baby rice

[jan2011]

i have just started the baby on rice she is over 5 months, hv has given me the go ahead due to reflux and night wakenings.

hv said give her it at tea time after or during a feed so she still gets all her milk feeds. her sleep hasn't improved. mum says give it to her before bed, before her milk feed - any advice?

another thing is she is very hungry at the minute and my boobs don't seem to be producing enough anymore. she is getting very frustrated and i am too, i always had oversupply, now there seems to be none left. this is not to do with the rice by the way... it could be to do with a growth spurt maybe? she has only taken a couple of tea spoons of rice last night as a start. i am hoping i start to make enough milk again as this will contribute to the night wakenings. im so tired!

There's no need to do baby rice really - there are fewer calories in it than in milk.

What makes you think your supply has dropped?

jan nothing you say here sounds like a drop in supply. A hungry baby feeding more often means breasts feel less full - doesn't mean the baby is not getting what she wants. Sometimes babies feed for shorter times, too, and get cross not because of the supply but because of frustration at being 'asked' to go on again when they don't want to.

Baby rice is unlikely to have any effect on night waking. But it's unlikely to do any harm at this stage.

Maybe call one of the bf helplines and talk this through?

i just thought my supply had dropped because she is getting upset, hitting me and bouncing around when trying to feed, also i cant express any, none is leaking, and boobs are flat - usually my experience is the opposites of this. if things don't improve i may ring them but if my supply is fine ill just wait and hope that things settle. i just gave her the rice at teatime like the hv said as i didn't feel she has been feeding well today and thought it might help. like you say, it didn't seem to make much difference although i think it was a nice distraction for her.

Not being able to express, note leaking and boobs not feeling full anymore are actualy a sign that your body has ajusted perfectly to your baby's needs and is no longer producing any excess.

Often long term feeders no longer need to wear breast pads once milk supply is fully estabished.

Oh and solids don't make any differences to sleeping that's an outdated indicator of readiness for soldis and your HV should have had upto date training. Signs for readyness for soldis are,

Baby able to site up unaided
Baby able to pick up food and put it in there mouth
Baby able to swallow food

This is the current NHS guidlines www.nhs.uk/start4life/pages/no-rush-to-mush.aspx

Although some baby's with reflux do need weaning early, but I'd be tempted to talk to a Doc about this rather then your HV.

I doubt giving a bit of baby rice before bed will help with sleep. My DD is 8 1/2 months and on quite a lot of solids (although we are BLW) and it hasn't made abit of difference ot her sleeping (or rather waking!) habits.

thanks for the advice its reassuring. i am only literally giving her a few tea spoons of rice, ill just keep to tea time since it won't affect sleep any way, and do it in between feeds. its only 3weeks away so im comfortable enough with it and i think it has helped a bit with reflux after shes had it. ill not start experimenting much more till a few weeks - she can almost remain upright - after awhile she will go toward one side! but she can pick things up and put them in her mouth no problem, she is very eager. im quite happy now that i don't have low supply - thanks for helping me :)