Baby Rice and Rusks!

[EllaAndLyla]

So I am a tad confused, IMO LO seems to be becoming closer and closer to being ready for a little bit of solid food. But I am confused because I have my mum and MIL saying 3-4 months is okay, The packets of rice and rusks saying from 4-6 months onwards and HV's saying 6 months +. So which one is it ?

And would it be okay just to give her a little baby rice in the evenings, say starting next week when she will be a few days off 4 months? just like half a teaspoon or something mixed with milk, so she has a taste of something new. Nearly everytime me and OH eat she watches us and moans and licks her lips/sucks her gums. She is definatley beginning to notice food and smells. What would you do?! x

 

[bumpy_j]

i'd wait till 6 months - the later the better really

 

[Sooz]

Before 17 weeks is deffo too early because of issues it can cause with their digestive systems, but as above, I'd hold off as close to 6 months as possible.

 

[nugget80]

i have been told by hv that i can start to introduce some solids once lo hits 17 weeks but this is cos he has reflux. with my 2 dd they were both weaned at 17 weeks (which was the recommendation then) even dd 1 who was 9 weeks prem so going by her corrected age she would have been 8 weeks!

 

[Pixoletta]

I would wait 6 months so that their digestive system is ready ^^

 

[NewMummyx]

Im in the same boat, LO is 17 weeks next week and Im getting my head nipped constantly to wean, but he is only up once a night and not terribly interested in watching me eat etc

 

[Tor]

6 months is best but 17 weeks is the absolute minimum but i wouldn't wean that early without a medical reason tbh.

I definitely wouldn't let anyone push me into it newmummy, why does anyone else care when you wean your LO?! Ignore them its your decision.

Also rusksshouldnt be given before 6 months as they contain gluten.

 

[lousielou]

my mum and MIL saying 3-4 months is okay, The packets of rice and rusks saying from 4-6 months onwards and HV's saying 6 months +. So which one is it ?

Your mum and MIL say 3-4 months because that is what the guidelines used to be. The packets of food say 4-6 months because when the guidelines were changed, the government didn't compel food manufactures to alter the advice on their packaging. The HV's are giving you the most up to date advice

I waited until my oldest was just over six months, and intend on doing the same this time x

 

[Breezy]

My Los Dr said 3-4 months. I waited til 5.75 months

 

[KatieB]

I waited until just over 5 and a half months to introduce very small amounts of baby rice with homemade fruit purees

 

[AppleBlossom]

I would wait as long as possible as your LO is still fairly young. I waited until about a week before Grace turned 6 months and I used baby rice, rusks are packed full of sugar and salt

 

[EllaAndLyla]

I would wait as long as possible as your LO is still fairly young. I waited until about a week before Grace turned 6 months and I used baby rice, rusks are packed full of sugar and salt

I got the suger free ones! Okay I will wait until 17 weeks which is in the next 2 weeks. She has bad constipation and we think this will be the only way to solve it xx

 

[bunnyg82]

I definitely would hold out as long as you can.I actually found weaning a lot of hard work and glad I didn't do it earlier than 6 months. Plus, my son wasn't ready. He was interested in seeing what we were eating but certainly would not say he was ready before then.

It is best to go with the most up to date information as it is based on the most recent research. Older generation were advised to wean at an earlier date, and when some of them weaned at 3 months, it seems like such a long time to wait till 6 months.

If you do decide to wean early, I believe that it is best to just use pureed fruit and veg. Rusks are full of sugar (even the reduced sugar ones!) and as others have said, have gluten, which is definitely not recommended before 6 months.

Here is some information that you might find more useful about the signs of weaning

https://www.nhs.uk/Planners/breastfeeding/Pages/breastfeeding-and-weaning.aspx

It is also unlikely that the constipation will be solved by weaning, so please don't base that on your decision to wean!

 

[AP]

weaning wont solve constipation, its likely to make it worse.

those rusks are reduced sugar, even then they are packed with sugar, and like someones pointed out, they contain gluten and should be avoided til 6 months

 

[EllaAndLyla]

oooh im so clueless sometimes thanks for the info ladies! xx

 

[bunnyg82]

Awww, well there's just so much to learn isn't there! And this is where forums like this come in handy xx

 

[AppleBlossom]

You're not clueless, we all have to start somewhere

 

[BunnyFace]

You can wean from 17wks although the guidelines are 6months but every baby is different. I'd avoid gluten until 6mnths though

 

[georgebaby1]

I Say dot wean before 17 weeks but after that it is your decision i would just do a lot of research on weaning and effects of weaning etc so u can make an informed decision on wot best for ur family and most of all ur lo

 

[sapphire1]

17 weeks is the minimum, but it's best to wait til 6 months if LO is happy on milk. I weaned Holly at 5 months, and IMO that was right for her. I started her on fruit and veg puree, rice is just stodge and you don't have to start with that if you don't want to. I would avoid rusks til LO is older, they're full of sugar and most contain gluten, which should be avoided til 6 months. 6 months is important for breastfed babies, but if LO is FF then they are likely to be ready some time between 4 and 6 months. I have noticed though, that a lot of babies weaned at 17 weeks, lose interest in milk early on as they'd rather have solids. IMO weaning is a pain in the arse, the longer you can hold on the better