Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

DH asked me today because my 4 month old has had very hard poopies for the past 3 days ...I can't remember ..Anyone know ?


Formula is made from water, so I dont even know necessarily an ounce or two would even do anything...I think I have heard sugar water ? Not sure if he's too young ...

On a side note....he has the same formula every day, you'd think the consistency would be the same every day

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

When DD was a few weeks old and having pooping issues the Ped said to give an ounce or so of water between bottles to help.

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

I ped told me to put one tsp. of prune juice in every other bottle---- been working great

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

Message edited 7/24/2011 10:14:47 AM.

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

We were told once you start solids, you can start offering a sippy cup with water at the same time. We started doing that around 5 months.

My dad had once suggested diluting her formula a little, but I opted to give it separately. Right now, the bottle is for formula, the sippy (or straws, since she loves drinking from straws when we're out) is for water.

I wouldn't give sugar.

The reason the poop changes is because the baby's digestive system is changing. This is a good thing! Unless DD was in apparent pain, I actually never did anything but stick a vasalined thermometer in her butt a few times to help her out.

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

DD1 was on on ounce of water mixed with either an ounce of prune juice or pear juice every day by the time she was 2 1/2 months because of constipation. DD2 didn't have those issues and the doctor told us that she can start having an ounce or 2 of water when she was 4 months old.

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

Thanks ladies !

I think I'm going to give him a lil to see if it gets things moving...I'll start with straight water and move onto some juice in it if theres no improvement

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

6mths is the recommendation from AAP - except in hot days like today...

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

my ped told me at DD 3 month visit that I can give her an ounce of water from a bottle in between feedings.

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

Like many other posters. My Ped advised me at 6 weeks to offer her an ounce of water for constipation issues (from Enfamil AR).

Now at 3.5 Mos, the Ped said I can give her a little water in between feedings. I do, because sometimes after her bottle she sounds like she has a mucus film on the back of her throat. After drinking a little water, she has a clear sounding throat!

Re: Remind me...At what age does the ped give the go ahead for a baby to have a little water ?

Our ped was VERY against offering water by itself before 6 mos because it interfered with the formula intake or soemthing. Dilutes the intake of formula and before 6 mos the formula is SO important.
I'm not saying this right but our ped was just very against giving water - said it was unnecessary.