Advice Please!

[dannii87]

When should I start introducing baby rice or rusks to Miss Evie?

She doesn't seem satisfied anymore, she's rarely content inbetween feeds and is feeding 7oz every 3 hours or 8oz every 4. She used to sleep from about 8pm-8am but is now feeding at 11pm and then 7am. She wants topping up between feeds too and is piling on weight! The HVs aren't too concerned, but she's jumped way above the line on the weight graph, whereas before, she was just below it (because she was only 6lb 13oz at birth).

I'm in no rush to introduce rice/rusks etc - but I'm going through formula like there's no tomorrow! In fact, it would be better for me (selfishly) if she stays on just milk because it's more faffing around and more money to spend!

Should I start to introduce rice or just leave her as she is? When should I introduce rice? I know 4/6 months is the guideline, but Miss Evie seems to be under the impression that she is older lol. (She'll be 12 weeks on Saturday).

I'd appreciate advice xx

 

[daftscotslass]

Almost definitely a growth spurt hun. If she's having the maximum she can of her milk and it's still not satisfying her then hungry baby milk might be worth a shot if it goes on for a while. I've not used it (when this happened to us we just tended to ride it out) but maybe others can give some advice on it? The minimum age for solids is 17 weeks.

There's an end to it, I promise!

 

[millylillyrose]

well....sounds to me like she's going through a growth spurt. India has gone back to feeding every 2-3 hrs lately and 2 times in the night, compared to last week when she was feeding just maybe 3/4times durin the day and once in the night. i've gone back to not being able to do anything in the days again, ugh!

I'd ride it out if i were you, shouldnt last too long. Its up to you, but my personal opinion would be she's a little young at under 3 months for food yet. but you could always mash up some banana or rice and give her a little just to try it. depends on how you feel hun!

 

[dannii87]

Cheers for your reply hun!

She's on hungry milk at the moment (has been for about 5 weeks) x

 

[valentine]

Dannii, Evie is very very young for solids yet, please hold off, this is undoubtedly a growth spurt and we've all been there.

17 weeks is the MINIMUM recommended age for solids, although I am a fan of waiting until 26 weeks (6 months). It really is beneficial to wait until your baby's tummy and digestive system is much more mature and ready to cope with this.

Valentine Xxx

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Hey hun, hope i can be of help as i did formula feed my babies. It is a huge spurt and little ones seems to down formula dont they? It will pass, i remeber my kids on a bottle a hour when they had a spurt, like breastfed babies will feed incessantly too.

Keep on doing what you are doing- its fine and the spurt will pass soon. She will probably whack some weight on though!

Dont do the old mashed rusk in a bottle, its bloody awful and can cause some seriously nasty tummies, horrible poos and trapped wind.

The earliest is 4 months to start weaning. Just hold out with the milk - its hard work when they are growing this fast, you cant wash the bottles and make the formula up fast enough!

 

[dannii87]

Thanks for your replies! Oh defnitely, I'm in no rush to introduce solids and am more than happy to wait til 6 months (which was always my plan), but she's not feeding the way she should.

Also, I think she's teething because she's chewing her fists and very grouchy in the evenings, so I guess that's contributing?

I'm not going to introduce solids til AT LEAST after Xmas. I'd really prefer her to stay on milk til about 5 months minimum but she doesn't seem to want to play the game and is very demanding for more milk all the time.

I'll consult you lot before introducing food because I don't even know what to give/what time of day etc - Clueless!!

Anyway, I'm going to leave her as she is. I'm not in a position where I have time to spend trying foods with her because of Xmas and moving out etc so it's worked out pretty well

Cheers again ladies! x

 

[Charlie:-)]

Definitely sounds like the 12 week growth spurt. You'll be happy to know it wont last forever and she will return to her normal feeding sleeping habits. The recommendation for weaning is 6 months and whilst Evie is putting on good weight with milk and not showing any signs that she is interested in food i would continue with milk feeds. Things to look out for which are an indication that babies are ready for solids are watching you eat for long periods of time, grabbing out for food, change in sleep pattern and a good steady weight gain. If you notice a combination of these then you could try some baby rice or fruit/veg puree before 6 months and see how she gets on. Also speak to your health visitor they might offer some info on weaning, in my area they came to my house to explain what foods were ok to give and from what age. Sorry for typo on my mobile.

 

[Sherlock]

Not before 4 months as babies bodies cannot really cope with solids before then. And tbh if you can hold off weaning until closer to 6 months I'd say even better. We began BLW with Galen at 5 1/2 months and its been brilliant.

Sounds like a growth spurt to me. Around the right time for one and also one at 4 months. Does not mean your baby needs weaning thats for sure. Just keep going with her bottle demands and increase her milk as needed.

 

[dannii87]

Cheers ladies. Charlie, thanks for the sign spotting advice!! That's a huge help She doesn't really look at my food or anything so that's a sure sign she wouldn't have a clue what to do with it anyway! lol

Thanks again girls

 

[JoAnn&Aimee]

I just started Aimee on 2 spoons of baby rice at lunchtime with her bottle as she was getting 5 9oz bottles at day and was starting to wake up at 1am for another 9oz bottle. I see you are giving Evie 7/8oz's of the hungrier baby food. Try putting it up to 9oz. I did the same with Aimee about 12 weeks as well and she took it all.

Definately don't wean right now, you have the right idea. I put it off as long as I could with Aimee but last week I gave in and started with the baby rice and she's went back to sleeping through the night again.

 

[Charlie:-)]

I just started Aimee on 2 spoons of baby rice at lunchtime with her bottle as she was getting 5 9oz bottles at day and was starting to wake up at 1am for another 9oz bottle. I see you are giving Evie 7/8oz's of the hungrier baby food. Try putting it up to 9oz. I did the same with Aimee about 12 weeks as well and she took it all.

Definately don't wean right now, you have the right idea. I put it off as long as I could with Aimee but last week I gave in and started with the baby rice and she's went back to sleeping through the night again.

Do you think Aimee may be going through the 4 month growth spurt and started waking because she needs more milk for her development at this age? Just a thought. I have read a lot of people on here who question weaning at this age because of night waking and baby taking more milk when usually it is the 4 month growth spurt and things soon return to normal.

 

[Sherlock]

Do you think Aimee may be going through the 4 month growth spurt and started waking because she needs more milk for her development at this age? Just a thought. I have read a lot of people on here who question weaning at this age because of night waking and baby taking more milk when usually it is the 4 month growth spurt and things soon return to normal.

I know I BF Galen but his 4 months growth spurt hit about 2 weeks earlier and I was up so many times a night. One of the HV's suggested weaning around 4.5 months so as to get him to sleep again at night but I resisted and within another week he was back to sleeping better at night. I kept telling myself that milk was the best thing for him as it had the most nutrients and so on he needed and he'd not get that on the level he needed from any food at that point.

I think its a bit of a myth about weaning helps babies sleep through again. I think it often coincides with a growth spurt ending so people think its the weaning that has helped. Had I weaned Galen when HV said I'd have thought it was that that helped him start sleeping better again at night probably