Here's what I wrote to hte "Shirley's Wellness Cafe regarding their
article claiming babies need water and my response to some of the
arguments given in the article and it's writer's responses.

Winnie


Regarding water for breastfeeding infants:
 1-If the water in breastmilk isn't sufficient, why do women from
tropical climates make milk with a higher water content?  Same for
women in climates that change with the seasons who have more water
in their milk during the hotter seasons?

 2-If it is necessary to have water that is not part of another
"food", does that mean that adults shouldn't drink water with meals
or that water drunk with other foods doesn't "count"?

 3-As far as comparing with animals whose young drink water soon (as
was stated in one response from the original writer)-remember that
different mammals make different composition milks based on the
needs of that species.  Human babies don't walk to the waterhole
soon after birth!  Human milk is much closer in composition to that
of other animals whose young are born immature and totally dependent
for nutrition (meaning both food and water).  It is also closer in
content to mammals who nurse very frequently such as kangaroo whose
young do not get seaprate water.  Even the rabbit who only nurses a
couple times in 24 hours does not leave the nest to get water.

I can't help but wonder if the infants cited who seemed to be short
on water were not being nursed physiologically-in other words were
being made to adhere to an arbitrary schedule rather than according
to baby's needs.

I doubt that there has been any scientific evidence of a different
cry for water, especially in the early weeks and months.  If babies
"knew" the difference, would they be content to nurse if they truly
wanted water instead of mommy's milk?

I'll put my 35+ years of experience working with nursing mothers
over this article any day.

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