To mothers who bottle feed from birth

pause

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 10:04 pm

scrltfr wrote:

And now you are a water study expert?

Seriously, if you don't have the science to back it up please stop. If you need some sites to back you up I'm sure you can find them on the anti Vax threads.

Whoa! That was rude!

I'm reading this thread out of boredom because it does not apply to me, but when I read this post, I just had to call you out on it. I'm glad you're not amother.

ETA: Ok, I read the rest of the thread after this post. Let's please STOP FIGHTING!!!

Chana Miriam S

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 10:23 pm

So I never bottle fed, but honestly, and this seems so obvious to me, from day 1 my kids were bathed in tap water, and from the time they could 'play' in the tub, they drank not just tap water, but bath water! I live in Hamilton Ontario and I will tell you that I think our tap water tastes great and is very clean. I KNOW we have great quality tap water. On the other hand, I lived in boston while my kids were little and they drank bathwater there too.Oh and toronto also. In israel I reacted to tap water but if I had been moving there, I would have toughed it out until I got used to it. If I had an infant and drank the tap water wherever I was, I would assume that the same tap water that they were exposed to while in utero would be safe for them out of utero.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:13 am

smss wrote:

look, if you care you can do your own research. I can't really understand why one wouldn't want to be careful. this has nothing to do with vaccinating- vaccinating at least has certain health benefits, tap water definitely does not. I would think formula is enough of a risk, why compound it? but to each their own.

I have not read any replies after this one.
First of all, how rude to say that on a thread where a mother is saying she is bottle feeding from the start.
And secondly, what risks? We here who have bottle fed bh have children who go on to be healthy thriving children.

luppamom

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:29 am

baltimoremom wrote:

I can't believe someone would buy special baby bottled water- that is def. the same as normal bottled water but it has a special label. I live in Baltimore and everyone drinks our water. I don't know anyone who bottle feeds who only uses bottled water. One baby preferred warm bottles so I would use some water from an urn. But as someone mentioned the urn does need to be cleaned of plugged in all the time. And yes a Kum Kum takes time to do have u ever had a screaming baby waiting for a bottle as you jst woke up or or got home from work- who has time to bottle water then and then have it cool enough for a baby.
No idea why someone is bashing formula here this was a thread saying I am using formula now what do I do-

I know. When my baby was 1 mo. old (just past the 30 day mark) it was Tisha B'av and my rav wanted me to attempt to fast while giving baby bottles. (He said if I didn't feel well or the baby wouldn't take the bottle, I could break it.) Anyway, I felt fine but not nursing enough (I eventually gave in as I have a hard time pumping and was in agony) caused major supply issues and for days after, I didn't have enough milk so I had to supplement and YES I remember the baby screaming while we waited for the water to cool off. I wondered why people told me bottles were so much easier. It seemed like a lot of thought had to be put in. It makes sense that tap water would make life so much easier for both mother and baby. As long as your pediatrician says your water is safe, why not? In my case, there are plenty of adults that have a hard time stomaching our water, so I couldn't imagine it would be great for a newborn baby. I didn't really think of bottled water until it was too late.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:37 am

luppamom wrote:

I don't bottlefeed, but I do use water for baby cereal. I really think it depends on the water. The water here in Israel is hard water. I would think it would upset my baby's stomach (not saying it's dangerous, just uncomfortable).

I don't think boiling water is a big deal, but maybe that's b/c we have these cute mini electric kettles over here called kumkums. I usually boil the water in the morning for coffee and oatmeal and then use the water for the baby. If it's not a big deal, why not do that? If you're preparing hot water for yourself, just save some for the bottles.

Im in Israel too. I gave my daughter tap water. I never even thought that this was something to ask my pediatrician about. I just gave it to her.

In your other post you said you know adults that have a hard time stomaching water? I dont understand that. Never heard of such a thing. You just get used to the water where you live.

luppamom

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:42 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Your baby must be a real Sabra! It's true that you eventually get used to it. I happen to even like the taste, I'm so used to it. But, I do know people that get a stomach ache from it. It's usually people who have not been here for a long time or always drink bottled or filtered water. It's hard water. It's full of minerals IIRC. I guess it depends on the baby's stomach. But most babies can probably stomach it. I can't imagine that Israelis buy special bottled water. They'd never do that.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:52 am

luppamom wrote:

She was born here Smile

ah, so when you said that people's stomachs are getting sore from the water you DID mean people who are not living here. That does make sense. But people who live here should be able to drink sink water without getting stomach aches.

luppamom

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 2:09 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

She was born here Smile

I was referring to people who recently moved here or are visiting. I know someone that moved here when she was pregnant and for 8 or so months, only drank bottled water. (Not safe IMO, she probably didn't drink nearly enough) Then, when she had the baby and until this day, she only drinks filtered. This is just b/c of the taste. Which is funny b/c I happen to like the taste. After a few weeks, it just tasted like water. We should start a thread in LII about the water. It doesn't sound like OP will be using Israeli water any time soon.

ally

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 6:42 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Tipat Chalav were telling me to give my sixth month old boiled water!!!!!!!!

nylon

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 8:13 am

Sorry to tell you: smss is right and I've bottlefed two children. It's nothing to do with bacteria in the water. European health authorities tell you to mix formula with water that is at least 70C to kill potential germs in the powder. Many people do not understand that and use cooled boiled water. I don't bother once they're a little older.

American doctors don't tell you that, but the CDC does.

The risk of using straight tap water is actually pretty minimal unless baby is immunocompromised or premature (in which case, you should use ready to feed and sterilize all bottles religiously). HOWEVER, if you are in an area with fluoridated water, many doctors and dentists will tell you to use bottled water part (not all) of the time to reduce baby's fluoride consumption and prevent fluorosis in teeth.

ally

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 8:29 am

luppamom wrote:

Did you tell this to the Rav afterwards?
What an absurd psak.

luppamom

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 8:40 am

ally wrote:

Did you tell this to the Rav afterwards?
What a ridiculous psak.

I don't think it was ridiculous. I think it was a lack of understanding about how nursing works. He basically told me to TRY to fast and if I didn't feel well or baby wouldn't take bottle, to break the fast. I felt relatively fine and baby took bottle, so I continued to fast.

What happened was like this. DD took the bottle once perfectly fine. The next time IIRC, she vomitted the entire bottle. Then, the entire night I couldn't sleep b/c I was so engorged (and petrified of breastpumps) and b/c I was wearing nursing pads (didn't yet know I have an allergy to disposables), I found formula preparation to be so draining b/c of temperature issues that it was easier to nurse. (This is why I posted in this thread)So probably after the 3rd bottle, I just started nursing and continued fasting. I WAS DUMB. I should've called my rav right away and he would've told me to break my fast. Anyway, the fast went well. It was only for a few days after that my supply was so low that I HAD to give bottles. I nursed and nursed even though I had almost no milk and b"H my supply came back after close to a week IIRC (was very scary).

Anyway, yes for the future, if I have another baby close to Tisha Bav or Yom Kippur, I will definitely share this experience w/ my rav.

ally

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 12:57 pm

luppamom wrote:

I think the entire premise that giving a baby a bottle so as not to break a fast is fundamentally wrong.
And if a Rabbi doesn't understand how nursing works, he shouldn't be paskening for nursing mothers.

luppamom

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 1:11 pm

ally wrote:

There are many pediatricians who are ignorant! I am supposed to expect that my rav knows more about nursing than my pediatrician!!

21young

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 2:53 pm

I have no opinion on this issue, but here is what was recently written by a practicing pediatrician on his blog, pediatricinsider.wordpress.com. Note that he is based in the U.S., he is not talking about Israel:

"Should I use tap or bottled or boiled water to mix the bottles?

Ordinary city municipal tap water is fine. Tap water is very highly regulated, and is monitored far more closely than bottled water for purity. There is no reason to waste your money on bottled water or special nursery water. It is also unnecessary to boil tap water—it’s very clean right out of the tap. Heart surgeons wash their hands in that stuff, you know. And babies’ mouths (and mom’s breasts) are loaded with germs. Sterility is not necessary for feeding humans.

If your water supply comes from a well or cistern, check with your local water authorities for guidance on using that water for formula.

Do I need to boil or sterilize bottles and nipples?

No, running them through an ordinary dishwashing cycle or handwashing them is sufficient. Clean is good, sterile isn’t necessary."

smss

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 3:01 pm

shabbatiscoming wrote:

look, I bottle fed one child too, not from the beginning but for a few months. (truth be told they did get 2 bottles in the hospital after birth as well.)
maybe I could have avoided it, maybe I couldn't have, I was doing the best I could with the information and capabilities I had.
and yes, b"H, that child is healthy and thriving, but I'm quite sure that's in spite of the formula and not because of it. (in my situation.)

I only post things that I myself appreciate being aware of and wouldn't want to not know.

yes, being formula-fed puts a child at greater risk of numerous things. you can see the link I posted if you'd like, and I can provide you more information if you want.
aside from that, there are potential risks involved in the way formula is prepared and served (I.e. what type of water, how hot it is, plastic in bottle) which can be minimized.

you have to be able to separate what you do from who you are. as mothers, we sometimes do things that aren't in their children's best interests (and then again, sometimes we do things that aren't ideal, but ARE in our child's best interests because there's no other choice), and that doesn't mean we're not still good mothers. no one is perfect and there is no perfect childhood. but let's not stick our heads in the sand, that doesn't help anything. knowledge is power.

it's always a struggle to know when and what to post, because while some people truly have no choice and don't want to reminded of what they're not able to give, others do have a choice and would make a different one if they were more informed. I apologize if I hurt anyone.

momomany

Thu, Feb 12 2015, 11:12 pm

My ped in NYC explained that NYC tap water is extremely. safe. I assume any major metropolitan area has the same type of water infrastructure. As a matter of fact he suggested I use it by choice, since the flouride in the water would be good for my baby's developing teeth. This was also the reason he encouraged tap water use for all my children. He told me not to boil the water, since boiling could actually concentrate any impurities that might exist in trace amounts (for example lead). At one point I lived in a house with a lead water main. I was instructed to send in my water to be tested. The result was that I should let the water run for a couple of minutes each morning, to eliminate standing water from the pipes that might have leached lead. I was allso told to only use water from the cold tap for eating and drinking & that I should NOT boil it for babies, young children.