You have a baby, and there is a lot of joy in the house. But despite all the admiration and affection of a young mother for her child, she receives advice from everywhere. How to properly feed, how to put to sleep, how to dress and whether to give water. Often people of the older generation (grandmothers, usually) insist: especially in the heat, the child should be given water. Why do babies need it?
What a baby definitely needs is breast milk. Therefore, in the first days and even weeks, the mother should make every effort to establish lactation. Do not worry about anything else, except to provide your baby with the most valuable source of food.
Of course, different situations occur. In some cases, a woman cannot feed a child. However, the absolute majority of babies can grow on breast milk. What is it?
What is breast milk?
Breast milk is a white, sweet liquid, a unique product that contains more than 1,000 components. It is mostly impossible to synthesize the components of breast milk artificially. All of them are vitally necessary for a newborn baby in order to provide all its needs. After all, the baby is not only satisfied with mother’s milk. It protects him from many infections and strengthens immunity.
Doctors claim that the first milk a baby consumes in the first hour after birth provides it with concentrated antibodies against various diseases.
Does the baby need anything besides milk?
The mother’s body produces milk in the amount needed for the baby. So if lactation is established, there is enough milk. Any additional feeding or feeding of the baby is unnecessary up to six months. That is, exactly until complementary feeding begins.
Moreover, if you try to give the child, for example, water as a drink, then you risk having problems with feeding. If only because the baby will not eat as much as before, less milk will be produced accordingly. Here another fact emerges: due to the fact that the baby will eat less, he will not receive a certain amount of nutrients that he needs.
In short, even a small amount of feeding disrupts the natural system of breastfeeding. Therefore, it is best not to interfere with her.
What can we say about the fact that top-up endangers the violation of the child’s electrolyte balance.
Why a child does not need water even in the heat
Indeed, most often a young mother is offered to top up her baby in the summer months, during intense heat. Similar advice is given when a child has a tummy ache.
However, lactologists never get tired of repeating: DON’T DO THIS!
Do not think that the child wants to drink and demands water from you. It is not necessary during breastfeeding. The fact is that breast milk consists of 88% water. Therefore, it is absolutely capable of quenching the baby’s thirst.
Exceptions
There are exceptions, of course. However, they are single. Top-up can be considered justified when the child is sick. For example, with a high temperature, diarrhea or vomiting. Due to dehydration, the body can lose a lot of fluid. And this is dangerous. However, such conditions are discussed with the pediatrician individually.
Between household chores, your baby will pass six months very quickly. You will start feeding solid food – this is the first sign that from now on the child needs additional liquid. And besides, just listen to your body, and not to unreasonable advice.
