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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Going to try Baby rice tomorrow - advice

33 replies

nik76 · 30/07/2008 18:28

Hi All

Going to give Dd some baby rice tomorrow on advice of HV - any advice on best way please.

cheers

PS DD is 19 weeks

OP posts:
GordonTheGopher · 30/07/2008 18:30

Don't do it.

hercules1 · 30/07/2008 18:31

Try it yourself and then decide whether you'd like to eat it. Tasteless wallpaper paste springs to mind.

lulumama · 30/07/2008 18:33

why have you been advised to give her baby rice? if she is hungry ,the most filling and nutritious and calorific thing you can give is more milk

current weaning guidelines recommend solids introduced around 6 months

Jacanne · 30/07/2008 18:47

Baby rice at 4 months gave my daughter terrible constipation - which she still suffers today (she's 5). I wouldn't do it - there's very little nutritional benefit to it - more milk is a far better idea.

I know that Kellymom is a BF site and have no idea whether you are but this has some very interesting info on readiness to wean, whether you are BF or not.

RubySlippers · 30/07/2008 18:48

don;t do it

speaking from bitter experience of early weaning

as lulu says, milk or more calorofic and filling than a teaspoon of goo

MrsJamin · 30/07/2008 18:50

I agree with GTG - well there's a first time for everything (she's my sister) - don't do it, please. All they need is milk at 19wks. Wait until 6 months and be rewarded yourself by doing baby-led weaning - a great fun and healthy way of introducing foods for your baby.

Shitehawk · 30/07/2008 18:51

More milk now, real food when it's really time to wean.

Baby rice is vile; why start her off on something bland and tasteless when there is so much tasty food out there she can enjoy in a couple of months time?

ThatBigGermanPrison · 30/07/2008 18:53

Health visitor is openly flouting NHS weaning guidelines.

MatNanPlus · 30/07/2008 18:54

Nik76 what was the reason you were given by the HV for starting solids now?

onwardandupward · 30/07/2008 19:02

HV is an idiot.

Ignore her. Or give her a copy of the NHS weaning guidelines.

Milk now, baby led weaning after 6 months.

poocrumbs · 30/07/2008 19:06

Health visitors often seem to give this advice. They did in my case, although I ignored them. The local Surestart weaning group is also for mothers of babies 4 months plus. They were actively attempting to recruit me at that point.

GordonTheGopher · 30/07/2008 19:07

at sister agreeing with me!

cazee · 30/07/2008 19:09

Don't.
HV is talking dangerous rubbish.

Seona1973 · 30/07/2008 20:10

If you did give it, make only a small amount and make it quite runny. Offer it on a small weaning spoon. When I started I gave it mid-morning so that if there was any adverse reaction it would be apparent in the day rather than at night-time. I didnt have a problem with baby rice especially when mixed with fruit puree.

beansprout · 30/07/2008 20:12

It's awful stuff and it's too early. I would just up the milk. I'm currently feeding a 27week old milk only and he's fine (and rather large )

GillianLovesMarmite · 30/07/2008 20:17

I went to local surestart advice thing -which was a bit mad as I knew I was doing blw from 6 months, however, they are available from 4months as they realise that some people choose to do this. Mine promoted that the guidance said 6 months but was realistic in that some people do 3 meals a day from asap...
Avoid baby rice - I'd rather give some mashed banana than baby rice if they 'have' to have something...

GillianLovesMarmite · 30/07/2008 20:18

But would stick to the breatmilk!

GillianLovesMarmite · 30/07/2008 20:18

breastmilk...

poocrumbs · 30/07/2008 23:30

To be mildly controversial, dd never disliked bay rice, it was neutral for her. She spat carrot out though and has never liked it.

Flibbertyjibbet · 30/07/2008 23:39

I also went to a surestart weaning group. They very much gave the message of wait till 6 months. But they acknowledge that a lot of mums will try to wean earlier and gave advice on healthy nutrition ie not to feed your baby jars of food.
SIL put baby straight on to 2 jars of baby food 3 times a day from 14 weeks. (child born in 2004). Surestart are trying to educate people like her not preach to the converted.

seeker · 30/07/2008 23:43

Don't do it. There is no possible advantage to weaning before 6 months and in some cases it can be damaging. If the baby is hungry give her more milk. Baby rice isn't the answer to whatever difficulty you are experiencing and the HV is displaying ignorance and lack of profssionalism by suggesting otherwise.

Original poster
nik76 · 31/07/2008 06:55

mnp - was discussing how DD is going down and getting up, so basically to help her sleep

Nik76 runs to hide behind the sofa for protection

She's having a feed at about 6pm then another after bath around 7:30pm, which she actually starts grying for if I take too long to dress her, then will have a full feed and keep feeding if she is put in her cot. She is not just sucking she is still feeding. Then has started waking at 5am having a feed and then wanting to go back to sleep for another 3 hours.

jacanne - she's been showing all the signs apart from sitting up for weeks, infact gets a bit mardy with us when we eat as if to say how dare you (yes, I know that projection)

OP posts:
seeker · 31/07/2008 06:59

Nik - I promise - baby rice will not help her to sleep. What she needs is what she's asking for - that is more milk. Just give her what she's asking for and wait until she's 6 months old for solids.

lulumama · 31/07/2008 08:38

babies have frequent growth spurts

a spoon of rice is not going to fill her tummy and settle her, an extra milk feed is far more filling.

just stick with milk for now!

ThatBigGermanPrison · 31/07/2008 09:17

Going from 8 until 5 is a really long stretch of sleep - and she will be thirsty too. All the baby rice will do is clog her bum and give her a bellyache.

My ds2 did this 5 am wake until he was about 13 months - and he was well into solids then, eating a huge amount. But he still woke up because he was thirsty!