Early weaning

N

ninahudd

Registered User
Our little girl refuses to take a bottle or cup while I am at work which is really stressful (believe me, we have tried everything), so I want to start giving her some rice cereal mixed with my milk as early as 4 months to see if it will see her through (or at least help) till I get home. All the advice is 6 months but the rice cereal says 6 months. Will I be damaging my baby by starting at 4 months?
 
My first daughter refused the bottle as well !

A healthy baby will not starve itself. You bub may just take a few days or a week to adjust and may wake overnight for extra. If you are really worried try feeding your baby some milk on a spoon, without rice cereal.

Have you tried different teats? My second daughter likes the NUK teats and I think these are more similar to a natural breast. I found the Avent quite hard, although others like them.

Personally, I wouldn't start rice cereal at 4 months - the recommendations are quite clear.

PS. were you the one with the pregnant helper? How did that work out? I felt for you when I read your post but had nothing constructive to suggest.
 
starting rice cereal at 4 months is fine. I did for my daughter, but at 4 months, it's merely taster and not a filler. It's not really to fill the hunger/dietary needs of the baby. I don't know what brand rice cereal you got, but the baby rice I started my baby on states that it can be fed from 4 months. Also your baby needs to be ready for solids before you can feed it. The maternity nurse at the baby clinic at Canossa Hospital also told me that you can start feeding baby rice from 4 months. Hope that's more reassuring.
 
Thanks

I meant to write 4 months for the rice cereal but got it muddled up. Our little girl took a bottle todau for the first time in 2 months. I am really hoping she will continue. If so, I will delay the rice cereal for a bit.

Jane, yes I am the one with the pregnant helper. We are still in a bit of a tizz about the whole thing. Our helper is great and wants to continue working for us, but there is no room for her AND the baby here so she needs to find a way for it to be cared for. Can't reallt see many options for her and I think she is still in denial about the whole situation. Really trying to encourage her to get it sorted but sahe is dragging her feet somewhat and wants to let us know after the baby is born. She does only need to give us 1 month notice so I guess she can do that. All a bit tricky with trying to cover her maternity leave though. Thanks for asking
 
I guess you?ve already tried this but the only way my first daughter would take a bottle was facing outwards. My husband or my helper would have to do it (definitely not me). They?d sit her on their knee with her facing outwards and hold the bottle in front of her.

I liked this because it seemed clear to me that have a bottle was a very different experience to being breastfed. And so I didn?t worry so much that she?d prefer the bottle to me.

Good luck,
Barb
 
Do you think changing the nipple can help? My son will be three-months old this week, he has been refusing the bottle starting from two weeks ago. He only drinks about 3-4 ons per time and a daily total of 17-20 ons. It takes about 45 minutes to final 3-4 ons milk every time. Sometimes, he is only willing to take one on only.
 
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