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HV advice on baby rice??is she right??

Hi

some of you might remember that i posted recently about Maiya as she's 15 weeks and taking a lot of milk. she's now on 3 x 7 ounces, 1 x 9 ounce and around 10/11 ounces at bedtime. I moved her onto hungry baby but not made any difference. I decided i'd better see my HV (although I think she's crap). she told me that under no circumstances should I wean Maiya and that if I must to only add bby rice to her night time bottle after 17 weeks as a last resort. I told her that Maiya is waking hungry etc and shoing an interest in food but she didn't care.

Firstly why can't i start giving baby rice at 17 weeks from a spoon with milk or puree and start weaning and also if it as put in a bottle how does she drink it?? am a bit confused now!! also i think i might have read somewhere that baby rice can some times give wind so not to give at night??

any suggestions would be much appreciated.

thanks image)) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Replies

  • i've heard rice can make baby windy.
    can't see why you can't start weaning. 17 weeks is the minimum age guideline. has she started doing chewing motions?
  • I think your hv is being crap again!! I haven't startd weaning Beth yet, she has shown no signs of needing it- but from what I have read it is fine to wean from 17 weeks. (If you look at the WHO site there was a lot of debate about whether to recommend the 6 month thing- it's not a clearcut thing). And I also had it in my head that you're not supposed to put baby rice in a bottle? (Can't remember where I got that from though, so may be wrong)

    I would ignore the hv and go with your instinct, you know what Maiya needs better than she does! A bit of baby rice/ puree will not hurt and if she doesn't get on with it you can always stop and try again later.
  • could you try upping the amount of milk at other feeds - say the 7oz ones to 8 or 9 oz?
    This might help her stave off hunger for a while longer...

    You shoudnt put baby rice in bottles is what ive been told...

    but you can start to give her tastes of it from around 17 weeks if you really think she needs it.
    You may find that increasing the feeds will help her go a bit longer on milk alone.
    It could also be a growth spurt which they do have between 3 and 4 months, and it will settle down again soon so she might not really need solids just yet.....

    xx
  • the idea is a baby can be weaned at 16weeks with professional recommendation!!

    personally, i wouldnt be adding it to a bottle, and i'm suprised that she told you this! HV usually recommend doent give them their first weaned meal after about 4pm!! (ie try breakfast or lunch when you start weaning!)

    if honest, as you feel that she is still so unsettled and hungry, i would consider starting to wean her. very often babies that start being weaned at mealtimes do sleep better, even though they have their usual amount of milk at bedtime. this milk very quickly becomes more of a comfort / routine / supper sort of thing!

    maybe as you are still wary due to her age, just give her the baby rice with milk first, and maybe in a few weeks or so introduce puree's etc.
  • OMG i cant believe a hv recommending to put rice in a bottle.
    Please try and remember that over the years age of weaning has changed, when i had my daughter who is now 2 it was 4 months now 6 months when my friends had there children who are only 4 it was at 2 months, my old hv said it used to be as young as 6 weeks. give her a go just once a day and see how she gets on with it, not every baby is the same some are just more hungier than others. But please do not put it into the milk this can cause chocking is oyur mw really old as this is something they used to do years ago?
    Nikki
  • thanks guys. was starting to doubt myself!! she is old and half the time i'm telling her stuff!!! bloody typical
    I get the crap HV after my maternity care was so naff!!

    xx
  • You HV does sound like a strange one alright. As for the weaning, apparently a babies digestive system fully develops between 17 weeks and six months, the problem is every baby is different and there is no way of telling when your babies digestive system is fully up and running. Hence the recommendation to wait untill six months. Early weaning can lead to allergies, food intolerances, asthma etc if the digestive system isnt fully ready. Id seriously hang out as long as possible, most early weaning is only done with medical advice. Your baby may take the food but you wont know if its going to cause diegestive issues years from now.
  • my baby is 15 weeks and has been on hungry baby milk for about a month and I have staretd weaning him now. He has doubled his birth weight, shows and interest in food, is hungry even after a full milk feed, he was sleeping through the night but now wakes several times for more milk feeds. I havent even spoke to my Health Vis, I am the mother and trust my instincts, a few years ago it was 3 months when you should start weaning and all the babies I know are still here and health. TRUST YOUR INSTICTS - YOU ARE THE MOTHER NOT THE HV.
  • I really wouldn't put baby rice in a bottle! It can be a choking hazzard! If you are going to give her baby rice from 17 weeks then yes give it from a spoon! You could probably make a complaint aout that advice!

    At least you know what your doing and whats right or not!!!

    Weaning is such a difficult topic as there's so much conflicting advice, just do what you feel best.
  • I really wouldn't put baby rice in a bottle! It can be a choking hazzard! If you are going to give her baby rice from 17 weeks then yes give it from a spoon! You could probably make a complaint about that advice!

    At least you know what your doing and whats right or not!!!

    Weaning is such a difficult topic as there's so much conflicting advice, just do what you feel best.
  • 17 weeks is the earliest they recommend weaning. Like some-one else has said though a few years ago it was 12 weeks. My eldest is 12 and he was weaned at 10 weeks on the advice of hv (the recommended age then was 12 weeks). Looking back he probably was too young but if your lo is 17 weeks and hungry I cant see how it would be a problem. I definitely wouldnt put rice in her bedtime bottle though, it is not recommended to put anything other that milk in their bottles and it is better to start weaning at breakfast or lunch time, that way if the food does upset them you dont have them upset at bedtime.
  • you can start weaning ur child at 17 wks my friends boy was on foods at 4 months old. did him no harm. and he was prem. no i agree i wouldnt put it in their bottle doesnt come out the teat good anyway as its thick. i try give it to her by spoon.
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