Drinking Water - Harmful to Smallest Babies

by Anne Harding

Babies younger than 6 months old should never be given water to drink, physicians at John Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore remind parents.  Consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life threatening condition known as water intoxication.  "Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink," Dr. Jennifer Anders, a pediatric emergency physician at the center, told Reuters Health.  "When they have that thirst and they want to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is their breastmilk."

Because babies' kidneys aren't yet mature, giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water, Anders said.  Losing sodium can affect brain activity, so early symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness and other mental changes.  Other symptoms include low body temperature (generally 97 degrees or less), puffiness or swelling in the face, and seizures.

"It's a sneaky kind of a condition," Anders said.  Early symptoms are subtle, so seizures may be the first symptom a parent notices.  But if a child gets prompt medical attention, the seizures will probably not have lasting consequences, she added.

Water as a beverage should be completely off limits to babies six months old and younger, Anders and her colleagues say.  Parents should also avoid using over-diluted formula, or pediatric drinks containing electrolytes.  Anders said it may be appropriate in some cases to give older infants a small amount of water; for example, to help with constipation or in very hot weather but parents should always check with their pediatrician before doing so, and should only give the baby an ounce or two of water at a time.  If a parent thinks their child may have water intoxication, or if an infant has a seizure, they should seek medical attention immediately, she advised.

My Little Breastfeeding Machine

by Abbie Yabot

This is my long awaited daughter Kyle.  She's my princess and upto now, I still fall in love with her everytime I hold her.  Long awaited...yes!  After 3 kuyas, I finally have an apprentice...one I would be shopping with, go to the spa with, share rants and raves with...soon!

But for now, at 21 months, she is a total breastfeeding machine.  One of her favorites is breastfeeding during trips.   And so, I have mastered how to breastfeed while driving (not advised and not safe definitely).  Eventually, my mommy schedule drove me crazy so I had to get a driver which also made it easier for me to breastfeed Kyle.  Once she gets in the car, her routine is to nurse, no matter how long the travel time is.

She also is an acrobatic nurser.  She can nurse in all sorts of positions and can even move around while doing so.  Sometimes, you'd imagine she was doing yoga or ballet while she was at the breast.

This morning,  I just realized that she truly is addicted to breastfeeding.  Her yaya went home for vacation for a week and I guess she is also coping with the change.  For 3 days now, whenever we're together, all she'd like to do is nurse.  Sometimes, to my delight.... other times, it plainly is exhausting.  Imagine, her taking a bath while breastfeeding.  Sitting down on the non slip mat on the floor, she lay down (didn't want to stand up) and only allowed me to shower her if she was attached to the breast, hay!  I was very careful not to put water in her eyes, nose or ears but it really felt so weird.  

I actually enjoy nursing my kids and have been nursing for over 4 years now.  That is why somehow, I know I am also looking forward to weaning at least after Kyle turns 2.  Till then,  my little breastfeeding machine will still be my priority :)

Breastfeeding is NOT easy! (but is the BEST for baby)

by Atty. Jenny Ong 

(last edited March 29, 2008)

(This entry was composed and edited over the course of a month.  However, I became busy and just got to post it months after.  When I first gave birth, a lot of my friends were breastfeeding and made it sound so easy.  However, it definitely was not easy for me and I shed a lot of tears to make it work.)

As a new parent, everyone wants to give the best for their baby.  During my pregnancy, I was bombarded with information that "breast was best".  Thus, even before

 Naima Clarisse was born, I was dead set on breastfeeding her.  Naima Clarisse was born on 05 December 2007  and it was a fairly easy pitocin-induced delivery with epidural anaesthesia.  Within an hour after her birth, she had latched on and drinking up what little colostrum I was producing.  During her first 24 hours, she had pooped out so much meconium that Stan (my husband) was converted into a diaper-changing machine.

We were discharged on December 7, 2007 and the next 2 weeks were filled with sleepless breastfeeding days.  On discharge day, Naima weighed 5lbs, 10ozs.  

However, as a breastfed baby, we were informed that was normal and she should regain her birth weight on her second week check-up.  We went to our pediatrician on December 19 for her 2nd week check up.  Naima weighed 6lbs and 9ozs which was 4 ozs more than her birth weight.  We were very happy!  However, we were eventually dismayed to find out that she was jaundiced and even more so when we were informed that it was breastmilk jaundice!

The pediatrician recommended that she be given 1-2oz of formula after nursing.  By then, Stan and I were so paranoid that we decided that I exclusively pump so we could measure how much she was getting.  This was the beginning of my endless pumping and worries.  "Will I have enough mik?"  With the stress and sleepless nights, I wasn't pumping enough and we had to

 supplement with formula.  Also, as 1st time parents, we didn't know that there was an art to bottle-feeding the breastfed infant.  So to force Naima to drink milk, Stan would pull on the bottle every time she stops suckling == end result?! NIPPLE CONFUSION.  Everytime Naima would latch on to me, she would  only stay for 5 minutes because she wanted faster flow and she was pulling on my breasts like a bottle nipple - adding to my sore nipples and breasts.  It was a vicious cycle.  At this point, I was exclusively pumping and didn't know how long I would last.  I even rented a hospital grade pump and bought another double electric pump.

I was really determined to continue breastfeeding.  When Naima was  about 7 weeks, I felt that my supply had increased so again I decided to go back to direct breastfeeding.  I had been told that direct breastfeeding extends the breastfeeding relationship as compared to exclusive pumping.  Again, I was plagued with sore and cracked nipples.  At this point, I was ready to throw in the towel.  I kept thinking, I was a formula-fed baby, hubby was FF, my siblings and everyone else I knew were FFed and we were all doing great!

Maybe those die-hard breastfeeding advocates really got to me - I decided to continue giving Naima  breastmilk and go back to exclusive pumping.  I guess I was also a masochist because after 2 days, when my nipples had healed, I again tried to do direct breastfeeding.  And suddenly, everything became easier.  Her latch had improved.  There was still some pain on my right breast but it was tolerable.  And I started thinking that I could do this!  I continued direct breastfeeding for 2 weeks, not giving here any bottle for fear of a nipple confusion relapse.  This meant I couldn't go out without her and I couldn't go out often since my mom wouldn't let me take the baby out.

Then, plugged ducts hit!  I had been pumping and freezing breastmilk when we had to go to Cebu.  In Cebu, I didn't bring my pump and failed to do my regular 3 pumps a day (in addition to nursing) - resulting in engorgement!  Plus the fact that we were staying in hotels and had to fulfill some familial duties probably added to my stress ending in plugged ducts!  So upon going back to Manila, I went to seen an ob-gyne who was a lactation consultant and have her  prick my nipple to free up the plugged duct!  Boy did it hurt and for 2 succeeding days, it hurt everytime Naima fed on my right breast!  I was determined not to quit and my right nipple did heal.

Naima is now 16 weeks and we are  still exlusively breastfeeding.  I'm taking it month by month now and as we approach her 4th month, am hoping that the 4th-5th month is easier. 

 Conservatively, I'm hoping we make it to 6 months.  Then after that, we'll see how it goes.  I just hope that I'm up to facing the challenges that breastfeeding will bring.

Happy Mommy, Happy Baby

by Beverly Tan (mommy of Be-ann Tan)

Breastfeeding is so fulfilling.

I was unhappy at first because I wasn't able to breastfeed my daughter at birth, got so little support in the hospital and at home and gave her formula immediately.  I knew that even my daughter was unhappy because even after 2 months of mix feeding (later on I found out that she only got about 10% breastmilk and 90% formula), it was a struggle to give formula to her.  She would fuss and cry every now and then and it would take hours before she can finish 2 ozs.  It was like a nightmare because I really dreamed of breastfeeding exclusively the longest that I can.  And I knew that breastfeeding will make her happy.  She would suck (even if it was ineffective suckling at that time as I was advised after she was seen by the lactation counselor) but was content at the breast.

I read about relactation and tried working on it on my own with maximum determination.  My efforts were not enough though so I decided to look for someone who can help me out.  I was referred to Abbie Yabot (a certified Lactation Counselor) and immediately flew to Manila (from Bicol) to schedule a consultation/ series of consultations with her.  I immediately felt relieved during the first visit as her diagnosis was so accurate.  Together, we came up with a breastfeeding plan which I will follow for the next 6 weeks or so (she explained that the length of time is subject to the response of both the baby and the mommy).  

Relaxed and confident.  Those are 2 words I can never forget that she advised me.  It is true that breastfeeding is not 100% work, it's 99% psychological and 1% biological.  She helped me work on the 1% because those are the technical things but I had to work on  the psychological myself.  I even made a makeshift SNS (supplemental nursing system) because I couldn't find one in the market.

My 6 weeks of relactation included reducing bottle feeding gradually, shifting to cup feeding, teaching Be-ann to suck effectively at the breast and increasing our breastfeeding sessions.  I was monitoring wet diapers & her weight, giving formula alternately through SNS and cup.  It was a lot of hardwork and withought my determination and willpower, I knew that I would not have been successful.  

And I was, after about 6 weeks, I was fully breastfeeding my baby... NO MORE FORMULA!

All of these were truly worth it as I hug my 7 month old daughter now, truly happy with me as her primary  nutrition.  We just introduced solid foods to her and now, everytime she is at the breast, I see the smile on her lips.  So I can proudly say, we're a HAPPY MOMMY & HAPPY BABY :)