Giving Water to an infant / Dillouting Formula (long)

(Thanks for all the replies on my nap question - they made me feel much better!) 

I want to say last night I thought of asking this question to ya'll and early this morning I had a vivid dream which I guess means I am worried I am a bad mom for asking.  I had given birth to a Pez Dispenser who slept in a pan on my father's stove.  For the first two days I made it bottles every couple of hours (Dr. Brown bottles) and it drank the milk.  Then one day I was getting garlic salt out of the cabinet above the stove and realized my baby Pez Dispenser was losing its skin.  I realized I hadn't fed it in weeks and I was killing it by not giving it enough nourishment.  In my dream I cried and cried. 

So what does this have to do with Cooper ???

Cooper is almost 10 weeks old (Tuesday) and his doctor said no less than 18oz of formula no more than 32oz.  The last couple days we have been keeping track and he is eating 32-36 oz of formula !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

My husband (who now watches him during the day) solves all "fussing" with a bottle - which we have discussed and he denies.  He insists Cooper is really that hungry -- although when Mommy is home she can sooth him without a bottle.  (But that's another story)

My question:

Can Cooper have a bottle of water -- or two bottles of half-stregth formula?   Will this hurt him? Is that too much water? 

I go in for a "nurse visit" and shots with him in a few weeks I will ask then too. 

Thank you!

Cindy

(See -  Cooper is not like my Pez Dispenser -- he has plenty of fat and skin and at this angle a double chin!)

Personally... I would say no to the water.  I think Cooper is too young.   I just remember being told no water until a specific age.   I don't remember the details but I know I never gave my son water in a bottle.  When I finally started giving him water he was old enough to use a tippy. Talk to your doctor though.  I'm just going off my personal experience.  I also did everything my ped told me to do as far as feedings and such.   There is a lot of controversy over that!  I remember the day care worker trying to give my son more milk than the doctor said and I stood my ground.  She insisted that a baby will only eat when they are hungry.  I , however, disagreed and thought my son would eat whatever was put in his mouth!   Sorta like his momma! :)   I kepted my son  on a strict feeding schedule.  I only fed him every 3-4 hours unless he was going through a growth spurt and nothing else would sooth him.  To this day I still stick to a tight schedule of feedings and he is 2 1/2.  He gets his 3 meals a day with a couple of snacks.    He isn't munching and eating all through out the day.  

Oh and I think Cooper gets cuter and cuter with every picture!   He looks like a very healthy and happy little boy!

I agree !  I don't want my son eating whatever we put in his mouth.... now it's formula, but fast forward a few years and it may be candy or cookies...and I don't want food to be a comfort/soothing or reward.

So much easier said than done! 

I appreciate your advice!

Cindy

Sorry about the pez dream.  I hate dreams that are so crazy, but yet make you feel so terrible! 
I wouldn't give him water yet.  Too much can get their electrolytes off balance (or something like that).  I personally wouldn't dilute the formula either.   Sometimes you just have to break the rules that the Dr. has given you.   I think some babies are hungrier than others.  My BFF's little boy always needed more formula than was recommended for his age. 
I do think your hubby needs to find some non food way to comfort Cooper.  Does he like to be bounced, walked, sung to, etc?    Hopefully hubby will learn how to soothe him without giving him a bottle soon.
I just love seeing pictures of Cooper.  Give him a big smooch for me!
Amy

I am encouraging my husband to walk with him and show him things!  I hope it works....

Thanks for your response!

Cindy

I'd say no to the water too. Niko went through a phase where he needed that much formula. It lasted for about  3 weeks. Then he dropped back down to 30 oz. He grew three inches after that.


Try making a formula journal so you and hubby know exactly how much he's getting and drinking out of each bottle. Sign off on it every bottle for a week. It will give a pretty accurate idea. Dave was giving him bottles, but over filling them....so Niko wouldn't finish them. A lot of formula got wasted. He's a food soother too....but then again, food makes him feel better when he's cranky.

Angie

I started keeping a journal and will see how it goes!  Today is the first day of the journal to document a "work day" so we'll see what happens.

I appreciate the idea!

Cindy

I don't think he's taking too much formula if he is hungry for the bottles, he's a strong, handsome, growing boy!  :o)

But I would ask the nurse about the water, I have always heard that too much water is toxic for a baby.  I heard on the news a few months back that a young mom didn't have alot of money and was feeding her baby (at every feeding) 1/2 the amount of formula with the regular amount of water and the baby died from water poisoning.  Not trying to scare you, but this baby was like 4 months old and ALL their bottles were like that.  I have on occasion, when my babies were constipated, added an extra 1/2 an ounce of water to their bottles because that is what my doctor told me.  But every doctor is different so you might be told something different.

Cooper is so cute!  I love his little toes. 

I got such very adament "no water" answers that I am not going to give him water!

But I probably will still ask the nurse...just out of curiousity. 

My mother in law gave him a bottle of water when he was 2 weeks old and I flipped out on her!  I need to dig up that story to show her!

Thanks!

Cindy

You've got yourself a very handsome little guy there who is probably going through a growth spurt.  You're not "that" much over what the doctor recommends, and it probably will level out soon anyway.  No on the water or dilluting formula.  They say it can be toxic for babies actually, and can mess with their absorption of the nutirients from the formula.  Unless of course, its is recommended by your doctor for a specific reason, try to stay away from that option.  We had to give both Kaden and Bryson water early out to help with BMs, but it was only 1-3 ounces per day, and it was hard to get them to take it.  I'm sorry about your little Pez baby though, what a crazy dream!  You're doing just fine Mommy, trust yourself!
-Donna