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Original poster

Too young for rice??

15 replies

Henda · 04/04/2005 14:12

Hello everyone. Need advice on when to start putting a little rice into the diet. DS is eight weeks this week, and doesn't seem satisfied with milk,(Cow & Gate No. 1). My well meaning Mum insists he should be given a little rice, she says i started at eight weeks. But asking around, and looking at packets, it says start at four months! Although some friends agreed earlier was ok, some said it increases the risk of problems with digestion in later life... Confused! Or should i just try the milk for hungrier babies??

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acnebride · 04/04/2005 14:15

there will be loads more advice but definitely not before four months as research since we were babies shows it's not a good idea -- more likely to have allergies I think, and other things.. Best is milk only until 6 months (World health organisation) but this is based on breastmilk. Whqat about just feeding him as many bottles as he wants, see how much he takes? Just a guess though. Best of luck.

Laylasmum · 04/04/2005 14:15

It isn't advised now to give anything other than milk until a least 4 months . Try increasing the volume of milk you give and the frequency of his feeds or try the hungrier baby milk. Mums mean well don't they? Mine was similar and i think 20 odd years ago it was fine to give young babies solids but times have changed!!!HTH

Original poster
Henda · 04/04/2005 14:19

Yeah... One of my friends Mum's was telling me the other day that she was a very hungry baby, and she gave her cows milk at about 3 months!!! I didn't say anything, but my friend now has a list of food allergies as long as your arm and suffers from really bad frequent migraines. Dunno if it could be from such a well meant start??

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Original poster
Henda · 04/04/2005 14:21

The health visitor also told me that the hungry baby milk isn't so easily digested. Suppose i just gotta try it, and see

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chipmonkey · 04/04/2005 15:22

Henda, I think thats why it works, because its less easily digested, it fills them for longer.

aloha · 04/04/2005 15:25

Why doesn't he seem satisfied? What signs does he show?
8 weeks far too young for rice! My MIL was the same though.

Original poster
Henda · 04/04/2005 15:44

he has a bottle with six ounces in every three hours at the most, and wants more. its all i can do to keep him at three hours!!

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chipmonkey · 04/04/2005 15:54

is 6oz his limit, Henda, he won't take any more?

Original poster
Henda · 04/04/2005 15:56

i suppose he would, but then he'd be overfeeding wouldn't he?? I don't know whether to just keep going until he stops or carry on?? I'm so naive, sorry

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chipmonkey · 07/04/2005 13:42

They're all different Henda. I would say it was better to increase to 7-8 oz rather than give rice. Sorry took so long to reply!

Kayleigh · 07/04/2005 13:44

Definitely try the milk for hungrier babies. You really shouldn't give rice till around 16 weeks. Maybe a week or two earlier, but not at 8 weeks.

Bozza · 07/04/2005 13:46

Would worry more about him not digesting the rice than the hungry baby milk personally. Would agree to give him more milk if he wants it. If he's overfed he will bring it back and you can re-assess.

Neither of mine went 3 hours regularly in the daytime at 8 weeks but were breastfed.

mum2max · 09/04/2005 10:07

My mum started me on rice at 6 weeks (but it was the seventies!) They say at least 4mth/ 16 weeks now because of childhood obesity as well as allergies. My 5mth old (who, with 5 lots of 7oz a day has regularly slept through since 3mth) is now happily eating apple/ plum/ sweet potato/ carrot/ parsnip after starting on rice at 16 weeks. He also has hungry baby milk - HV says it's higher in protein so takes longer to digest therefore feel full for longer. Good luck!

hotmama · 09/04/2005 11:02

A tip my hv gave me proved to be very useful. She advised to always put an extra ounce in the bottle - so if the box says put in 6 put in 7 - if the baby wants it they will have it if not they will leave it. Just like us they want more at one meal and less at another. The guidance is just that i.e. guidance - so don't get hung up about the actual quantity - some babies are hungrier than others and go through growth and therefore hungry phases.

If there is milk left in a bottle then don't force the baby to have it - they will only posset it back up anyway - I think it is the forcing babies to complete feeds that leads to excess weight gain.

If you find that the baby is not satisfied by increasing the quantity then I would move to the hungrier baby type. Apparently, hungrier baby formulas are just made with a different type of protein and therefore harder to digest and therefore the baby is satisfied for longer. I think they have the same amount of calories etc - so it won't make the baby fat!

My dd went through a hungry phase so I swapped her to the hungry type (I used Aptimil) then she stopped wanting her so much so I swapped her back to the first milk. For ages she left loads of milk - but still slept through and put on weight so I didn't wean her until 24 weeks - she is now 26 weeks and is happily scoffing veg etc.

My advice would be to increase/decrease the amount of formula and perhaps try the hungrier type but don't start weaning before 16 weeks - and ignore advice from ils etc - I'm sure what we are doing will be out of date when we are grannies - go with the current advice and smile sweetly at crap advice!

Hope this helps.

Original poster
Henda · 10/04/2005 20:34

thanx for the advice ladies! I'm definitely gonna persevere with the milk and forget all about rice for now xx

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