Starting on solids

[waiting4bambino]

I know all the books say that you should start solids at 4 months, but is there any risk in starting them earlier, say at 12 weeks? My baby seems hungrier than usual and i was wondering whether to introduce a rusk into her last bottle? Has anyone else done this? Also, could i be at risk of making her overweight if i do this?

don't do it - also, weaning is now recommended at 6 months not 4 motnhs

a rusk in a bottle won't help her sleep/make her fuller, and you shouldn't put anything in a bottle other than milk as it is a chocking risk

if your DD seems hungrier then increase the amount of milk she is having

you are at a risk of her choking and suffering kidney damage, as well as making her fat

sorry to be blunt, but rusk in a bottle is dangeorus and outdated

also, all the books oyu have must be out of date as current advice is to introduce solids around 6 months. 17 weeks being the absolute bare minimum, but IMO , taht is way too early.

all a baby of 12 weeks needs is milk, milk and more milk, if draining the bottle, add an ounce. if the bottle is full, feed her more frequently

at a push, change to hungry baby formula, but be aware it can give a little baby constipation and tummy ache

babies feed a lot, it is what htey do

It is recommended to start on solids at 6 months now.

3 months is a bit young.

I wouldn't do the rusk in botttle thing...risk of choking/aspirating.

Hope this helps xx

the risks of solids too early are digestive problems later in life, and food allergies and intolerances as well as skin issues

your baby is not physically ready for solids

good signs are

sitting unaided, able to hold head very well, loss of the tongue thrust reflex, pincer grasp, able to pick up a piece of food, get it to the mouth and chew it.

being hungrier is a sign of that, being hungrier. and milk is all a baby needs

definately don't put anything in bottle. In all likelyhood this is a growth spurt and she just needs more milk

Milk is the main source of nutrition for under 12 months so step up the milk intake, some babies go through growth spurts but with more milk they can usually still be satisfied. There are also hungry baby formulas.

All those books are seriously out of date as WHO guidelines are now 6 months and have been for a while . There are associated long term health risks to the delicate gut in introducing solids sooner ,which may trigger long term allergy and digestive problems, especially with those foods containing gluten as most rusks do, and early weaning has a possible link to obesity. It is not recommended that solids be used to thicken a bottle of milk as there is a risk of choking(although still common practice in Europe).

Wow! I didnt realise it could cause all those problems later on, obviously, i realise the choking issue...

I will increase her bottle and see how she goes with that, thanks for all your replies.

I just wanted to ask as well, how come the boxes of baby foods say from 4 months?

because they're allowed to .... and it makes £££

that is a really good question, and one i have asked of one manafacturer and got a very longwinded and crappy answer
basically, imo, saying from 4 months mean that they get an extra 2 months of sales !!

have a look at www.babyledweaning.com for info about weaning at aroudn 6 months with no purees !

its a growth spurt - give them more milk

I know it's hard to comprehend that all they need is milk, as after all, milk alone wouldn't 'do it' for us - we'd be starving BUT babies are different. They're not little adults or children physically, they're babies and all they really do need is milk.

In my Opinion u go with how you feel if you wanna start solids do it fair enough theres lost of risks but its not other people who are listenin to ur baby screamin with hunger its u i have just started my ds on baby rice 3 wee teaspoonfuls at 10 am and he is great settles alot more and not SCREAMIN for food h.v says u cant over fee babys on baby milk thats utter rubbish u can ui was givin my ds 8 oz every 2 hours and he still wanted more now on baby rice hes on 7 oz every 3 n half hours he is 14 weeks take into consideration all the guidlines but go with what u feel.

Thanks Sheena1, i think i will give her a few more weeks and then try her on something really small as long as the hv says that's okay.

They say 4 months + because they won't make money from a baby that wants to feed itself!

Please, please, please, don't listen to people here saying wait and don't accept your HV saying 4 months is ok. Find out for yourself why it's said 6 months now. It doesn't take much research to find it out (whispers there's a good thread on NetMums explaining it from their expert) why it was moved. Some HVs are still giving out old advice either because they don't know better or choose not to listen.

It is one thing saying you know your child better than anyone else, that's true or that your instincts tell you your baby is hungry, it's also true. But your instincts can't tell you when their gut has matured, only their own instincts can tell them that.

SHEENA1, I'm starting to get really fed up with you popping up on weaning threads talking nonsense.
STFU, yes?
You are talking utter rot.

I could explain this to you myself waitingforbambino, but please read this

Paying particular attention to "Before this change has taken place solid foods can not easily or safely be digested and so if solids are given before it happens then the baby is open to problems (many of which appear only much later in life not in baby hood). This physical change occurs at some point after 4 months but before 6 months- and there is no way of telling when it happens in any baby. "

Please don't feed your baby yet.

Lol, TM, my link is that netmums thread

why u getting fed up because u dont like my opinion everyone is entitled to one my dd is 2 did her no harm she has no problems. my ds is doinfg really well settleing alot better i didn't do it off my own back i have a large circle of friends and they did exactly same as me starting solids early .

SHE IS 2!!!

Of course she has no problems YET

Your typing I can just about ignore, but your misinformation I cannot.

How can you possibly justify advising someone to start weaning their baby before they are ready without any kind of real science behind it except for your two children being ok and crying a bit less???

Opinions are great, on threads asking for opinions where no-one can be harmed as a result but your opinions could cause this child some real damage.

As for having a large circle of family and friends, your circle is not exactly a scientific control group is it?

don't go with how you feel

i was a total ignoramus about weaning when i had my DS - he was a total milk monster and i thought baby rice would help

so, i gave him some at around 16 weeks and you know what - he had blood in his nappy at the next nappy change

i have NEVER forgiven myself and i stopped immediately

milk is much more filling that a spoon of baby rice

becasue sheena, you are advising something that is potentially harmful

even the most out of date HV usually says no solids before 17 weeks.

when a baby is hungry they need MILK

end of

you do not know if their gut is mature enough to cope with food

just because your friends did it, all it means is that they ignored the guidelines and research too, not that they are right

the Deparment of healt and the WHO and the NHS don;t make this stuff up you know

ruby you never told me that

sheena, you say this

"In my Opinion u go with how you feel if you wanna start solids do it fair enough theres lost of risks"

you know there are risks, yet you still do it and advocate it to others

that is madness!!

waitingforbambino I'm sorry to get angry on your thread, but it's not the first time SHEENA1 has given this advice and I worry that someone may listen to it and harm their baby.

Ruby {{{hugs}}}}

lulu - i was distraught

i have never, ever forgiven myself

DS was a milk monster, and now a food monster

i will know MUCH better for next time