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Infant feeding

Baby rice at 10 weeks?

81 replies

Nikki6659 · 02/11/2018 08:21

This is my first baby and my health visitor is pretty useless, so looking for someone who’s maybe done similar.
My baby was 9lb 4oz at birth, he’s now 10weeks and is over a stone. He’s perfectly healthy, in proportion and within NHS guidelines, he’s just a big lad (dad is 6’’4 and built like the proverbial brick outhouse).

He’s very forward for his age, been holding his head up for weeks, pushes to stand up and right now is cutting his first tooth. He has 7oz every 3 hours without fail but is still hungry. I’m wondering whether to give baby rice a go, to start the weening process? My husband and his siblings were weaned between 6-8 weeks under doctors advice as they were such big babies. Granted this was almost 30 years ago.

I just don’t know what to do! Midwife and health visitor said don’t give them hungry baby milk as it just blocks them up 🤷🏼‍♀️
We have no family history of allergies of any kind, but heard all sorts of bad things about weaning too young.

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RiddleyW · 02/11/2018 08:23

I wouldn’t - if he’s hungry just give more milk. Mine was definitely having a feed more often than every three hours at some times at that age.

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Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere · 02/11/2018 08:24

I would just increase to 8 or 9oz of milk no baby food as his little gut just isn't developed enough for it yet.

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Stressedoutteacher45 · 02/11/2018 08:24

Nothing but milk under 17 weeks is the current guidance. Their digestive systems just aren't ready for it. The average is 6 months but absolutely not under 17 weeks.

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todayiwin · 02/11/2018 08:25

There is a reason for not weaning before 6 months.

10 weeks is absurd to start weaning.

Don't be so foolish, just feed more milk.

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broughts · 02/11/2018 08:25

No, it’s not recommended at that age. My baby was also large and definitely feeding more often than that at the same age. Just give him more milk.

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Thesearmsofmine · 02/11/2018 08:26

Why would you consider it when you know it could harm your child? Just feed him milk, he is 10 weeks that is all he needs.

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Parker231 · 02/11/2018 08:26

Baby rice has little nutritional benefits. Under six months they only need milk. Their gut can’t cope until then.

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jusdepamplemousse · 02/11/2018 08:26

Ten weeks is far far too young.

You just need to up milk feeds.

If you remain concerned in about 2 months time you could cautiously consider weaning at that stage, if he is interested. With finely puréed veg / fruit ideally rather than baby rice.

Truly, ten weeks is much too young. No matter how advanced your little boy is.

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Wait4nothing · 02/11/2018 08:27

I wouldn’t either - you don’t know his digestive system is more developed and it could cause lifelong problems (it also might not but I just wouldn’t risk it). I’d either reduce time between feeds or increase bottle size slightly. He may just be getting to a point and then steady off (my ds was the same weight at 4m his sister was at 8m and in 6-9m clothes at 3m)

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StripyDeckchair · 02/11/2018 08:28

I wouldn't. The guidance has changed because we now understand more about how the digestive system develops. Babies can look ready for solids but not be ready on the inside if you see what I mean. Starting solids too early can be bad for their immature gut.

If you said he was 5.5 months (I.e just short of the 6 month guidelines) that would one thing. 10 weeks is far too early I think. Give more milk as pp said.

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Phillipa12 · 02/11/2018 08:28

My 11lb+ baby fed every 2 hours, i weaned him at 5 months, infact all my 4dc were over 9lbs and i waited till 5 months. Dont wean early.

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FlibbertyGiblets · 02/11/2018 08:29

No please don't give him any kind of weaning foods just increase his formula intake. Follow his cues, feed him his milk when he asks.

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EssentialHummus · 02/11/2018 08:29

^^What they all said. Ask your GP if in doubt. Teeth, head etc is irrelevant.

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Jackshouse · 02/11/2018 08:30

Baby rice has few calories in for the area it takes up than milk. Your baby knows how much milk he needs per volume. So giving him baby rice means he will not get enough calories.

Early warning is not advised as it is linked to health problems in the future.

How are you feeding him? He should be feed on demand, so when he shows hunger cues appose to a set time and he does never be able drink the whole bottle. If he drinks all the milk then you need to offer more milk.

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Notthisnotthat · 02/11/2018 08:30

My first was a 9lb baby too, just up the amount of milk at 10 weeks, we made it to 20 weeks before weaning. Don't bother with hungry milk either.

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scaredofthecity · 02/11/2018 08:30

Definitely not! My DS was huge, above the very top centile line, like you my DH is massive. We weaned at 4 months, that is the very earliest they advise. And even then your not supposed to add grains, dairy or meat until 6 months, so just fruit and veg.

I bf, so slightly different as I had no idea how much milk he was getting, but I'd just up his feeds for now. More milk, more frequently in the daytime.

Weaning is messy, time consuming frustrating and can be expensive. I really wouldn't rush it.

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Stuckforthefourthtime · 02/11/2018 08:32

With the others - its way too young, and baby rice isn't that great nutritionally anyway. More milk is better - also sometimes it's easy to interpret other signs as hungry. Is he also getting lots of stimulation and interesting things to look at? Is he getting enough sleep? And if he's a sucky baby, does he have a dummy sometimes?

The newer advice is that it can be good for allergies to wean (slightly) before 5 months but definitely not before 16 weeks. My eldest has allergies and the paediatrician advised early weaning but still only at 4.5 months and we started with root vegetables, then others on a stepped programme- he said baby rice is unnecessary.

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Isadora2007 · 02/11/2018 08:36

His head movements or teeth have nothing to do with his gut maturity. He is too young to be weaned and baby rice isn’t worth the mess anyway- first foods for weaning are low in calories not higher.
My boys were 9lb 12 and 10lb 14 and neither were weaned before 5 months. Just feed on demand. As the guidelines clearly state.

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Nikki6659 · 02/11/2018 08:40

Thanks everyone. It’s pretty much a resounding no then 🙈
I thought that would be the case, but if I ask anyone my parents age they all say they don’t see a problem with it as guidelines change all the time, their kids were fine etc.

I’ll mention it again at next HV visit!

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HillyMillylunchmunch · 02/11/2018 08:46

Agree with everyone else.
My first was a stone by 8 weeks, some way above the 99.6 centile line and being weighed every week until she was 1 to keep an eye on her very fast gain. No one ever suggested weaning before 6 months. She was growing just fine on milk. I was bf but I don't think this makes a difference in this regard, it just means you can't say how much they have at each feed.

Give your lovely bouncy baby milk more often or bigger bottles, he'll thrive on it.

Anecdotal I know but my parents were obsessed with how advanced my older brother was and started giving him homemade fruit and veg juices at about 10 weeks. He's now 40 and the last 10+ years he's had IBS and been very uncomfortable indeed.

The risk of causing life long harm to his immature gut is much higher than any benefit he could get from rice rather than milk in the next 7 weeks. Just be patient and you'll have the joy of feeding food soon enough!

Also baby rice is nutritionally useless, so really won't give him anything at all beneficial.

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toomuchhappyland · 02/11/2018 08:47

Baby rice has zero nutrition in it. It’s literally just a bulking agent. Tbh I would never use it, even with a baby over 17 weeks. It’s just unnecessary - once he gets to an appropriate weaning age, he needs nutritious food. Think about it - right now he’s getting calorific, nutritious milk. Anything you replace that with has to give him nutrition too, or what’s the point of it?
As previous posters have said, he isn’t ready. Signs like holding his head up (most babies are doing this by 10 weeks by the way!) or getting teeth mean nothing. A baby’s gut is very immature and develops at a pretty set rate. He wouldn’t be able to digest and solids right now. Best-case scenario, he’d poo it right out (possibly with an upset tummy); worst-case scenario, you’d give him a lifelong allergy or gut sensitivity.

More milk is the answer. It sounds like you’ve got him on a strict routine - drop that and feed him on demand. You probably don’t eat or drink every three hours yourself with nothing in between. Look for hunger cues and give him milk earlier than the three hours if he needs it.

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HellenaHandbasket · 02/11/2018 08:48

Why would you? I can't imagine thinking about anything other than milk at 10 wks, and my middle child was nigh on 10lbs at birth. I wouldn't even raise it with HV, all the info is available to you online anyway.

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Nikki6659 · 02/11/2018 08:50

I just assumed baby rice was the place everyone started with weening. By the comments, I see that’s not the case. I’ve bought a steamer and blender to make as much of my own food as possible once we’re in the swing of things.
Can anyone suggest where I might start if it’s not baby rice / porridge? Which fruit and veggies first?

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SoyDora · 02/11/2018 08:53

DH was weaned at that age as MIL said he was hungry. He now was huge issues with his weight and suffers a lot of digestive problems. Maybe unrelated, but why risk it?
If he’s hungry, give him more milk.

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DameSylvieKrin · 02/11/2018 08:54

I think all babies seem impossibly hungry at that age or thereabouts. Mine were on the small side at birth but I know very well the feeling of trying to fill a bottomless pit.

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