Solids before 4 months

bea2200

My baby boy is 3 months and 3 weeks. He is constantly hungry, and last week i decided to top up with formula because the breast was not enough for him. But it seems that all that is not calming him either. He is waking up every 3, 4 hrs, when a month ago was sleeping 5 hours on a row many days, and sleeping very short naps during the day, when they used to be longer.

Im just thinking on starting him on baby rice. The nurse told me to wait to 4 months, so Im asking if anyone has started their babies on solids before 4 months, and how did it go?

cheers

TequilaMockingBird

He does sound hungry doesn't he! I fed my daughter solids from 3 months as was recommended then (8 years ago), maybe the guidelines have changes since, but all was fine. Your only a week away from the four months so I would work away, he'll be just fine. (Em..in my opinion of course!)

Enjoy the long sleeps after giving him a nice little dinner!

Nevyn

I did with both of mine they wre very hungry and they were fine.

bea2200

OK i will do! Ill talk to the nurse again just in case...

How do I start? baby rice, a couple of spoonfuls... At what time of the day is best? any more suggestions about starting on solids?

Nevyn

I started mine off at lunch time, and about 4/6 lil baby spoonfuls.
You will have to have a fair bit of patience and give an ounce of milk first so that they baby is not starving and then start with the baby rice, be prepared for a lot of it being played with on the tounge and pushed back out of the mouth, put the baby rice on the middle section of the tonge and it is case of catching it as it's pushed back out as the baby gets used to the texture and feel of it.

While baby has some traces of baby rice on their tounge give them another sip of milk which they should swallow along with the baby rice, which will be a new sensation and may well have them spluttering a bit.

Make sure you take the phone of the hook, have used the loo and have had a cup of tea/coffee and are focused but relaxed and can just spend the 10 minutes feeding the baby.

Have a damp cloth handy as well cos you know they will put their hand in their mouth and get the rice on it and will have a go at smearing it where ever they can, it's called learning.

Currently baby nurses seem to be saying to waiting until after 4 months due to some recent thinking about not waiting until then somehow relating to ibs and obesity but there have not been any conculsive studies about this.

Babies grow at a huge rate and if you lil one is having 5 full bottles a day and it is not enough for them at the age they are at I would say that it's time to start with the baby rice.

Oryx

Thaedydal has it pretty much covered, all I can add is that neither of my two would eat baby rice at all. They just spat it out and did a cute baby 'bleugh'. I tried some of the other milupa cereal foods and they loved them, practically ate the spoon as well.

The reasoning I heard behind the four month date was obesity and the risk of food allergy, but as with all these recommendations, what is gospel this year will be changed next year as knowledge progresses. So trust what you feel is right for your baby (without going mad):)

tallaght01

Just speak to your nurse beforehand and get armed with actual facts before you make any decisions.

The reason babies generally should stay off solids until 5 (probably even 6) months is because of the potential effects ont heir immune system, in particularly with regards risks of bad allergies later on.

So have a chat with your nurse next time you get a chance.

Good luck!

RIRI

Hi,

Great advise from Thaedydal as usual!!

I started my little lad off at around three and a half months for the same reasons, he was showing all the same signs as your little one.

Like Oryx's kids he ate the babyrice once, after that he wouldn't touch it (can't say I blame him - it's like wall paper paste!) so just be prepared for that. He much prefered the Sunshine Orange cereal (I think Millupa make it) and like that almost ate the spoon he loved it so much.

He's 3 &1/2 now & no alergies - only visits to the doctor have been for jabs.

I reckon you'll both be fine

Best of luck

chocciebutton

Hi

I spoke to the baby nurse before, I started mine on solids at 9 weeks, I started with baby rice, went from 1 spoonful of rice a day, did that for about 1 week, and gradually weaned him onto more, then I started him on the lunches and dinners. He loved it, his favourite was sunshine orange, wasn't very fond of banana, and still isn't, because it makes him constipated, sorry for being graphic. I wanted him on solids before I went back to work. He is now 3, extremely intelligent, and tall, would pass for a 4 or 5 year old. It does them no harm at all.

Best of luck

TequilaMockingBird

@ tallaght01 - 5 or 6 months? :eek: How do people manage?

+1 for the Sunshine Orange. Mine hated the rice too.

tallaght01

sueme wrote: »

@ tallaght01 - 5 or 6 months? :eek: How do people manage?

.

With difficulty!!!

The evidence is that you should wait until 6 months. But it's a balance. Some parents choose to accept an increased risk of asthma and other immune-mediated conditions and allergies, for a more content baby earlier on.

It ain't easy, though, by any stretch of the imagination. I don't push it too much. I just basically tell them the facts, and let them make up their own mind.

TequilaMockingBird

Thanks. It would be interesting to know how our parents did it, I shall ask my Mum today. I doubt she was listening to me screaming every two hours, I was probably being fed sausages or steak at 3 months!

Well no asthma or allergies with my child thankfully. (And I remember looking on horrified as my mother fed my daughter a chocolate button at three months :eek:)

shrapnel222

we started both of ours at around 6-7 months. you just have to give more milk. we also gave our eldest follow on milk till he was 2

bazwaldo

Similar to Tallaght01. Out first was always drinking (hourly it felt) and we held off till 4 months till we gave him baby rice. At the time we thought 4 months was the recommended time to start. He's 6 now and has no allergies but is a very fussy eater. On the next 2 we waited till 6 months as the guidelines changed. These 2 are great eaters. Then our little fella whose 6 and 1/2 months started a few weeks ago on baby rice and we've slowly introduced different pureed fruits mixed with it. From 4 months, when looking at the rest of us eating at the table, his tongue was hanging out and mouth open, waiting for some. Cruel to be kind...

My wifes oldest sister was fed solids very early (don't know exactly when) but she has awful allergies due to it. So if possible hold off till the 6 months if you and baby can. I guess the guidelines are there for a reason. Of course all could go well as posters have experienced but it can go wrong.

Beware of sunshine orange and similar foods. They are very sweet and once they get used to it, they'll struggle with their veggie/meat foods. What we used to do was feed the savoury food first, then a small dessert of sunshine orange or the like.

Julietta

I started my son on solids @ 13 weeks, I had discussed his formula intake with our PHN (42 ozs + of hungry baby formula per day) and she recommended very small amounts of baby rice at this point, it all went very well for us although he still consumed a mammoth amount of formula even with the baby rice, some babies are just hungry feckers.

He reacted very well to it, he slept better which was a bonus but he also became calmer and a little more content too - no further solids were introduced until after the 6 month mark when I started him on fruit purees etc and kept going from there, he's 16 mths now and eats pretty much everything he is given and so far, no sign of any allergies. I found giving him solid food unexpectedly emotional, I was very teary......although no doubt I was very tired too

EcoGirl

I hope I'm not too late with this.

Breast-fed babies go through a growth spurt appx 3 months old. They suddeny feed more often to increase the milk supply. Topping up with a bottle is counter-productive because then your supply won't increase.

Just go with this for a week or so, your supply will increase, your baby will get more milk at each feed and go back to normal.

There are good reasons not to start solids before appx 6 months. Now, having said that, like most human things there's a bell curve. The average is 6 months, but a few babies need solids at four months just as some don't need it till appx 8 months. Your baby might be a 4-monther, but the odds are against it.

So, in summary, just go for it for a week or so, and you'll be back to normal.

hth

bea2200

Thank you all for the advice.

I went to the nurse and she recommended to wait until 16 weeks, but she said the decision was mine. So I started him at 15 weeks on baby rice at noon, but sure, i dont think anything was going down the throat.

Now, what I did was to start mixing some baby rice on his bottle.:rolleyes:I know, I know is a big no no, but a Spanish friend (Im also Spanish) told me that she did and In Spain they do this to calm hungrier babies that are too young to use the spoon. (i dont think a Spanish nurse will tell you to do this)

I have done this and he is definitely sleeping better. I only mix the baby rice in one of the bottles at noon. I have stopped now because Im not sure if he is constipated? I mean he poops about twice a day but makes a lot of noises like he is trying very hard to poo, he, but this might just be a sound he has just learn to make?

Anyway, he is already 16 weeks now.

Maybe i should try again with the spoon so he can learn?

EcoGirl

Again, the ideal is nearer six months than four months or sixteen weeks. Their tums just aren't designed for food before that. Earlier solids is associated with greater allergies etc. The 16 week/4 month belief is far more about baby food company's profits than baby's genuine needs.

There is a gag reflex which stops them taking food before they're ready. Sure, this can be over-ridden, but why do that? Nature put it there for a reason.

Why put him on solids yet. Esp if you're breast-feeding, once you get over the growth spurt he'll be fine till appx six months.

And yes, breast-fed babies don't sleep as much as bottle-fed babies. But that's the way nature designed it

Victor

Are ye saying no solids at all before 6 months or very little solids before 6 months?

deisemum

I reckon it wont be long before "experts" and their "research" will recommend not giving solids before 12 months. I do wonder who fianances the research though.

My boys are nearly 13 and 11 years old and the recommended time to introduce solids was 3 - 4 months of age. When my mother had me the average age to introduce solids was 2 weeks of age. Those recommendations were the FACTS back then.

I was a premature baby born 6 weeks early and when I was 6 weeks old around my due date I was introduced to solids. The rest of my siblings bar the youngest were introduced to solids when they were 2 weeks old as was the norm back then. My youngest sibling was a couple of weeks older as the fashion was changing. She was the only one of us to have formula, "ostermilk", the rest of us had fresh milk from our own farm that was boiled and strained through a tea towel. No allergies apart from myself being allergic to metronidozole.

My children are very healthy and haven't developed any allergies.

Parents should be aware of what information is available but if they feel their baby just isn't satisfied before the current recommendations then they should feel free to introduce solids a bit earlier, maybe introduce the odd spoon or two then gradually increase it.

I can certainly understand why the older generation are often left thinking how the hell did their children survive if what they did following the "expert" opinion of the time is now seen as wrong. Mine aren't even reared yet and I've come across the judgemental attitude from the younger mums.

aurelio

Would recommend you hold off til 6 months to start solids if you can, as this is the recommended age for breast fed babies... sounds as if he may be going through a growth spurt, not unusual at this age and he is feeding more to up the supply to meet his needs. Also supplememting with formula is only going to exacerbate the problem as this will further diminish the milk supply. If you are keen to continue breast feeding i would suggest you try to hold off on the solids til 6 months and try to make sure you are eating enough, resting enough (easier said than done i know!) and going with the increased no. of feeds in the short term and it should settle down. You really can't compare breast fed to bottle fed babies re solids etc. If you can hang in there it should settle down!!!! You are doing so well to b/f til now, it just gets easier and easier from now on!! I breast fed my 3 til they were 1 year old, but only becos it got so easy and was so convenient. Once they started solids at 6 months they also started taking a cup and as they progressed on solids the no of b/feeds dropped and by 1 year they were weaned off the breast onto a cup. Hang in there! Good luck!

Victor

deisemum wrote: »

I can certainly understand why the older generation are often left thinking how the hell did their children survive if what they did following the "expert" opinion of the time is now seen as wrong.

Many didn't.

tallaght01

deisemum wrote: »

My children are very healthy and haven't developed any allergies.

.

My neighbour smoked 60 a day and lived to be 90.

I'm not going to get stressed about what parents decide to feed their babies. But I do think that before you dismiss the very good evidence that's now availble in this field, you should at least present some coherent reasons. Otherwise it's just irresponsible.

Crea

I can't get over how quickly recommendations change. My DS is 4 and DD is 3 and the recommended spoon feeding age for them was 4 mths. Both are good grubbers with no allergies
Currently bf my very hungry 14 week old but will hold out until 6 mths as long as he's content.

kelle

tallaght01 wrote: »

Some parents choose to accept an increased risk of asthma and other immune-mediated conditions and allergies, for a more content baby earlier on.

I find that comment fairly offensive, Tallaght. I always take the lead from the baby. Our PHN didn't recommend waiting until 26 weeks with most babies in the area I live.

Crea wrote: »

I can't get over how quickly recommendations change. My DS is 4 and DD is 3 and the recommended spoon feeding age for them was 4 mths. Both are good grubbers with no allergies
Currently bf my very hungry 14 week old but will hold out until 6 mths as long as he's content.

+1. When I was bfing no.3, she was so hungry I seemed to have her on the boob the whole time, I fed her supplementary bottles but I had a screaming baby most of the time. As soon as she started solids (on advice of PHN), she settled - at 16 weeks.

tallaght01

kelle wrote: »

I find that comment fairly offensive, Tallaght. I always take the lead from the baby. Our PHN didn't recommend waiting until 26 weeks with most babies in the area I live.

.

Why would you find it offensive? SOME parents do. I don't know you from Adam, and I never said you did to the best of my knowledge.

My mum fed me at 4 months. She's a great mum. None of this is personal. It's about facts, and balance of risks.

But if you show me where I directed any offensive comments towards you, I will of course edit my posts etc.

kelle

tallaght01 wrote: »

Why would you find it offensive? SOME parents do. I don't know you from Adam, and I never said you did to the best of my knowledge.

I just felt it undermined some parents over decisions they feel might be best for their baby.
Ok, "offensive" was a bit of an over-reaction on my behalf.

tallaght01

I certainly never meant to undermine anyone. I apologise if anyone felt I did. wasn't my intention at all.

We all make decisions in life, based on balance of risks. I probably eat more sugary food than I should. It's a balanced risk.

Just like the risks involved in feeding before 6 months is about balance. For some parents, they just wouldn't cope.

I would say that about 70% of the parents that I speak to about this issue in clinic still feed their kiddies earlier. They know the facts, and they still feed earlier. Like I said before, i don't push it at all. I tell them it's their baby, and their choice. I don't lose a second's sleep over it.

As long as the parents are in possession of the full facts, and make a decision based on those facts, then that's my job done. After that, it's their own decision.

deisemum

tallaght01 I do agree with presenting the facts but when the facts change and a parent has followed the facts of their time and newer ones replace those then it can be a bit of a bitter pill for a parent to swallow especially if you've done all you can to do your best.

If as a parent you've done the best that you can and then later find out that it wasn't necessarily so then it's hard for a parent if they think they may not have done the best for their babies and that can be upsetting.

When it comes to babies and your parenting it can be emotional if there's even a small slight, just look at the wars that break out in the breastfeeding v formula feeding, stay at home v go out to work parent threads on other sites, it's like world war 3.

tallaght01

Ah now I never said anything about what parents should have done in the past, deisemum. Just like I would never say somebody who smoked when we didn't know about it's links to lung cancer/heart disease was at fault for not knowing what they were getting into.

But parents need to accept that they'r being given these facts for the benefit of their babies, not for our benefit. it's very easy to put the word "expert" in inverted commas etc and poo-poo the information because you don't like it. That's just unhelpful, and it's not very scientific.

New information will always be forthcoming as society and science progresses. We may know in 20years that mobile phones give us kidney cancer, and that's something we'll have to deal with at the time. Just as we now know about the link between early solids and immune-related conditions.

All I'm interested is the facts. I think they should be given to parents, and they should be left alone to act on them as they see fit. But I think saying that they should introduce solids earlier than the reccomendations if baby isn't satisfied is a bit irresponsible of you. Some people would rather endure a cranky baby for the extra few weeks if it meant a lower risk of these problems, particularly in familes where there's lots of asthma/allergies etc. I don't think you should tell parents what to do if their baby wants earlier solids, based on your anecdotal experiences. It's a very personal choice.

I think, in this case, as long as the parents are armed with the facts, then the choice they make will be the right one.

lostinnappies

bea2200 wrote: »

My baby boy is 3 months and 3 weeks. He is constantly hungry, and last week i decided to top up with formula because the breast was not enough for him. But it seems that all that is not calming him either. He is waking up every 3, 4 hrs, when a month ago was sleeping 5 hours on a row many days, and sleeping very short naps during the day, when they used to be longer.

Im just thinking on starting him on baby rice. The nurse told me to wait to 4 months, so Im asking if anyone has started their babies on solids before 4 months, and how did it go?

cheers

Feeding babies early can lead to intollerances and problems like ezema. How and ever i began feeding my two boyz at the age of 10 weeks, they both survived. neither have ezema or any intollerances. I only fed baby rice till they were nearly 4 months old. it helps to settle colic also