Adding water to EBM for 15mth old

[BakerALM]

I have been EPumping for my 15mth old DD. Since the good weather has arrived, she just started walking full time and we spend a few hrs outside each day she has been asking for more MM. My freezer stash is contaminated with dairy since it was pumped before I realized she reacts to it so basically I have no backup. Currently she eats whatever I pump, anywhere from 28-33oz/day so I just can't get ahead. I know she is thirsty/hungry so I offer water/herbal tea through out the day along with snacks/meals but she still prefers MM and hardly touches any other beverage. I just can't pump anymore and I want to be sure she is satisfied and her thirst is quenched. I know adding water will not decrease her calorie intake since she still will finish all my MM.

So I guess my question is can anyone think of any reason why adding water so that she drinks more liquids could be a bad idea??

Many Thanks

[nandodianenicole]

Hey neighbor. I suppose at that age since she is getting other calories it may be ok imo. I wonder if she would notice the difference and reject it. And kudos to you, for pumping so long.

[nandodianenicole]

and I called you neighbor because I am in CT, I guess it doesnt appear on my siggy tho.

[BakerALM]

Originally Posted by nandodianenicole

Hey neighbor. I suppose at that age since she is getting other calories it may be ok imo. I wonder if she would notice the difference and reject it. And kudos to you, for pumping so long.

THANK neighbor! Thats what I was thinking, the only down side I could think of is if she was filling up on water and then eatting less solids. But I can't imagine her wanting more than about 5-8oz of water /day. She might reject it but it is worth a shot since I am running out of EBM.:

The only reason I worry is that she is not the best at eatting solids anyway. She will not ask for them and if you have something on your plate she will only have possibly a bite unless it is fruit. Everything else she eats I have to keep offering and setting up plates of finger foods that we can eat while reading books or sitting on my lap while I am at the computer. I think if I did not offer she would go all day still on BM alone, but sadly I just dont pump enough to have her EBF at this age. Since 4 mths all fluids have been BM (before that I had to supplement with FF since I did not pump enough), no water/juice so she really does not like them much.

[sunnysideup]

I wouldn't water it down. At 15 months-old she still needs the nutrition she is getting from breast milk. It's possible she's wanting more because she's more active or hitting a growth spurt. If you are not able to pump enough to keep up with her needs you should supplement with formula. You could try to boost your supply by adding more pumping sessions.

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by sunnysideup

I wouldn't water it down. At 15 months-old she still needs the nutrition she is getting from breast milk. It's possible she's wanting more because she's more active or hitting a growth spurt. If you are not able to pump enough to keep up with her needs you should supplement with formula. You could try to boost your supply by adding more pumping sessions.

:

[Swirly]

I dilute DD's with goat milk, as she is dairy sensitive (can't use most formula or cow's milk). She seems fine with it (no allergic reactions), and it has relieved me of the constant burden of obsessing over my supply. I already pump 3 hours per day, and mother a high needs toddler. No way I can add more pumping.

You could try domperidone if you wanted to increase your supply, but it seems sort of crazy to me at the point our babes are at now to do that.

Oh, DD loves to suck on ice as well - maybe you could try that if you think she is thirsty?

[GooeyRN]

I think it would be ok to add water at 15 months old. She is eating some solid food, right? At 16 months old I started giving my dd 4 oz of water a day. She maintained her growth curve. She started eating a little solids then. The more water I give her, the more food she eats.

[sunnysideup]

Originally Posted by GooeyRN

I think it would be ok to add water at 15 months old. She is eating some solid food, right? At 16 months old I started giving my dd 4 oz of water a day. She maintained her growth curve. She started eating a little solids then. The more water I give her, the more food she eats.

I think, at 15 months of age, it's ok to give some water separately, but not a good idea to dilute the breast milk, for the same reason a doctor would tell you not to dilute formula. A baby or toddler will not fill up on water--they will still be hungry for solids and milk or formula as normal. But, when you dilute the milk you sort of trick the baby or toddler into thinking they've had 8oz. of milk when they've only had 6oz.

[bri276]

how worried are you about the dairy? do you think she'll have a severe reaction? it seems such a shame to lose all that milk!! if it's just eczema, I'd probably give it, considering the benefits. but I understand not wanting to.

rice milk? almond milk? keep trying the different beverages, Jessica hates almost everything except any type of milk, and watered down orange juice. it took a lot of trial & error to figure that out

[Khourtniey]

Unless she is EBF.. then Nope.. No problem in it.

[DoubleLove]

I'd agree its okay to water down some of your EBM, and maybe she'll even feel a little less satisfied with it and have more interest in solids. I wouldn't do more than several ounces though, and I'd also consider some formula or goats to supplement with if she just won't eat more solids. Actually, when we took our then 6 month old babies to 100 degree weather in March I watered down my milk a little in the heat of the day because I knew they were in need of extra fluids, but they had little interest in a bottle of plain water.

[melbb]

I kind of feel like if she is wanting more, maybe it is because she is hungry. In that case, you wouldn't want to water it down. Maybe you could try supplementing the milk with goats milk or formula and see how that affects her solids intake. If the solids intake decreases, then she is probably just thirsty and you can start diluting the milk (or just offer water separately). If her solids don't decrease, then she needs the nutrition and you should supplement (or increase solids).

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by sunnysideup

I think, at 15 months of age, it's ok to give some water separately, but not a good idea to dilute the breast milk, for the same reason a doctor would tell you not to dilute formula. A baby or toddler will not fill up on water--they will still be hungry for solids and milk or formula as normal. But, when you dilute the milk you sort of trick the baby or toddler into thinking they've had 8oz. of milk when they've only had 6oz.

I respectfully disagree . I think it's just fine to water the milk a 15 month old is drinking. Our own bodies do this depending on the weather. For example, the milk of a mother living in 100 degree weather will contain more water than the milk of someone living in a colder, northern climate. If it is a hot, humid day, any given mother's milk will contain more water to adjust to the baby's needs.

I don't think it would be a good idea to water it 50/50 or anything, but if she's using it to quench her thirst, is eating a good array of solids and isn't in need of an abundance of extra calories, I'd take watered breastmilk in a cup over watered juice, cows milk, etc any day .

I don't think it matters if you drink breastmilk separately from water. It still depends on the overall volume her stomach contains.

[pumpkinhead]

Personally, at 15 months, I wouldn't start introducing formula. If she's getting breastmilk, she doesn't need it. Have you tried things like soy yogurt, rice yogurt and full fat goats milk?

[Neldavi]

have you tried giving her plain water in some other kind of cup ... something that would seem more fun, like a novelty, to make it more attractive to her? And then if she's really hungry for milk she can go to the old standby? Just a thought, though you've probably tried that ...

[BakerALM]

Originally Posted by sunnysideup

A baby or toddler will not fill up on water--they will still be hungry for solids and milk or formula as normal. But, when you dilute the milk you sort of trick the baby or toddler into thinking they've had 8oz. of milk when they've only had 6oz.

I find this thought odd. Once the liquids hit the stomach your body cannot tell if they went down together or separate.

Originally Posted by DoubleLove

I wouldn't do more than several ounces though, and I'd also consider some formula or goats to supplement with if she just won't eat more solids.

Originally Posted by bri276

how worried are you about the dairy? do you think she'll have a severe reaction? it seems such a shame to lose all that milk!!

We are on a TED due to a host of symptoms, the worst being hrs of screaming in arms at night since birth. I truly mean HOURS!!! No one ever suggested a food allergy could manifest it self as an inconsolable crying baby. So about 2 mths ago I removed dairy from my diet and with in a few nights she stopped screaming and started only waking 1-4 times per night for a snack then right back to sleep. It was like the exorcists before I removed dairy literately! I shutter/cry thinking of all the nights that were like this.
so right now I am not quite comfortable with trying any dairy option. But In the future I will try again. Other beverages like oat/rice milk are an option but I was hoping to just stick with water with the hopes she would up her food intake.

Originally Posted by DoubleLove

Actually, when we took our then 6 month old babies to 100 degree weather in March I watered down my milk a little in the heat of the day because I knew they were in need of extra fluids, but they had little interest in a bottle of plain water.

That is where I am at. I don't want to give juice due to the high sugar content and so I have been trying straight water/herbal tea, but she is not interested.

Thanks so much galls, I think I am going to do a few oz of water midday for a few days as long as she is still finishing all the EBM I pump each day. If she really is still asking for much more fluids and her food intake does not increase I will have to look for another liquid that is high in calories to add.

Thanks A BUNCH

[BakerALM]

Originally Posted by Neldavi

have you tried giving her plain water in some other kind of cup ... something that would seem more fun, like a novelty, to make it more attractive to her? And then if she's really hungry for milk she can go to the old standby? Just a thought, though you've probably tried that ...

Ya I tried a sippie/regular cup and she does much better with a regular cup but then it turns into a big game and she pours it all over herself. Truly CUTE but not accomplishing the goal at hand.

Originally Posted by melbb

I kind of feel like if she is wanting more, maybe it is because she is hungry.

I also really worry that she is hungry so I have been offering solids all day. I think she is eating more but she also LOVES her MM. She would reach for that first and solids would be a really far second. She is really attached to her bottle and will only bottle nurses to sleep and will not drink the bottle alone (I do not promote it either), she wants to be snuggled and fed. :

I know if she was BF from the tap she would be nursing all night and a ton during the day and my body would just make more milk so it is hard to just not have enough for her when she asks for more from her bottle. She actually tells me to just pump more when I don't have anymore milk in a bottle for her, she keeps pointing at my breasts and pulling at my shirt when the bottle is empty. (of course I offer the breast directly and she gives me a look of disgust and turns her face away.)It is really sad and has been going on for awhile.

[pumpkinhead]

Have you tried a nipple shield or tried to get her to latch on when she wakes at night?

[DoubleLove]

Originally Posted by BakerALM

I know if she was BF from the tap she would be nursing all night and a ton during the day and my body would just make more milk so it is hard to just not have enough for her when she asks for more from her bottle. She actually tells me to just pump more when I don't have anymore milk in a bottle for her, she keeps pointing at my breasts and pulling at my shirt when the bottle is empty. (of course I offer the breast directly and she gives me a look of disgust and turns her face away.)It is really sad and has been going on for awhile.

I just wanted to give you some . I cannot imagine how difficult it must be when she tells you to just pump her some more, but you're breasts are already empty. Oh, more

Its like you just wish we could reason with all our EP'd for babies, like its on tap, warm and ready all the time and there'd be plenty of it if you'd just nurse from tap.