not interfere with the breastfeeding. Also, in this article I am assuming that the breastfed baby is breastfed on demand. Babies who are hot will naturally ‘demand’ to nurse more on hotter days.