Might be coming round to the idea of "it never did you any harm..."

[ft90]

Hi Ladies,

Hope all your LOs are getting on well! I've been off duty last night and this morning, my Mum had Caleb last night so OH and I could have a bit of a rest!

Anyway, she's been going on at me for weeks about giving LO rusks... My grandma looked shocked when I said I wouldn't wean him until 6 months old and said she started introducing pureed veg at 4 weeks! I said there was no way I was doing that.

I spoke to my Mum this morning about her dropping Caleb off and she said she'd got him to sleep through by giving him a quarter of a rusk before bed. He went 9-6.30.

I know it's annoying that parents etc keep saying "Oh I did that with you and it never did you any harm" but I am starting to come round to the idea of it!

What do you all think? Caleb was 10lb 4 1/2oz born and he's now 13 and a half pounds so he's really huge for his age and we've tried topping up his feeds by an oz, he won't take it, tried the extra hungry milk, he got constipated, tried feeding more during the day, nothing works. He's still up every 3 hours in the night starving, and seems to be getting worse.

I know rusks are really sugary and contain gluten, but I was thinking of maybe getting him some baby rice. The organix one is sugar and gluten free so easy to digest and not really sweet.

I was thinking of maybe doing a week trial to see how he gets on?

Opinions?

xxx

 

[Sarah13]

It's up to you, and he is a big baby. I personally wouldn't though, I think it's why there are so many allergies and intollerances out there amongst our age group. Plus there are now links to obesity too. Think back to maybe 100 years ago babies weren't weaned early then. I'm planning to bf until 6 months even if I still have to wake every 2 hours to keep him satisfied, after all it's not forever and Kynons a big baby too, he's on 91st percentile for his adjusted age. I would still try and get to 4 months though as his tummy will still be maturing. I get this 'rusk' thing from my MiL how my hubby was on rusks at 3 weeks etc, I just ignore it!

 

[Laura_C]

Luckily my daughter was quite content up until about 19 weeks and thats when we started to introduce solids. I have a feeling Sophia will be ready a little sooner than that as she is a much bigger and hungrier baby!

My hubby was apparently weaned at 6 weeks!! My MIL always goes on about weaning early and couldn't understand how I could wait until 6 months. It did get rather annoying as I knew my daughter wasn't ready. My hubby was a big boy so on doctors advice they began giving him rusk with milk at 6 weeks. He was taking full 10oz bottles and still not happy and was constantly feeding. I've just checked my daughters growth chart and she was 15 weeks when she weighed the same as your LO so it could be that he does need a little more.

I would say that rusks are very sugary and that baby rice is def the better option. I would try with a very small amount with mainly milk, so a very thin consistency and see how he takes it. It can make them sicky if not ready. Have you spoken to your HV, maybe they could advise? X

 

[Laura_C]

I've just realised your little one is only 8-9weeks old! I would try and hold out a little longer if you can but you know your own baby so go with your instincts. Most babies still require feeding every 3 hour at this age, it's tough but I would probably persevere for another few weeks at least. I would def speak to HV or GP and they can assess whether he is def showing signs he needs more. X

 

[misscrazycooki]

I tried the whole baby rice and rusk crap when my son was 4 months old didn't work. Plus it maddens me that people want young babies to sleep through no offence. My son didn't until 9 months old. I think you are worried speak to your HV or doctor as for extra hungary milk it does make them constipated a little but I was told to make one bottle up missing a scoop to help increase his water intake and give water in between feeds it helped. His poo returned back to normal after a few months of hell. Mainly after I started to wean him. Also I put him on the follow on milk early by a few weeks, at 5 and half months and he loved it x

 

[ft90]

My hubby was apparently weaned at 6 weeks!!

I was weaned at 6 weeks as well, I was on biryani!!!

Yeah he's 9 weeks tomorrow. He's absolutely huge, much bigger than my 13 week old nephew, so I think he does need more. He's never satisfied and I just feel guilty.

I think it's why there are so many allergies and intollerances out there amongst our age group. Plus there are now links to obesity too.

You could be right... I had rusks from really early on and have no intolerances though, only an allergy to pistachio nuts... So I'm not really sure.

I think I'm going to try him on baby rice for a week and see how he goes. If he seems constipated or there's anything wrong with him, I'm going to stop. I just can't sit and watch him starving, he's having about 40oz a day of formula and that doesn't seem right to me. He's not sleeping for as long as he used to, about 4 weeks ago, he'd go 5 hours, now we're lucky if he goes 3!

Plus it maddens me that people want young babies to sleep through no offence

No offence taken, the sleeping through isn't a big deal to me, it's just that he's having so much formula, and way more feeds than he should at his age, to me it just seems obvious he's not satisfied by milk

xx

 

[tinytoes]

He does seem to be very hungry ! Would it be worth changing your formula ? I personally wouldnt be gving baby rice at nine weeks but then I've not had a hungry baby so Im not living your experience. It might be worth speaking to your gp or hv ?

 

[misscrazycooki]

I'd give the hungary baby milk another go maybe a diff brand x but thats upto you x

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Breast milk and then formula are the most nutritional things you can give a young baby. Filling them up unnaturally with solids might make them sleep but is detrimental health wise. Babies have small stomachs so need to eat more often to feed. Stretching their stomach and forcing their intestines to digest solid food at an early age can cause allergies and behavioural problems in th
e future.

The choice is up to you but there are reasons why we are suggested to wait until 6 months, it's to do with the virgin gut and development of the intestines which happens after birth rather than before and should happen with breastmilk only.

Do what you think it right, but my opinion is that giving a child solids so they will sleep through is generally more about the parents needs than the child's needs. If he is hungry through the night, feed him through the night, it is quite natural for 2 mont old babies to wake every few hours!!

 

[misscrazycooki]

As for his sleeping hun its probably because he is more aware of his surroundings x Have you tried other things rather than feeding him maybe trying water and dummy? x

 

[ft90]

Would it be worth changing your formula

We've changed him from SMA to SMA hungry then SMA normal again, then hungry, then Aptamil hungry, then Aptamil normal... So I don't know how many changes we can do!

The choice is up to you but there are reasons why we are suggested to wait until 6 months, it's to do with the virgin gut and development of the intestines which happens after birth rather than before and should happen with breastmilk only.

As much as I agree with you to some extent, according to the rusks I have, in Ireland they are advised to wean at 4 months, so the advice is different wherever you go. And my cousin's health visitor gave her a side remark (she's not legally allowed to advise it) to give her son rusks because he was too hungry.

but my opinion is that giving a child solids so they will sleep through is generally more about the parents needs than the child's needs

As I have already said, it's not about him sleeping through, it's about him being hungry, I would never put my own needs before Caleb's obviously.

Have you tried other things rather than feeding him maybe trying water and dummy?

Yes, he has water throughout the day and night and he has a dummy to get him off to sleep every night. He'll spit it out if he's still hungry but he'll keep it in and go to sleep if he's not, he's really good like that xx

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Please find me any information suggesting a child should be weaned at 2 months...

Also, if he is hungry, feed him... Feed him a nutritionally rich formula not a solid that his stomach cannot digest and is devoid of nutrition!

 

[tinytoes]

Sounds very frustrating . lily is four months old and underweight we have to feed her a perscription formula with extra nutrients so I understand feeling a bit helpless .
I mentioned baby rice to her dietician and was told it really wouldnt be a good idea as she is so young , so thats why I would hesitate about the rice .( not everyone in Ireland says four months I have always been told six) .
Having said that your own doctor might tell you something different for your son as he isnt underweight ? I actually started to wean Aoibheann at four months as I knew she was ready .

 

[MrsR]

Risks are full of sugar. The only reason manufacturers can put 'suitable from 4 months' is because there is no law preventing them even though, due to research into babies health and weaning, the recommendations have changed. I really would not be weaning right now as Fi has said the babys digestive system isn't developed enough yet. The best thing for baby right now is milk and they will get everything they need from that.


Ignore any mistakes-my iPhone is addicted to autocorrect!

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

My eldest was weaned at 11 weeks! It wasn't a decision I took lightly, but it was definately the right thing for her! She was breastfed and was feeding every hour for an hour, sometimes more frequently! My hv advised me to try and wait a bit longer, but said that she understood completely that some children were ready to be weaned sooner! K was 9lb12 when she was born and a very hungry baby! I'd speak to your hv as obviously LO is very hungry and consuming a lot of milk!

On another note, I heard from either my mw or hv that the WHO are considering moving the guidelines back to 16 weeks!


Sent from my spammy iPhone using Tapatalk - it's got a mind of it's own!

 

[Laura_C]

Sophia does the same with the dummy, if she is hungry she spits it out and won't take it but will if it's for comfort sucking.

Does he suffer with colic and constipation at all? Just wondered as Sophia did and we switched her to Aptamil Comfort milk and it is incredibly thick milk, but has 40% less lactose. I actually took her off it as she took only a couple of oz's at a feed and would sleep, sleep, sleep! I didnt feel it suited her at all so took her off it but it may suit a hungrier baby especially one that maybe unsettled. Sometimes excessive feeding can be an indication of colic, as during feeding the baby is usually more settled and more comfortable. How are Caleb's nappies? Colour and consistency, TMI but I think this tells you a lot about how their digestive system works an can indicate whether it I hunger or something else...

 

[ft90]

Please find me any information suggesting a child should be weaned at 2 months...

Also, if he is hungry, feed him... Feed him a nutritionally rich formula not a solid that his stomach cannot digest and is devoid of nutrition!

If you're going to use that kind of tone, then please refrain from replying to my thread. I've seen a few of your posts around here and you seem to constantly talk down to people, condescend them and be rude in general.

I posted because I wanted to hear other peoples' opinions, not to be spoken to like an idiot.

 

[ft90]

My eldest was weaned at 11 weeks! It wasn't a decision I took lightly, but it was definately the right thing for her! She was breastfed and was feeding every hour for an hour, sometimes more frequently! My hv advised me to try and wait a bit longer, but said that she understood completely that some children were ready to be weaned sooner! K was 9lb12 when she was born and a very hungry baby! I'd speak to your hv as obviously LO is very hungry and consuming a lot of milk!

On another note, I heard from either my mw or hv that the WHO are considering moving the guidelines back to 16 weeks!


Sent from my spammy iPhone using Tapatalk - it's got a mind of it's own!

I'm going to speak to my HV about it, I completely agree that some babies need to be weaned earlier. My cousin's HV told her to give her LO some rusks when he was 2 months. Caleb was 10lbs 4 1/2oz when he was born, and I had to start giving him formula at 5 days old because he was feeding hourly as well for an hour, I just couldn't take it, even when my milk came in it wasn't enough. I think I've just got a hungry boy!

I'm not taking the decision lightly either, it's something serious so I am looking at as much information as possible xx

 

[ft90]

Sophia does the same with the dummy, if she is hungry she spits it out and won't take it but will if it's for comfort sucking.

Does he suffer with colic and constipation at all? Just wondered as Sophia did and we switched her to Aptamil Comfort milk and it is incredibly thick milk, but has 40% less lactose. I actually took her off it as she took only a couple of oz's at a feed and would sleep, sleep, sleep! I didnt feel it suited her at all so took her off it but it may suit a hungrier baby especially one that maybe unsettled. Sometimes excessive feeding can be an indication of colic, as during feeding the baby is usually more settled and more comfortable. How are Caleb's nappies? Colour and consistency, TMI but I think this tells you a lot about how their digestive system works an can indicate whether it I hunger or something else...

His nappies are yellow/green and runny. He's going once or twice a day, so his digestion seems fine. He had constipation a month ago, but he's been fine on Aptamil since we switched him from SMA.

He was colicky, but that passed with us giving him gripe water, he's been burping really well with that

xx

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

How long has he been feeding more often? Could he be going through a growth spurt?