Water needed after starting rice cereal

L

lylee

Registered User
Hi, my baby is now 6 mos old & I've been giving her EBM all along (no water). Recently we started her on rice cereal & fruit/veg puree. Wondering whether I need to give her some water now that we've started solids? She still has pretty regular bowel movements... thanks!
 
I don't think there's an urgent need to give it to her unless you just want to see if she'll take water in general.

we did that with my son at around 5 months (while i finished up nursing him) and he loved it and has been drinking it with snack ever since. it also helps when you are in bind.
 
Hi, the rerference books I was using when I started my 6 month old on solids recommended that babies need to drink water once they are taking any substantial amount of solid food. Apparently this is because the body needs water in order to digest solid food.

If course, rice cereal and fruit puree is very watery anyway so I wouldn't think there is an urgent need for water at this stage. The approach I took was to offer my baby water in a sippy cup from the time he was on 3 good meals of solids a day (about 7.5 months). He didn't really start actually drinking the water until about 10 months though.

My baby did have a small problem with constipation at around 6.5 months and I think this was because I introduced formula and beef mince at the same time. I know that formula can constipate babies who were previously exclusively breastfed and I think (despite what my books said) that he was a little young for the beef.
 
Thanks! In that case, think I'll hold off on the water for now & wait until I switch her over to formula in the next month or so...

Though a bit late, yes 6.5mos does seem a early for beef. Was speaking to ped about that & he recommended not to intro beef/pork/chicken to babies until they are at least 8-9 mos because of potential allergies.

Thanks!
 
i don't know if what I am doing is correct...my 6.5 old is starting Rice cereal now. out of the four meals per day, her meal at lunch time is Rice Cereal and Formula. Normally she takes 8oz, so for that meal I use 2oz formula to make the rice cereal and to that I add puree (fruit / vegetable), after eating the rice cereal at 11:30, she is then given 6oz of formula at 12:30 (4oz of formula power & 6oz of water). The reason I reduce the formula is so that she can take in more water....does this make sense to anyone? Am I doing the correct thing? She won't drink water on it's own, even if I add apple juice (diluted) to it. Any advice?
 
you have to give your baby enough liquids as soon as you start solids. here is my story. my baby girl started to eat solids pretty early. she is a very good eater and i discussed it with my ped. she was finishing a big jar of vegetables, fruits or a whole bowl rice cereals, so i strated cutting down her milk. unfortunately she doesn't like drinking (we've tried everything, water, tea, diluted juices), she refused everything. now we are in a hospital, she's got a urin tract infection, because she didn't drink enough. i don't want to scare you, just keep in mind that your baby needs a lot of liquids.
we're off solids now and before my little girl doesn't start drinking like a big one, i'll not make the same mistake again.
 
Thank you - I will continue working with increasing her water intake....luckily she will drink very diluted milk so I will make sure her water intake is enough by continuing with that.
 
lesliefu, my baby also won't drink water from the bottle but she's ok if i spoonfeed or squeeze it into her mouth. it's a hassle, but at least i know she's getting some water that way. ped also recommended the wildalp water which you could try. babies might like that more than cooled boiled water.

ninahh, sorry to hear your baby is in the hospital. hope she gets well soon. i was wondering, did your baby show any signs of uti? why i ask is because my baby has been refusing milk lately (drinking just 1oz per feed), very irritable, appear more tired than usual etc. took her to the ped a few days ago & he said if she continues for another week, will have to test for uti...
 
she vomited, apparently that's a sign for uti. don't let it get that far. try to give her water in between her feeds. it's really not a nice experience (neither for you nor for your baby)
 
Try giving water at the same temperature that you would give milk, my LO is now fine with water but not at the beginning, I introduced water when I started solids with her (at milk temperature), now she is happy to take it at room temperature. She drinks water with every meal now from a sippy cup but originally from a bottle.
 
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