Nov 13 2007
Conflict of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Plain Water
What is Exclusive Breastfeeding?
The definition of Exclusive Breastfeeding is that baby is given ONLY mother’s breastmilk without any other food or drinks (includes plain water).
Why Not Water?
The element that protects baby from sickness, found in mother’s milk, also forms a protection layer on the inner surface of baby’s intestine. Plain water or formula milk can ‘wash away’ those protection coats. As a result of that, baby loses the protection he could get from breastmilk.
That’s why I’ve been mentioning that it does more harm than benefit if baby is given water, here and here.
Baby is also easily exposed to allergens and pollutants/contaminants, in both water and formula milk. Unless you bottle feed your baby with expressed milk, we do not worry about these in mother’s milk.
Another reason for not giving water is to do with nutrition value. If baby is given plain water, baby will drink less of mother’s milk. Plain water has no nutrition value. Hence baby will get less, both nutrients and antibody from mother’s milk.
Does Exclusive Breastfed Baby Need Water?
Some mothers (or relatives) worry if baby is not given water, the baby will be ‘heaty’ and constipated. Least they know that when they supplement baby with water, the opposite happens. Somewhat for unknown reasons (maybe there is an explanation but I do not know), nearly all breastfed babies who were given water that I know, ended up with constipation problem. They produced hard stools – opposite from what their mothers/relatives believe.
Let me explain…
Babies need 80-100ml/kg (1st week) and 140-160ml/kg (3-6 months) a day. Breastmilk consists 88% of water. If exclusively breastfeed, 8-12 times a day, baby will get more than the amount of water he needs a day!
Water is needed to help get rid of extra solutes (sodium, potassium, nitrogen) through urine. Breastmilk has lowe solutes contents, hence the needs of water is lower for exclusively breastfed babies.
Danger of Water to Babies <6 Months
Risk of insufficient nutrients: As water replaces mother’s milk, baby drinks less milk. Studies show that chances of baby losing weight in the 1st week is high for this reason.
Higher risk of infection: higher chance of jaundice as well.
High risk of oral water intoxication: for babies less than 5 weeks, too much of water can dillute sodium in blood. Body temperature will drop, bloated and cramped.
Conclusion
Think twice before giving any water to your baby. If you are already breastfeeding exclusively, not water is necessary. I’ve only started giving my 2 kids water, after they started semi-solid food, after 6 months old. Don’t worry about baby not wanting to drink water. As mentioned before, Ian didn’t drink any water in his first 6 months, but love to drink water when introduced.
[Source:
1. Handouts from Fatimah Salim, Pegawai Zat Makanan, Institut Kesihatan Umum
2. Pamplet from Penyusuan Susu Ibu, Unit Pemakanan, Bahagian Kesihatan Awam, Jabatan Kesihatan WP KL]
this is great information. Great job !
If you never mention here. I guess a lot of people are not
aware. Must spread this information around, especially to the older generation, sure they will have a lot of objection on this.
Yes, that’s true. A lot of older generations cannot accept this, because they came from the ‘formula era’. Formula milk doesn’t have enough water to nourish the babies. Hence, formula fed babies need a lot of additional liquid/water, or they will likely to constipate hard stool. That’s how the practice started.
A hard sell to them, I must say…
Very informative as usual, thanks a lot for sharing, Suzette. Especially for a soon-2-b-mom.
choohk: I’m glad it helps.
Please help spread the information, so we can help more breastfeding (or soon-to-be-moms like you) out there. Piggy is a good example. She failed breastfeeding her first child because not well prepared. She came upon this blog and learnt/prepared well for her second, and she is still bfg her second. She is now a proud bfg mama. 
Together we can help more moms! 
[...] I want to reiterate, water is NOT necessary for babies who are 100% breastfed. I have written before, in detail, explaining why breastfed babies shouldn’t be given water at all. [...]
ah, now we know!
Hi, stumbled onto your blog via search engine. You have very good articles on breastfeeding! Good work!