Hello Ladies,
My son (16 weeks) is extremely hungry all the time now so I have decided I will try some rice cereal with him, but I'm not a fan of the commercial rice cereal. I want to make my own. Does anyone have any recipes they could please share with me? Also, I'm a bit confused as to how much I should feed him and how often? I have heard when you start solids it's literally just two teaspoons / tablespoons? And in the morning and then again before bed? Please can someone direct me on the correct path. Thank you.
Starting solids at 16 weeks
Friday, 18 July 2014 - 08:13
Starting solids at 16 weeks
Posted in:
Baby & Toddler, Baby Feeding
6 Replies
honestly I wouldn't bother with rice cereal, its a filler with nothing behind it. I started with mashed banana, weetbix and pumpkin and veg purees, I'd gradually add different types of food in and let them guide me if they were interested in food.
16 weeks is very early. I'd talk to the australian breast feeding association or child health nurse for advice first. My understanding is they don't get nutritional benefit from food this age and you maybe filling him up when he actually needs something he can get nutrition from.
Is he showing interest in food or is he just hungry? If he is just hungry then perhaps you are not producing enough milk (if you're breast feeding) and may need to supplement with formula. 16 weeks is very early to begin with solids but if he is genuinely interested in food then I'd still check with the GP/health nurse.
I have had 3 kids - all 3 of them started solids at around 16 weeks (4 months). I did use the commercial rice cereal first. I would start with a very tiny little bit - like you said 2 teaspoons as most of the time they just spit it out to begin with. I honestly would try in the morning first to make sure it doesn't make them sick. If it makes them sick then they would be up all night.
I would strongly advise against starting solids this young, please look up "virgin gut" on google. It outlines why babies should start no younger than six months. They don't have the ability to absorb the nutrition from food that they do from milk.
It's normal for babies to have periods of constant feeding - they have stages of rapid growth. If you're breastfeeding I know it's really draining but it's his way of boosting your milk supply so that he's got enough to help him grow. Feed him on demand and allow him to finish one breast before offering the other so he gets all the fatty hindmilk to fill him up and to help him get through this stage, he'll settle down soon. If bottle/formula feeding, feed on demand too, perhaps smaller amounts more frequently if you need to.
I started both of mine on avocado first, such a great starter food :) they were 5 months and just over 6 months. If you are keen on rice then just make up some cooked rice, water it down and wizz it up, place it in small ice cubes and place in the freezer. I did this with pureed pear, apple and beetroot, carrot, zuccini and kale, kumara and quinoa, oats and blueberry, banana, pumpkin, kiwi fruit. If you put them all in icecubes then push them out into a container you will have food for ages. As for how much to feed the buba, I would just see how it goes, he might take to it or he may not and maybe just begin with the avocado, and rice in the afternoon. hope it goes well :) also don't worry about strange food combos, my 10 month old has weird things like banana and cauliflower all the time :)