Now that the CH episode has aired; everyone please start talking about
dehydration in your classes and breastfeeding contacts now.
Following the Wall Street Journal article "Starving for Mother's Milk" several
years ago, we had 3 cases of water intoxication from people pumping water in
their babies to prevent dehydration that our neonatologist  blamed directly on
the Wall Street Journal article.  These well meaning parents thought they
could prevent dehydration by giving lots of water. A simple and superficially
logical assumption based on the fact that babies in the article (and the CH
episode) died from dehydration.
Can our doctors help me out here? I understand the effects of water
intoxication are similar to a near drowning incident. Can one of you
elaborate? Can they suffer permanent brain damage?
I started warning people in this week's Tuesday night breastfeeding class: No
water. Count wets and stools and get help if baby doesn't meet the written
guidelines on our breastfeeding handout.
Marie Davis, RN, IBCLC