Hi ladies,
Just wondering if anyone was feeding any different during the warmer weather?
Millie is eight weeks and bottle fed, averaging 4-5 oz most feeds.
My mum and MIL say they always fed their children cooled boiled water. I asked the HV about this, but this was back in Feb. She said no, milk was sufficient. I'm wondering if this is so during the hot spell? Anyone else giving water on top of milk?

Also, do you all put sunscreen on babies? I make sure Millie is ALWAYS in the shade, but not sure if I should be putting cream on too - I will if I need to, but she'd hate it and its so messy!!

Any other warm weather tips? Millie is in her first summer dress today and looks a picture!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine

Hi Loobylou,
Not sure how much help I can be, as I've been asking the same questions! Apparently you only need to give water if baby is constipated or dehydrated (or risk of dehydration, i.e. hot weather), I have given E a oz of water a couple of times in the recent hot weather, usually when she is making her normal hunger motions, but I know she can't possibly be - she's taken the water and it seems to settle her, so hopefully it's what she wanted!

I'm the same as you with the sun screen, I try to keep E in the shade as much as possible, but I'm sure you can still catch the sun even in the shade and there are always those few minutes, esp. when out in her pram that she is in the sun. I have bought a little bottle of sun cream to keep in my nappy bag, just in case, but haven't actually used it yet.

Be interested to hear what others are doing

E x

Hi ladies

I was thinking the same with water cos I get thirsty so surely babies do too. I'm going to start giving him little bits I think just to stop his mouth getting dry.

With the sunscreen I always put it on his arms & legs just incase they escape from the hood parasol & blanket that's hiding him or if we are walking in a direction that the sun is able to get to him. I always have his hat on too but that's more because he looks so cool with it on because his head is never in the sun cos the hood on his pram is really big. I took him out the other day without any on & he was fine I had to get him out to feed him so I just put his blanket right over him & my arms.

I use a suncream called ultrasun it's fab it's a once a day application even if you go in water & towel dry. I use it on Georgia & myself & we haven't burnt so far in this hot weather. Because its a once a day thing I just put it on him when I'm dressing him cos he gets all wound up about that anyway. It's a bit expensive but unlike other sun creams that once opened last 12 months these last 3 years once opened and 5 years sealed. So you do get your money's worth. I was spending almost ??20 a bottle for Georgias & most of it would get thrown away once summer was gone.

hi i formula fed my son and tilly and always offer water in between feeds no one mentioned it this time but i remember them saying form when i had dan, i suppose it does no harm them having water especially because i'm noticing dan drinking more i worry she will be thirsty so i give her a drink to she doesn't seem to mind it!
sorry about the waffle :roll:

Marley is also bottle fed, I havent given him any water yet but thinking about it now he could've been thirsty when he was whinging earlier.

Ive bought a fator 50 sun screen for the kids you spray it on and its green an then it fades when u rub it in. Quiet good.

I havent got a parsole for marleys pushchair yet either as i find u constantly r moving it side to side. He's lathered in sunscreen tho

I have spoken to the health visitor about this, and she said formula fed babies should be given a little extra water in hot weather, but only an ounce here and there. Breastfed babies do not need any extra water as they get enough from the milk (provided you are drinking enough water), but I give Alexander some extra anyway. I reason that its better that he has too much fluid rather than too little. Having said that, we had 6 wee's in the space of 1 1/2 hrs (all of which were during his nappy off playtime this morning, making lots of mess of my bed!!). Suffice to say, I'm not overly concerned about him being dehydrated!!

Does it make me a bad mother if I didn't even think about the sunscreen??! I do always have him in the shade, and indeed, I am constantly moving the parasol from side to side!

I've been putting suncream on Lilia, was worried her skin might be sensitive but no rash or anything so I do it every day at minute coz like you say, she is in the shade but there is always the odd occasion she is in the sun and I wouldnt want her to burn. I've never been sure about the water thing, I have occasionally given her water but then worried I was filling her up with water, definitely think earlier today between feeds she wanted water but I just fed her as I didnt know what to do with her xx

Just to report back ladies, after posting this, I popped to our loacl chemist the other day to pick up some sunscreen. I've got to know the pharmacist quite well, its a little independent one and I'm one of his best customers since pregnancy ha ha. He said NOT to use cream, just keep in shade, There are chemicals in the cream which can damage their skin at such a young age.

Offered Millie some water too - think she was gasping bless her!

I think a child/baby based sunscreen is fine I used one on isobel from day 1 as she's an august baby and nvr had any probs. I'm fair skinned an red head so burn easily so wouldnt even chance not putting any on marley or isobel even though they are both unlike me when it comes to skin. I'd feel so guilty if either of them burnt

I bought some Johnson's baby suncream from Mothercare, I think it's supposed to be better for baby's skin than other suncreams? I originally bought a kids suncream but then I read somewhere that these aren't so good for sensitive skin. I think it depends on the baby though

I try to keep Joe in the shade but when you're walking around town it's impossible to keep the parasol in the right place all the time! Just bought him a sunhat and I drape a sheet or blanket over the pram if it's really sunny.

hey ladies,

well being in Uganda from the freezing cold weather in the UK, (as Grace was born at the end of January)Grace adjusted straight away, there was no need for sunscreen I just always make sure she is given cooled boiled water. Although the HV said no when she was just born it's perfectly fine.

xx