Letter from Linda Ciampa, RN

 

Dear parents,

 

It's high season for newborns in the hospital where I work. With so many new arrivals – new parents’ emotions are often a mix of joy and jangled nerves. Wanting the very best for their babies, mothers and fathers tend to question everything. And, in my opinion, that’s a good thing.

 

One question that seems to crop up often especially as the warmer months roll in: when – and if – do babies need to drink water? The simple answer is – not at first. Mother’s milk and/or formula provide all the fluid the baby needs in the first few months. Generally, pediatricians say a healthy, formula-fed baby can begin to take a few sips of water at six months. But they say offer water only when the baby is thirsty, and limit it to three-to-four ounces per day so the desire to feed is not displaced. Breast-fed babies do not need additional water until later on as long as they are nursing regularly.

 

Another common concern: whether to use a pacifier. Remember, infants suck for comfort and security and that’s why a breast-fed baby will sometimes suckle for hours. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, offering a pacifier is fine – even for nursing babies – once breast-feeding is well established after about one month. In fact, some research shows the use of a pacifier may help reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome. But if you make this choice, you need to take it away by your baby’s first birthday so it does not interfere with the proper placement of the teeth. By the way, a baby should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth erupts or at least at year one.

 

There are as many questions as there are babies – and the questions change with each age and stage. So keep them coming! By attending pediatric conferences, and drawing from my own experience as a pediatric and mother/baby nurse, I hope to bring you answers and information about your baby’s health. I also hope to bring you news and tips you can use to better enhance the health of your child. Please email me your concerns, and I will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

 

Meanwhile, enjoy this time of year. For me, there is no greater joy than to watch my little boy run, ride his bike – and on a good day eat some vegetables from our garden. Establishing good eating habits, by the way, is a whole other challenge – for another time! Stay tuned!

 

Warm regards,

 

Linda Ciampa