So this doesn't really apply to me as our son is EBF, but I was talking to two of my mommy friends today and they both said that people had told them to add sugar to their babies' bottles if they had trouble getting them to take enough formula.
I've never heard this before and a quick poll of my FB friends revealed they hadn't either. I'm wondering if this is a British thing... whatever it is, I can't be alone in thinking it's, like, the worst advice ever, right?
Have you ever heard of this?
GOLD / pear / 1845 posts
My MIL said she was told to add sugar and oil to her kids bottles when they were born (in Chile). She switched doctors.
coconut / 8279 posts
One of my friends told me that when her son was constipated at two months old (he's 6 now) the doctor told her to give him sugar water in a bottle, and that just sounds crrrazy to me...
coconut / 8279 posts
oh! and I have heard of the nurses in the hospital putting sugar water on the tips of the pacifiers for the babies to take them easier - but I know that this does NOT happen at my hospital.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
Never heard of that. But my LO also didn't have an issue drinking formula.
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
Never heard of that one but I have heard some weird stuff from my mom. She was telling my brother and SIL to feed my newborn nephew water. I can't wait to have kids and hear some crazy stuff my mom will suggest. 
persimmon / 1135 posts
@bluestriped bee: My husband's elderly cousin was holding Linus the other day and was all "He's hot, he should have some water!" I was like, "Yeah, you're not supposed to give them water anymore...." She was shocked when I told her he would only be eating breastmilk until he was 6 mos.
kiwi / 525 posts
That's insane. Sugar! We'll be the next twenty years trying to minimise the amount of sugar they eat, that would be a bit hard if you started like that!
On the water though, when Ev was a bit constipated our doc said to give her one ounce of cooled boiled water on its own in a bottle, she took it fine and is a great pooper now. Are you not supposed to give them water at all?
kiwi / 525 posts
Obviously with breast milk the foremilk is thin enough to quench thirst, but maybe with formula they need a little water sometimes?
apricot / 370 posts
I remember my MIL telling me that back in the day, in the 60s, she made her own formula and the recipe called for karo corn syrup.
grapefruit / 4056 posts
I know that adding brown sugar to formula is used to manage constipation by some doctors. Adding the extra carbohydrate load does actually help a lot of kids if they have chronic constipation, it is something a couple of the neonatologists and paediatricians I have worked with in the past have favoured as opposed to daily suppositories in kids with chronic constipation.
@rachiecakes: The sugar water on a pacifier is used as a pain control measure, sucking on a sugar dipped pacifier releases more endorphins that a pacifier alone, and it is really great to help soothe babies during bloodwork/IV's/procedures such as lumbar puncture if they are necessary. I would be livid if my baby wasn't offered that as a pain control measure during procedures because it is safe and well backed by research.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
Never heard of this but water with Karo syrup in it is supposed to work for constipation.
squash / 13199 posts
Gripe water should help with tummy troubles like gas and constipation. I personally wouldnt add sugar to anything my baby was consuming until she is much much older
persimmon / 1202 posts
And we wonder why there's an obesity problem... Corn syrup in formula? On a daily basis? My mind is blown.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
My mother told me that back in her day, she used to make bottles for her baby sister using the left over water from boiling rice, something about additional nutrients.
Things were a lot different years ago, I'm glad we've had some technological advances!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
I think my grandma told me that back in the day she mixed formula, rice cereal, and EGG (like raw egg) into one of her kids bottles.
pomegranate / 3414 posts
My grandmother had to make her own formula for my mom and siblings and yep the recipe called for Karo syrup. There was an article I saw somewhere that rated the amounts of sugar in common brands of infant formula and while it was surprising it wasn't completely alarming to me.
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