Why is he dehydrated?

[Jewels06]

The past few weeks I've noticed that my son's diapers haven't been as wet or as frequently wet as they should be and his stool has been very hard. He's 10months old and we give him solids usually once a day in the evening most days after he's had a milk feed. I'm pretty sure I drink enough water and he nurses apprx. 3 times/day and at least 3 times at night sometimes more. I read an article on kellymom.com that said you can introduce a small amount of water between 9 and 12 months. Have any other mothers experienced this problem and should I give him a little water to help him out? Thanks in advance!

[ann_of_loxley]

I think a lot of mothers offer water at mealtimes (even if they are still very much breastfeeding!) to help with that. I would offer him water in a sippy cup at mealtimes. Hopefully his stools loosen a bit - it has to be more comfortable for him then!

[snoopy5386]

I would up the daytime nursing, 3x a day doesn't sound like enough to me. Offer every hour or 2 during the day.

[jess152]

I have a November baby too, and he nurses like a newborn! We joke that he's having his third breakfast, or second lunch. He has lots of heavy, wet diapers and stool is still the runny mustardy type.

It just sounds like your LO needs a few more feeds through the day.

[elizaMM]

I thought it was okay to start giving water at 6 months. So I did.

[WindyCityMom]

I'd up the nursing. Good luck!

[Knitting Mama]

Originally Posted by snoopy5386

I would up the daytime nursing, 3x a day doesn't sound like enough to me. Offer every hour or 2 during the day.

[AndtheStars]

I know that alot of OP's recommend uping the nursing which is always the best option but my DS, at 10 mos, refused to nurse more than 3x a day. I would offer, he would latch for 15 seconds, fuss, pop off and crawl off the play. That's still pretty much how it goes at 13 mos now. He nurses for his morning nap, once sometime in afternoon, maybe before dinner and then nurses to sleep at night. I have been giving him water since he was 8 mos or so. I offer at all meals and at various times during the day. So if you can nurse more, great, but if you're LO refuses, water is fine too.

[tzs]

we did water with meals when we started solids. i just think it's good for practice (we did open cup) plus i just wanted to teach her that water goes with meals. it's not like she got all that much in the beginning anyway though.

[Jewels06]

Originally Posted by dicksonley

I would offer, he would latch for 15 seconds, fuss, pop off and crawl off the play.

This is exactly what happens. He's cruisin' right now and so excited to be moving around and trying to get him to eat anymore than 3 times a day is a battle. Thanks for the advice everyone, I will continue to keep trying to nurse more and offer some water as well!

[J. Jones]

Watch the bananas! They can constipate LOs.

And I think rice cereal is constipating too.