What age is safe to give my baby some baby rice?
willow asked:
My child? almost fourteen weeks old and 15lbs last week weighed 8oz seems to die of hunger on long and bottles of baby formula to hungry every four hours. My health visitor said to keep it on the bottle only work six months but I am the child that the rice has anyone else has started this early and it is safe to do so?
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
do what health visitor says – years ago we used to give them baby rice if they were hungry but it can cause allergies, wait till six months.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
i have 2 children and my youngest is 5months. i started giving her rice cereal in the am at 3months, no she eats cereal with a fruit in am and pm and a veggie at lunch she is 16 lbs
May 7th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Feed him more often, try every three hours, he’s is growing and so is his appetite. As for the rice cereal, I would try to not give him rice, I would go for baby oatmeal or baby mixed grain as the rice could constipate him. But personally I think a tablespoon of cereal won’t hurt, and if it makes the baby happy, so be it.
May 9th, 2009 at 9:57 am
They do recommend not starting weaning until 6 months but if you do it before then they say no earlier than 4 months. So I would wait another few weeks yet. My baby is just coming up for 4 months but he weighed the same as yours did when he was 13 weeks old. Could you try increasing the amount you give him or the number of feeds?
May 10th, 2009 at 3:03 am
My daughter gave her baby rice at 3 months but that was because the health visitor advised her as he was very hungry all the time
May 10th, 2009 at 5:37 am
health visitors are there to ‘advise’ you they are not the parent of your child.
i’m sure the health visitor would rather you give you baby a bit of baby rice to satisfy his hunger, than you have a breakdown because you can’t cope with the constant feeds and crying.
You do as you feel right you are the mother.
I started my baby on some purees and rice at 12 weeks and as of yet she is allergy and ailment free. (she’s one now)
May 11th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Although each baby is different the chances your baby is actually ready its pretty slim. There is lots of evidence to support that a babies gut isn’t quite ready to start solids till sometime around the 6 months. There are lots of benefits to delaying solids and several risks to early introduction. Introducing solids early can lead to allergies, diabetes and obesity later in life. If all else fails to convince you, talk to your doctor about their best advice and get them to explain why it is or isn’t OK for your baby to start solids.
Delaying solids till baby is 6 months is best because
1)Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.
2)Delaying solids gives baby’s digestive system time to mature.
3)Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.
4)Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia (including the iron fortified cereal that you maybe are planning on starting).
5)Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.
6)Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.
7)Delaying solids helps to space babies.
8)Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.
The thing is its really your choice but knowing all you know why wouldn’t you make the choice thats best for your baby? Of course his appetite increases as he gets older. Increase his feeds volume or frequency. Alot of moms started early and say thier children are fine. They may very well be fine and yours may be fine to. Or your child may be the one who has stomach problems or allergies. Also all these peoples say its fine to start but they never provide any proven links or resources which state that your child isn’t going to be at risk for any aliment if you choose to start the baby earlier. As for doctors and nurses who suggest starting solids early then 6 months many of them aren’t as well educated as you may believe. Older practicing doctors or nurses can tend to give some of the same advice they gave 10years ago despite new research.
All in all the choice is your. Hope you find this information useful.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:49 am
You should trust your instincts, only you know your baby. Some health visitors say 4 months and other say 6 months. You could try a little bit of rusk instead of baby rice, but only you know your baby. Trust your instincts.
May 14th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Your health visitor is right, your baby is too young. What he probably needs is to be fed more often.
Thanks effielorraine to prove my point that early introduction of solids are for mom’s welfare, not babies.
May 17th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I agree with the other 6 months is best.. The baby’s stomach and everything else is not ready for solid food s at this stage in development. Allergy problems, stomach problems etc come from early feedings
May 19th, 2009 at 9:21 am
you do what you feel is right,the health visitor will tell you its wrong their to young,my little girl was having a spoonful in the morning never did her any harm,then when she was 5mths i was giving her a spoonful before the last bedtime bottle.do what you think your the mother
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
There is a lot of debate over whether 4 months or 6 months is the right time to start weaning. When my daughter was born (2003) they said 4 months but now they’re saying 6 months. I gave her baby rice at 4 months and I did notice an improvement in her weight gain. Talk to your health visitor again but at the end of the day you know your baby best.
May 25th, 2009 at 4:45 am
It is now recommended that solids be delayed until 6 months. It could be that your son is going through his 3 month growth spurt. He might be fussier and seem like he is hungry all the time, but it is just the nature of a growth spurt. It is a myth that solids fill up a baby or help them sleep through the night. What do you think has more calories – breast milk/formula with all their nutrients high fat content or rice cereal? How many oz. is he taking every 4 hours, you could up the amount if he seems like he wants more, or if it is a growth spurt, you might have to temporarily decrease the feeding interval until things settle down.
Previous to the 6 month recommendation, it was 4 months, so if you are going to introduce solids early, you should at least wait until then. The recommendation is to help ensure digestive maturity. Rice cereal is pretty mild, and a lot of people do introduce early with no problems. Start off with a tsp and progress from there. If there are any history of allergies, you really should hold off. Good luck!
May 27th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Wow. I can’t believe they still teach this. Wait. Yes I can. When my brother was 6 wks old, back in the 70′s we went to visit Granny out of state. He was always fussy, and unhappy. Granny couldn’t believe it, told Mom to feed that poor child. Mom recited the Doctor’s advice of not feeding till 6 months. Granny said it was bull, went and got some baby rice cereal, and cereal bottle, and made him a nice runny cereal mix and fed the poor boy. Wow, did he like that! Nice and sweet, what a happy baby! Uping his milk supply isn’t the answer, there’s no substance to milk, all that will do is increase his stomach size where it’ll take more to fill him up, and he could end up overeatting later. When I had my own son, I followed tradition instead of the doctor, and fed my own hungry boy. All I can tell you is follow your heart, what you think is best. But if you do decide to go ahead and feed, get a cereal bottle, a baby that small just isn’t coordinated enough to start eatting from a spoon, and frustrating yourself and him trying to teach him, isn’t going to change that. I went ahead and started the spoon later at about 4 to 5 months.
May 28th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
hi there my son was the samme and i started weaning him him at just over 3 months , he was such a hungry baby , i remember the day he came home from hospital and he had a 5 oz bottle everyone was ammazed but some babies are just really hungry . my son is now 15 months and had started to settle down wen he was bout 9 months , he never put on much weight and was allways ont he right centile that he sud have been !!! xxx
May 30th, 2009 at 10:47 am
if he seems hungry all the time after giving him the baby formula, then i think its his way of telling you he wants more than the milk. i also gave baby rice to my daughter when she was 15 weeks and was more happy and content. and was abs fine with it. i hope all goes well with youreself and the little one x
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:43 am
friend of mine weaned her son at 12 weeks and he went straight on to mash potato. she tried all the hungry baby formula etc but he was still starving. s he got told off my her health visitor and doctor but her baby is fine – he was ready. I woudn’t recommend it for most babies but if yours is starving then you gotta feed him!
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:23 am
i gave my son baby rice from when he was about 3months old and by the time he was 6months he was having 3 meals a day and not done him any harm..if you think your baby needs extra food then give it to them. mommys always know best!
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am
wait till he is 17 weeks it is impossible 2 wait till 6 months. my baby is 15 weeks & i gave him a quarter or a rusk 2day 4 first time if u r desperate i say try him in a week x x x
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:47 am
i started mine at 4 1/2 months he loved it now hes 5 months i started giving him porridge and apple puree
linda
x