Parents, please take note of this very important information. Diluting breast milk can be dangerous and can lead to a baby’s death.
A Georgia-based couple unfortunately diluted the breast milk that they were feeding their infant daughter and ended up killing her.
Idaho-based KTVB 7 reported that:
Two Georgia parents have been charged with killing their infant daughter by diluting the breast milk they gave to her. According to arrest warrants, watered down breast milk caused the 10-week-old’s electrolyte and sodium levels to drop and made her brain swell.
Based on an article on SheKnows, it appears that the couple were receiving breast milk donations or probably bought breast milk for their baby.
Diluting breast milk with water would definitely stretch its volume if you didn’t think you had enough to give her, but as this baby’s parents found out, it’s not only not ideal, but it’s extremely dangerous.
Here’s the KTVB 7 news report about the awfully serious consequences of diluting breast milk.
According to Dr. Ashanti Woods, a pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, it is not a safe practice for parents to dilute breast milk:
A baby’s electrolytes are at fixed levels and do not adjust well to change. These low levels of electrolytes can result in confusion, lethargy, seizures or death.
Experts say babies should not drink water until they are six months old.
Babies are growing so rapidly and breast milk and other infant formulas are designed to meet those specific needs, calorie needs and nutrient needs that babies have and when breast milk or other infant foods are diluted, then it decreases that caloric value.
Breast milk contains the perfect amount of nutrients for a baby’s growth … Stretching breast milk by adding water will dilute the necessary nutrients and can cause serious health risks such as excess weight loss.
Hats off to KTVB 7 Idaho for their extremely important report and to SheKnows for their very informative article.
Please share this article with your family and friends and help prevent further incidents of infant deaths.
