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RUSKS!!!!!!!

Ok..... im most properly going to get shot down for asking but.....

Mum and aunts keep telling me to put some rusk in his bedtime bottle! He is nearly 9 months old and not a good sleeping stirring from 2.30 onwards constantly!! \he has 3 good sized meals during the day around 18oz of milk snacks....
Has anyone tried rusks in milk? did it work? or is it just and old wives tale?

xxx
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Replies

  • Dont worry about being 'shot down' you're not doing anything harmful to your baby.

    I have tried rusk and yes it worked, I also found he woke up hungrier so the day started better. I did it for 2 weeks and then stopped once his daytime consumption had increased.

    Whats the harm in trying it, give it 5 days....if it doesnt work then just stop. I also found with teething he couldnt eat but was so hungry that popping the rusk in filled him more when he couldnt eat.

    Good luck x
  • Babies shouldn't have anything other than milk in their bottles. Putting rusk or rice in a bottle is a choking hazard; they are packed full of sugar which is appalling for their teeth, and packing them full of unnecessary cereals and sugars is setting them up for obesity in later life.
  • I'm not keen on rusks because like Mrs Setters has said they are full of sugar but I have heard of other people putting baby rice in bottles and that I have heard also works.
  • Can i just ask how it is a chocking hazard? When the rusk fully dissolves in the milk?

    Also not quite sure how putting a 1/4 of a reduced sugar rusk in his nighttime bottle is going to set him up for obesity, but thanks for your view.

    xx
  • have u tried goodnight milk? thats suitable from 6months of age...but remember, soem babies just don't sleep through the night until 1yr plus...also is he having snacks? i know u sya he has 3 meals +milk snacks, but what about normal snacks? a piece of fruit or yoghurt mid afternoon etc ... unless he's actually waking for food in the night ( u say he is stirring? i rpesume ur not feeding him then?) then i can't see how adding a rusk would benefit? as eh's not waking out of hunger so filling his tummy more wouldn't keep him asleep longer as thats not why he's waking, iyswim? xx
  • Can i just ask how it is a chocking hazard? When the rusk fully dissolves in the milk?

    Also not quite sure how putting a 1/4 of a reduced sugar rusk in his nighttime bottle is going to set him up for obesity, but thanks for your view.

    xx

    It thickens the milk beyond a normal 'drinking' consistency, the change can cause babies to choke, especially if you give it in a faster flowing teat so it just pours down their throat, pooling and making them choke or splutter when they find it's harder to swallow - this can also cause them to aspirate it which can be quite dangerous.

    It causes obesity because it undermines the normal cycle of hunger, sensation of eating leading to sensation of fullness - it teaches them to overeat. This probaby explains better:

    Babies are born with a wonderful mechanism for knowing how much food they need. During the early months, they take their cues from the volume of what they drink. Adding cereal derails this mechanism. It forces them to take in deceptively large amounts of calories. It teaches them to overeat.

    By starting with a spoon, resting between bites, and stopping when your child lets you know he's full, you will be laying an excellent foundation for good eating habits throughout his life.

    A major study looking for the causes of obesity found that short-circuiting young children's self-regulation of how much they eat is a major cause of later obesity.1 Cereal in the bottle does just that.

    Babies that are fed this way may appear to be unaffected - but those few weeks of added convenience may result in a lifetime of struggles with weight. This common practice may have contributed to our being the most obese generation in history.

    And it doesn't even work. Scientists at the Cleveland Clinic studied the effect of cereal on sleep and found that adding the cereal did nothing at all to speed up the age of sleeping through the night.

    Read more: http://www.drgreene.com/qa/baby-bottles-and-cereal#ixzz0pUu6qSib


    from http://www.drgreene.com/qa/baby-bottles-and-cereal
  • hi steph my hv gave me my weaning booklet on Friday and it does state under no circumstances put rice or rusks in the bottle as it is a choking hazard, dont ask me how as i dont know but am assming there must be some info on it fir them to put it in the leaflet, good luck
  • "Don't add rusk or cereal to your baby's bottle, or cut a larger hole in a teat, as your baby may choke on the faster, thicker consistency. "

    http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/buyingforbaby/breastbottlesolids/bottlesafety/


    hth x
  • My opinion! : I have to agree that putting something with sugar in their bottle is not a good idea, even if it is not a lot. I also don't like the idea of giving them something that has no nutritional benefit to get them to sleep through. I know sleep is important for us all, but to me that really is for your benefit rather than the baby's.

    Do you think he's waking because of hunger? Have you tried a night feed again - does it settle him? xxxx

  • Without causing debate as I know you were asking for those who have tried it and their success.

    I only put in 1/4 rusk and it doesnt make it that thick at all. Goodnight milk was thicker.

    As for the sugar, all in moderation. Try the reduce sugar ones etc and see how you get on.

    HV follow 'guidelines', 'dont wean before 6 months or baby is sitting' etc - it is all guidelines.

    As for adult obesity, as I said before all in moderation - I had a rusk in my bottle and I have a hot body now HAHAHAHAHA

    xxxx
  • 'Has anyone tried rusks in milk? did it work? or is it just and old wives tale?'

    Stick to the question ladies x
  • 'Has anyone tried rusks in milk? did it work? or is it just and old wives tale?'

    Stick to the question ladies x

    Fair enough.

    It's an old wive's tale, and as per the referenced study, doesn't work.

    It's ALSO dangerous and paediatricians recommend you don't do it.

    Is that ok with you?
  • StephS -

    Is it an old wives tale? - no it worked for us. Go for it.

    Oh and for those that dont know - you shouldnt wean before 6 months, before they are sitting unaided. No longer than 2 hours in a car seat. In our rooms until 6 months. blah blah blah. The 'guidelines' all show these to be true as well. I wonder how many people follow all the guidelines?

    You do what you feel is right. As I said before you will judge regarding the sugar and if it works. During teething it may be hunger.

    Please dont feel judged. And dont feel you cant post these kinds of things. There are many women on here who just 'read' and dont post for fear of being 'shot down' and not supported. Many women do things that arent in the guidelines but rather than get 'support' for doing it they stay quiet.

    Good luck with whatever you decide is right.
  • I havent fed him in the night for a long time now, i worry if i do it once thats it he wants it again, he doesnt 'need' it.

    he really doesnt like his milk any more and is only satisfied by food, hence the rusk in bottle would maybe give him that more satisfied feeling.

    Mrsetters, thanks for all your references, but personally think the would dangerous is slightly ridiculous. Good nightmilk is thicker than a rusk in a bottle and also hungry baby milk is thicker. Both are these are sold to give to babies in thier bottles these come with no danger signs?

    Coco completly get where your coming from, infact your most proberly right more for me than him, but him waking that much during the night really isnt good for him he is so overtired.

    xxx
  • just a little thought...could he simply be teething????

    My personal opinion is that i would never put something in their bottle other than formula.water or breast milk.

    d x
  • "he doesnt 'need' it. "...hmm, if he doesn't 'need' feeding int he night and isn't waking out of hunger i fail to see how filling him up more would stop him waking? seems a bit pointless if he's not waking out of hunger to give him a rusk in order to fill him up????

    and agree with akaladyk, don't feel u can't post these questions, no one is being judgemental, they're juist offering alternatives to something that isn't recommended...and akaladyk, althose guidlines are recommended for a reason and yes i did follow them all, well except i started weaning at 23weeks, so justr 3 weeks ealry but from all the other weaning guidelines, ie sitting unaided, double birth weight etc, he was more than ready...not sure why ur painting guideline out to be a bad thing? its not like they were made up for fun just to annoy mummys is it? they are there for a reason, but they can't make it law can they, hence being called a 'guide'....
  • i dont know about rusks as i wouldnt personally put it in a bottle, but on the waking front we did have a baby that slept through and since teething wakes anything from once a night to every half an hour! we are hoping it ends soon! we know hes not hungry and it is frustrating, i have pondered with the thought of re-introducing his dreamfeed but as i know hes not hungry i doubt it would stop his waking.
  • I agree that you shouldn't put anything in the bottles...if you say hungry baby milk is thicker why not change to that? It would help satiate him through the day too as he'd be taking more calories over 24hrs rather than stuffing him before he sleeps.

    What we all need to remember is that although guidlines are guidlines, they are in our best intrests. Medicine and science has improved since we were wee...and even in the past few years!

    At the end of the day, it's your decision...the information is there for you to tap into.

    I was giving lo rusk before bedtime untill my mum told me he wasn't allowed them because of gluten (lo is under 6m) so I stopped. My friend still gives her lo risks who is 3 days younger than ds and they have awful eczema which has flared up...I'm confident it's because of the rusks though. Do you get what I mean?
  • AS IF I am saying guidelines are a bad thing. I am simply pointing out that they are only guidelines and they dont need to be strictly followed but used as a pointer of when to do things.

    How I see it, try it, if it doesnt work then you havent lost anything. If it does then great.

    People do judge and people are also worried to write 'honest' posts like this for fear of being 'shot down'.

    But rather than debate the rights or wrongs I have written my experiance like the OP asked for.

    Have a lovely BH all x
  • just wanted to add we do give LO rusks just not in his bottle, he chews on them which helps his teething too, how about making them up in a bowl and giving him it as supper with a spoon?
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