Rusks

[baileybubs]

Ok so I have not fully researched weaning just yet but intend to soon as my LG is 4 months now, but she's not showing signs of needing anything but milk just yet.

The thing is I am sick of people telling me I should be giving her rusks! From what I know they aren't nutritional so I don't know why people keep telling me to give her them.

My MIL is the worst culprit because she seems to think my LG is hungry because she's chewing her fingers but its teething not hunger!

So I wanted to ask, who gave their child rusks?
Are they needed? What are the pros and cons?

TIA

 

[staceylou]

I've not used them, I prefer not to as they have quite a lot of sugar in them I believe. Ignore your MIL, you know your baby and will know when she is ready for weaning, and rusks certainly shouldn't be her first food! I can't think of any pros really.

 

[Babee_Bugs]

I tried my daughter with a bit of rusk mixed in with expressed breast milk... I made it really runny just like milk, I just tried her with a few spoonfuls just for her to get a taste really...

Now she's have fruit and veg, the rusk with milk never gets a look in lol

 

[Cheska]

I think they are full of sugar as they do low sugar ones :-/

I never bought them. Tried baby rice with milk but I'm not even sure I'd get that next time. I think mashed banana is a great first food when your ready x

 

[baileybubs]

Thanks ladies,

I don't know if it's a generational thing coz its always older people who mention rusks, I may try her with a bit of baby rice in a month or so but I like the tip on mashed banana, I prefer the idea of giving her something natural and healthy to start her off!

 

[MummyMana]

Pear is a good first good too I done like risks for personal reasons (they're gross! That is all) but I let my Mum give them to her occasionally as a "nana treat" rather than an actual meal, but I refuse to deal with them, or the "post-rusk-aftermath" (soggy biscuit lumps)

 

[Indi84]

My friend gave my lo his first ever rusk the other day (he was nearly ten months) and he loved it, so I bought the lower sugar ones for him and he doesn't like them haha. They are so full of sugar I'm quite happy not to give them to him!

 

[Cheska]

I def think it is a generation thing. I don't think there was as much awareness of sugar and salt.

If someone gave him one i wouldn't go mad just something I'm choosing not to have in my cupboards.

 

[baileybubs]

Thanks ladies, I feel the same I just couldn't get my head round why my MIL keeps saying it every time we see her! She seems to think my lg is hungry and she's not, she chews on her hand coz she's teething!

 

[MindUtopia]

I don't think they're needed and frankly a baby less than 6 months won't really have the motor skills to safely maneuver them anyway. If a baby is teething, there are lots of teething toys to chew on that won't potentially be a choking hazard.

Now that my daughter has started solids, she has 'rusk-like' things, like breadsticks, toast, oatcakes that are both low in salt and sugar. But we didn't start until she was 6 months.

Chewing on hands is normal. All babies do it at around 3-4 months when they find their hands and realise they belong to them.

I'd just tell her how much sugar is in them and that they aren't recommended anymore. Hopefully that will shut her up.

 

[baileybubs]

Oh I wish mindutopia, she's only just stopped telling me I should give her hungry baby milk! She's a lovely woman but I really hate the subtle little comments about what I should be doing. She pretends to be Emilia and says "I need some rusks mummy don't I? Coz I'm so hungry" saying it in a baby voice as if it were my daughter talking does not make it any less of a judgement on my mothering skills!
I know she means well and she's trying to help in her own way, but would be nice if she "suggests" things just once. If I think she's right I would do it, if she keeps repeating the same thing surely she'd get the hint that I'm not going to do what she says!
I've tried telling her I'm not giving her them but she keeps on saying it!

Oh well I guess it's all part of the motherhood package lol!

 

[Bevziibubble]

Rusks aren't a good first food for a baby. The sugar content per 100g is pretty much the same as 100g chocolate digestive biscuits! I too got pressured into giving rusks. I think it's a generational thing. Baby having fingers in mouth can be a sign of anything or even just a comfort thing.

Ugh, I hate it when they pretend to be the baby saying what they want or what mummy should do. It's so passive aggressive

 

[arlene]

I just started my LO on Ella's Kitchen Porridge yesterday (at 17 weeks for various reasons I won't go into) and I keep getting the same! My mum, MIL and my OH (who is 40) thinks I should put a rusk in his bottle but I hate them!! I know weaning is a messy process but the idea of a soggy rusk makes me physically sick! Kinda glad they're high in sugar so I can use that excuse! Xx

 

[Treetops87]

I know someone who weaned their LO at 13 weeks old on rusks mixed with milk. That seems completely alien to me. I definitely don't think they're a great first food and I avoid giving them to my LO due to the sugar content. I'd much rather give her some fruit or something.

 

[baileybubs]

Thanks everyone, I'm definately not going to give her them now, I've decided we will try baby led weaning when she ready, but she's not yet anyway.