To young for solids?

I have a baby boy who is just over 1 month old and is getting breastfed. He is feeding every two hours. So we tried him on one bottle a night to see if this would help him to sleep at least a little bit longer. We managed to have 3 hours in between one night with the bottle. It seems he is always hungry. He was a big boy born he was 9 pound 7oz (4.4kg) and at 3 weeks old he was up to 5.6kg. Now someone suggested to me to try him on some baby rice??? Being a first time mum i'm unsure. Most nurses tell you not to start on solids until at least 4 - 6 months. Any suggestions on what i could try???

You could try giving him 2 supplement feeds a day. Or you could give him a bottle of water. I was having the same problems as you but I gave up on the breastfeeding at 3 weeks as I also have 3 other kids to look after. After weeks of giving him a bottle every 2-3 hours my nurse told me to do hands on settling. Now he is a different baby. He sleeps longer and is only having the amount of bottles he is suppose to. I did try the rice cereal in the bottle but it didn't make any difference.

Hi, my baby was 10pound 10 born, and is now 8 weeks old. He drinks 180mls of formula and was guzzling it and not being full - so I have started to put a 1/4 of a teaspoon of rice cereal into his bottles. He is much more settled. People say not to start solids - but your baby needs to be satisfied. It could be worth a try.

Hi,

Sorry to be the first one to disagree, but the advice today is to wait till at least 6mths! I am not saying that you shouldn't try, but maybe make it your last option rather than the first! Yes i agree some babies need solids at 3mths, but try and hold out if you can!

As was already mentioned, maybe try another bottle, or maybe a bigger one!

Hope things settle down soon for you,
Tepe

Hi,now I am the second to disagree.
Aren't we given this advice not to feed solids at least until 4-6 months of age for a reason?
Why on earth would you give your immmature baby solids too early if all the professionals advise against it?

They are called experts for a reason.
I think it is totally selfish or desperate beyond thinking clearly for any mother to "stuff" their young baby with products that their tiny digestive systems cannot handle just so they can settle their baby and get a better nights sleep themselves( or for whatever reason.)

I breastfed my children for over 2 years each and ,yes at times when they were very young did resort to supplementary feed of formula during their growth spurts,but NO ,I never ever though about giving them something that they didn't have the capability of digesting properly or that could put them at risk of developing future allergies or other health problems.

I have 3 children and know exactly how stressed one can get when baby won't settle or seems hungry and unsatisfied but risking baby's health to fill them up is not the answer.
I suggest talking to a professional such as your doctor or baby health nurse for advice on how to deal with your feeding dilemma.
GET HELP!!!Your Baby is depending on you to give them the best start in life possible.Don't give in and give solids because it is EASY FOR YOU!!!!

PS>>>>
Hi Jackson's mum,just another quick note to congratulate you on actually asking for advice on this dilemma rather than listening to those who give you the wrong advice.
You wrote in because you obviously felt that the advice you were given was questionable and you were right.Just follow your natural mother's intuition and you'll be fine.
Also,there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving baby a bottle to keep everyone happy.
My 2 boys were both over 10 pound at birth and my last was on the boob every hour for weeks.I gave him supplementary bottles during his growth spurts at 6 and 12 weeks to keep him satisfied and he was gaining a pound a week for months.
And there is a light at the end of the tunnel and they do grow up too quickly and you will sleep again one day, so enjoy every minute of it while they are little,it seems hard but it is soooo... worth it in the end!

Thanx for your advice all. Im not going to start him on solids yet, i never wanted to. But i thought since someone gave me that advice id ask around before i did something that drastic. It wasnt about me getting more sleep or being easier for me, i was just worried as he always seemed hungry that i wasnt doing enough etc etc. If i wanted it to be easier for me i would of put him on formula full time from the day it started getting 'hard' but ive stuck it out and i will continue to stick it out as i know breast it best. Oh and i did seek help from my baby nurse and she just said to keep feeding every hour or two when he wants it. But i have booked an appointment with my dr tomorrow as my mother seems to think he has colic and thats why he is crying all the time and waking himself up in pain its not actually hunger. So hopefully tomorrow i will be enlightened a bit more. Thanx again.

Hi again,

Please don't feel like you have to justify yourself!!!
The best piece of advice i have heard is

" Children all develop at different rates and only their parents know what is best for them "

Children walk between 8 and over 18 months, so who is to say when a child is exackly ready for solids!!!

Please don't be offended by some peoples comments! Do what you think is right for your baby!

Thinking of you
tepe

Hi lou,

Well my daughter is only 6 weeks old but if at three months she wants solids I will try despite what the experts say. You see as I see it how many of us are here today and our parents started us on solids around 3 months. How do we know that in another years time the "experts" won't say wait until there 9 months. What's to say they can't cope with the solids in there tiny digestive system because of all the food addatives that are added or chemicals used to seal the foods. Personally I would stick to your gut instinct. If your child doesn't like it then wait a week before trying and just remeber not to force it onto your child they know when there ready.

That's just my opinion.

petangel23

I agree strongly with petangel 23
My son is about to turn 3 months and he will be started on solids. Heck it's only one teaspoon a day!
As was stated before we all started solids at 3 months and there is nothing wrong with us. Due to my ethnic background we start them on one teaspoon of chicken soup minus the meat etc just the water. Mind you it's not packet soup or anything it's the real stuff. I'll see how my son goes - I won't force it onto him!
Experts - hmm they're only experts because it's their job! Experts in this filed should be mums, they deal with it everyday that's why this forum does so well - sharing information.

I agree! Mother's are the true experts!! I started my son on solids at 3.5 months, now 3yo and he loved it and I have started to try solids with daughter at 3.5 months and she doesn't mind a bit here and there so I will just leave it at that for now till she seems interested! Ever child is different so go with what you think is right!
Best wishes!

I agree that every child is different and that mothers know what is best for their children. However, I also believe that there has been enough recent research done to prove that babies show signs that they are ready for solids. Two of the main signs are that they can hold their head up on their own, and that they no longer have the tongue reflex action which pushes anything foreign out of their mouth as soon as it goes in. Also, a baby's digestive system is not necessarily ready for solids before at least 4 months, and the recommendations are 6 months. I think that you will know when your child is ready for solids by taking note of the recommendations. I also had a big baby, and it has taken a while for him to be satisfied with my milk supply. I have persevered when it has been hard, and I have fed my baby every 2 hours for up to a week during a growth spurt. I have been told that because my baby was large he will need solids at 4 months, but I have decided to wait until I believe he is ready using the recommendations as a guide.