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Is Feeding Water To An Infant Harmful?
Hi, My baby is a month old and was having loose green stools. My dr advices bifilac.half sachet mixed in 100 ml boiled and cooled water. I gave it to him in a feeding bottle.turns out it s a suspension and all the powder was in the bottle while he drank only water. I m worried I fed him too much water unnecessarily. Any problem.
Tue, 9 Feb 2016
Hallow Dear,
First question is how your baby caught intestinal infection. Probably you were bottle feeding him or giving something else than breastfeed. These types of feedings carry infection to the baby's intestines. For first six months, the infant should be exclusively breastfed.
Now whatever medicine or water (boiled & cooled) is to be given to the baby should not be fed by bottle. Bottle feeding had many disadvantages - infection and nipple confusion are the most important of them. Give him external feeding only by cup. Even a new born also can be fed by cup where breastfeeding is not indicated or not possible.
The powder remained in the bottle because it was not properly dissolved in the water. Bifilac is a mainly lactobacilli and other biologically helpful bacteria containing medicine. If the powder remained in the bottle, take a fresh scahet, dissolve the contents in water and feed either by cup or spoon. When you feed by spoon, do not pour it directly on the tongue. Pour it slowly in the vestibule of the mouth (space between the gums and cheek).
You cannot overfeed water to the baby by bottle, the baby will not drink it. Do not worry. And henceforward, please take my advices:
1. For first six months, only breastfeed the baby.
2. No bottle feeding at all.
I hope I am successful in giving you THE messages. For any more advice and/or discussion on this, you may ask me Direct question.
Dr. Nishikant
First question is how your baby caught intestinal infection. Probably you were bottle feeding him or giving something else than breastfeed. These types of feedings carry infection to the baby's intestines. For first six months, the infant should be exclusively breastfed.
Now whatever medicine or water (boiled & cooled) is to be given to the baby should not be fed by bottle. Bottle feeding had many disadvantages - infection and nipple confusion are the most important of them. Give him external feeding only by cup. Even a new born also can be fed by cup where breastfeeding is not indicated or not possible.
The powder remained in the bottle because it was not properly dissolved in the water. Bifilac is a mainly lactobacilli and other biologically helpful bacteria containing medicine. If the powder remained in the bottle, take a fresh scahet, dissolve the contents in water and feed either by cup or spoon. When you feed by spoon, do not pour it directly on the tongue. Pour it slowly in the vestibule of the mouth (space between the gums and cheek).
You cannot overfeed water to the baby by bottle, the baby will not drink it. Do not worry. And henceforward, please take my advices:
1. For first six months, only breastfeed the baby.
2. No bottle feeding at all.
I hope I am successful in giving you THE messages. For any more advice and/or discussion on this, you may ask me Direct question.
Dr. Nishikant
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