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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Rusks at 10 weeks

37 replies

Moominy12 · 01/09/2015 21:29

My 10 week old daughter is still only taking 2oz every 2 hours on comfort milk. When she was on gaviscon it made it a lot thicker so she had a little more and lasted longer.

As a baby I started rusks at 10 weeks and I know a few people that started at 9 weeks and it did no harm.

Can someone give me some advice on how to give it and how often wtc?

For anyone who has a silly opinion to keep it to themselves, no one goes by the book these days! Only mums that have actually done it to reply please

OP posts:
cookielove · 01/09/2015 21:32

Please don't!

You'll be hard pushed to find anyone on here who will advise you to give rusks so early!

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 01/09/2015 21:34

I didn't go by the book - I weaned early (although nowhere near as early as that) following some poor advice from my HV and it made no difference whatsoever. DS was still up every 3 hours (and he was 20+ weeks at that point).

Please don't do this. I know it's hard, but you need to ride it out.

PennyHasNoSurname · 01/09/2015 21:34

Hopefully no one is able to give you advice on how to do this.

Bonkers.

bringmelaughter · 01/09/2015 21:34

You need professional advise from someone who can talk to you about your concerns and who can assess your baby's needs.

Finallyonboard · 01/09/2015 21:35

You need to speak to your Health Visitor or GP before doing this.

floatyflo · 01/09/2015 21:35

Yes I agree it's very very early. Not a good idea. Two hours between feeds must be tough but it's not unusual and is quite normal unfortunately. Also rusks are really more of a sugary snack than something to be given as a main meal.

Original poster
Moominy12 · 01/09/2015 21:39

Don't comment miss 'bonkers'

OP posts:
Original poster
Moominy12 · 01/09/2015 21:41

Thanks everyone else for the advice, I will ring my HV tomorrow and what she says

OP posts:
anothernumberone · 01/09/2015 21:42

I weaned early on dd1, 17 weeks, it was the done thing at the time. She suffered from and still suffers from gastrointestinal problems. Apparently they are more common in babies who are weaned early.

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/09/2015 21:42

Why was your baby put on gaviscon?

its possible she needs her medicine tweaked or she's intolerant to the milk and can only manage small amounts because it hurts.

I would address this medically. of she's intolerant rusks won't change that.

Can you run through what lead to her being put on gaviscon and her feeding habits up til now

badg3r · 01/09/2015 21:43

Sorry but that sounds like a really bad idea. Is she following her centile curve? If so I don't see the problem. My HV described risks as baby junk food and advised against them full stop.

drinkscabinet · 01/09/2015 21:44

Rusks have a lower calorie content than milk. If your child is hungry then milk is the best thing for them, lots of easy to digest calories to help them grow. Rusks will not help space out feeds and may do permanent harm to such a young gut. The advice is the advice for a good reason. Presumably you didn't sit in a carseat when you were a child either, that doesn't mean it would be a good idea to not use one for your own child.

TeaandHobnobs · 01/09/2015 21:45

I presume your LO was prescribed gaviscon for reflux? Early weaning can be recommended for babies with reflux, but should only be done under the direction of a paed. Have you tried anti-reflux milk, to see if she can manage more of that?

Lurkedforever1 · 01/09/2015 21:45

Really, don't. And I say that as someone who weaned before 4 months against the advice of my hv, and would do so again. The difference was I had a doctors advice to do so. And it wasn't with rusks at 10 weeks or cos she wasn't taking enough milk.
Either keep going with the milk, or go to your gp if you're hv isn't someone you respect.

Bambooshoots14 · 01/09/2015 21:48

Agreeing with everyone else, take medical advice. And if you insist on starting too early do something more natural than 50% sugar biscuits

Original poster
Moominy12 · 01/09/2015 21:49

She had silent reflux from 3 weeks but the last few weeks it seems to have improved a lot so stopped the gaviscon. The HV also advised Sma comfort milk which has also worked a treat.

She just so little but seems hungry? Confused

OP posts:
Bambooshoots14 · 01/09/2015 21:49

Also my 98 percentile baby only ever drank couple of ounces at a time until he was older. No issues. Just fed him when he wanted it

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/09/2015 21:51

Is there anything else? does she seem in pain? are her nappies normal? dies she sleep?

Spilose · 01/09/2015 21:52

Your HV will be thinking you're ridiculous, sorry. She will be hungry, she's a baby, give her milk.

CultureSucksDownWords · 01/09/2015 21:52

To answer your questions,

"how to give rusks to a 10 week old" - don't.

"how often" - not at all.

This is not a "silly opinion", it's an entirely reasonable bit of advice that no HV or GP would disagree with. There is the outside chance that an expert might suggest weaning at this age if your baby was failing to thrive on milk, but even then I doubt they'd suggest rusks. Plus they'd give you detailed guidance on how to go about it.

bringmelaughter · 01/09/2015 21:56

She's still only tiny. It's normal for some babies to need little and often and seem forever hungry. You're probably very tired and looking for an answer that doesn't exist. They just need milk and often at that age.

Don't worry about discussing with your HV though. They won't think you're ridiculous, they'll think you're a mum wanting to do their best but not always knowing what that best thing is.

MI6Agent · 01/09/2015 22:00

Congratulations on the arrival of your little baby.

Definitely have a discussion with your HV about weaning guidelines, this is where weaning is defined as "moving a baby on to solid food". The last 40 years have seen lots of evidence based research that suggest weaning babies should be no earlier than 17 weeks, and more suitable at 'around 6 months' or at least when the baby is showing signs and readiness (specially sitting up unaided, reaching out for food, hand / mouth coordination)

There are lots of websites and blogs out there, I found the NHS one is pretty good on how weaning can be done.

There's also this blog:
about when is best to wean

Rusks, whilst very tasty my dh loves them are ultimately sugary biscuits which are not good for a baby's gut.

As a previous poster said, milk has far more calories than a rusk and is ultimately has more nutrients, so it would be in the babies best interests to increase milk feeds (or continue with the 2 hourly feeds) rather introduce solid food this early.

I would also add that what your baby is doing (feeding every 2 hours) is normal. It is normal for her to have food on tap in your womb and she is learning to self regulate her feeding. Give it a little more time and she will stretch at the feeds a bit at a time.

Definitely speak to HV tomorrow too.

MI6Agent · 01/09/2015 22:01

spliose I don't think your post is helpful to a new mum. No question to a HV is ridiculous. If the OP only has experience of this from what her parents did it is normal to her. Think about how your post has come across Confused

heymammy · 01/09/2015 22:03

I wouldn't recommend that anyone, no matter their age, eat rusks. They are full of sugar and no different to eating a custard cream.

LibrariesGaveUsP0wer · 01/09/2015 22:07

I was weaned at 10 weeks and am fine. Problem is, some babies will be damaged and there is no way to tell in advance which ones. I am lucky, not proof it was safe.

Even if you were to wean, rusks are one of the worst foods and anything thick in a bottle is a serious choking risk.

Please do talk to your hv.Smile