Baby rice at 3 months

[ryder]

My baby is not obese at all... She is right on the middle of the charts...

 

[mommyof3co]

No, but most side effects are things that are shown as they get older, not immediate. I'm not saying something will be wrong, I would never hope that of course, just that you can't always tell right away what "damage" could have been caused from having it too early.

 

[ryder]

I just think it is more damage to have a constantly hungry baby who ends up vomiting from too much liquid when a little rice cereal to thicken the formula works wonders.

JMO though..

 

[mommyof3co]

Well it's proven that cereal doesn't keep them full longer. It can actually be a choking hazard when put in a bottle. It doesn't make them sleep longer or anything. And can even make some babies over eat because they drink the same amount of liquid but really has alot more calories that they don't really need. It's actually better to let them have a few more ounces of formula or breastmilk, it has the nutrients they need, where cereal doesn't. Not trying to argue or anything, just putting some facts out there so the person trying to decide has both sides

 

[ColtonsMom]

I was given rice cereal at 3 weeks, and am currently 120lbs, after having a baby (with no diet or exercise). Just because a child was fed early doesn't mean they WILL be obese. I have to disagree when people say that, because I know SOOO many people who were fed early and are not obese.

I just think it is more damage to have a constantly hungry baby who ends up vomiting from too much liquid when a little rice cereal to thicken the formula works wonders.

JMO though..

I very much agree with ryder here. I would much rather have a baby who is happy and satisfied then a baby who constantly feels hungry but is vomiting from so much formula which therefore makes them feel worse and distressed.
Of course, there are always the babies who are satisfied with just milk until 4-6 months and thats great. But there are the babies who will want something slightly before then, or at 4 months- and cannot wait until 6 months. If the child isn't ready then the mother will know, she will always know her baby best; not some book, and just like you said, "6mo, that's the current recommendation too".. it's a "recommendation",
Although, on a note; I do highly agree with "It doesn't make them sleep longer or anything." I dont think it makes them sleep longer or anything, Colton never slept longer. And I dont recommend someone feeding their baby just because they want them to sleep through the night.

 

[mommyof3co]

No of course it won't happen to everyone, BUT it happens to enough that they have changed the recommendation and have research to support that data. Everyone is going to choose what they feel is right for their child, I'm just putting the facts (not my opinion, but facts supported by alot of research and testing) just so that the OP has all the info they need to make the best decision for their baby.

 

[ladymilly]

i started Jack at 2 months as he has bad reflux and this helps. and it has and he is on less bottles now and he is very satisfied. he is the perfect weight too. i also have a 9 year old girl and i definitely didn't wait till she was 6 months to start weaning her. she is the picture of health now and her favourite food is mashed potatoes with gravy. she is skinny but has the perfect little body. she eats really well. i agree that mother knows best and i believe i have made the right decision with Jack as he is more satisfied and is puking less now. thats my opinion anyway

 

[Tegans Mama]

I think at the end of the day everyone will do whats right for their baby regardless of what anyone else says, and advice is just that, advice.. My LO isn't weaned yet and she isn't ready for it, she has milk and thats all. If other people wean their babies at a young age then so be it - I had half a rusk before bed at 2 weeks old and I am fine.

 

[ryder]

Honestly since starting the rice cereal in her bottles she is much happier, better sleep pattern in day and night, happier in her awake times, less gassy and less cranky.

 

[jenstar]

I tried at just over 3 months, as advised by HV. Baby was (still is) big for his age and gaining weight rapidly, watching us eat, trying to get hands in our dinner, drinking LOADS of milk (as in approx 55 oz of breast and formula milk a day.)

I couldn't believe it when he didn't want the mashed banana!!!!

I offered rice a couple of days later and porridge a few weeks after that, and still not interested.

It might be worth a go but if your baby doesn't want it, there is not a big pile you can do about it. I was glad in a way that my baby refused it though, as I did feel that under 4 months was a bit young.

 

[JennTheMomma]

I personally would not feed a baby anything other than formula or breastmilk before age 6 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization does not recommend solids before then. Before a baby is 6 months they have what is called an open gut. They cannot process cereal or food yet. It normally leads to several health problems as they get older. Cereal does not make them sleep longer and it gives them no nutritional value. If your baby is hungry after a feeding or getting hungry most often, thats actually normal, its a growth spurt. You can give your baby some more breastmilk or formula. We all do what we think is best for our kids.

 

[FEDup1981]

Theres always one!

 

[LucyS]

Well Alfie is having so much forumla and he is the size of some 5/6 month old babies now, he's not fat he's just a big baby.

I have tried him with rice and will do so, he is being so sick as cant keep the formula down, surely thats the body telling you too much forumla isnt good?!

 

[Jemima]

Lucy, Can I ask how much Alfie weighs now because my Poppy is a big girl too and a few people have advised trying her with a bit of rice?
Thanks. x

 

[mommyof3co]

I guess I don't get why them being big means they need rice? All rice does is add even more calories...it has almost no nutritional value, it's much better for them to get healthy calories (breastmilk/formula) then empty ones?

 

[ryder]

I guess I don't get why them being big means they need rice? All rice does is add even more calories...it has almost no nutritional value, it's much better for them to get healthy calories (breastmilk/formula) then empty ones?

I dont give it cause she is big, I give it to thicken her bottles because she was drinking so much formula she was puking it up and she wasnt ever satisfied. The rice cereal here IS actually quite healthy.

 

[ColtonsMom]

I guess I don't get why them being big means they need rice? All rice does is add even more calories...it has almost no nutritional value, it's much better for them to get healthy calories (breastmilk/formula) then empty ones?

Actually after I started weaning Colton his weight evened out. He's a big boy, and has been on the same growth line since birth so his doctors have said he has/is being fed perfectly.
Plus, too much formula (usually around 40+ ounces/24 hours) is an awful lot for a baby to take and from what I've seen personally will cause them to gain weight faster.
I think as long as they are still taking the required amount of formula (which is like 20-30oz/24 hours) alittle rice to keep them satisfied isn't going to harm them (keeping in mind they are ready for it and it isn't forced on them).

 

[ryder]

Even with rice cereal added to Jasmines bottles she still drinks at least 30oz... and she is only aroud 12lbs.... before she was drinking upwards to 40oz

 

[Ann-Marie]

Hiya peeps. I've been quite intrigued by the current 'don't feed babe solids til 6 months' thing. Both my boys were having solids at 3.5 months, and it really settled them.. and no sign of obesity in either of them

What strikes me is that as soon as the government say that something is right... and then throws loads of info at you making it seem that they are right... the mojority of people immediately jump on that bandwagon. But when you really look at it, it makes you wonder whether we are just being used as guinea pigs in some experiment to 'see if it works'.

For instance.... I was addicted to snickers bars with my first sons pregnancy.. and then by the time I got pregnant the second time, it was all 'Pregnant women should avoid peanuts'. Well, it all sounded very scary.. peanut allergies blah blah, so I cut them out with my second pregnancy.... but by the time I got pregnant for the third time, there were contradicting reports saying that the allergies had not decreased at all.... so yep, they did there experiment on the last 3 years worth of preggers mums, and they didn't get the result that they thought they MIGHT get......

JMO of course, and I don't want to fuel a huge debate.... but I just get a bit tired of the government.. or whoever else... telling us what is right and what is wrong, but not REALLY backing it up woth anything solid.. just 'this may happen' scenarios. Anyone can do that with any subject in life, and we would end up never walking out of our front door....


Sorry to go on

 

[lcside]

I went to the hv yesterday to have Erin weighed and she has told me to start her on solids today. She said at 6 months they are supposed to be on 3 meals a day but how can they be if you're not meant to start feeding them till 6 months???
I'm starting Erin on baby rice once a day for the week and then introduce rice and veg/fruit so by the time she is 6 months she will just have started 2 meals a day. I think you should what you think is best after all it's your baby, afterall it's only guidelines and every baby is different. xxx