Breastfeeding week

Infants should be exclusively breastfed – i.e. receive only breast milk – for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. “Exclusive breastfeeding” is defined as giving no other food or drink – not even water – except breast milk – World Health Organization (WHO)

When you give a baby water, that fills up a part of their stomach so when they feed they don’t need as much to be full up. Over time, this means they receive less breastmilk = less nutrients and vitamins = malnutrition – Tolu the Midwife

Adding water to breast milk can also lead to a dangerous condition called water intoxication. Too much water dilutes a baby’s normal sodium levels and can lead to seizures, coma, brain damage and death. While water intoxication does not happen often, it’s vital to be aware of what causes it. So it is worthy of note that exclusive breastfeeding without supplemental water is adequate for the first 6 months of life.

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