Should softened water be used for mixing babies feeds?
No. There is considerable evidence to suggest that the mixing of baby feeds with softened water increases the sodium content beyond that with which some babies can cope. Primarily, during the first six weeks of birth some babies kidneys are not fully formed and the baby feed is therefore structured to contain the correct amount of sodium. The additional sodium in softened water upsets this balance and some babies have been known to suffer from dehydration. It is therefore prudent to use either hard water, or low sodium bottled water.
