Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

OrkneyStar

Around that age my son had a growth spurt, about 3-4 months-ish. He was breastfed, so basically sooked more lol! As you are using formula then perhaps if you are not allowed to give bubs more, could you give more frequent foods. I have heard mixed things about hungry baby formula. I agree it seems awfully early for solids of any kind!

alleycat`

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Around that age my son had a growth spurt, about 3-4 months-ish. He was breastfed, so basically sooked more lol! As you are using formula then perhaps if you are not allowed to give bubs more, could you give more frequent foods. I have heard mixed things about hungry baby formula. I agree it seems awfully early for solids of any kind!

I'm not having a go at your or anyone else but why does it seem awfully early to introduce any mashed up food?

As someone else said on here 20 to 30 years ago 3 months was the norm for weaning (when breast feeding was very much out of fashion).

In my opinion the "6 month weaning" is just something that has come in on the back of encouraging breast feeding.
I actively would agree that breast feeding is the way to go but it isn't right for all people/situations.

Op if your unsure ask your doctor/midwife what they think and if they support the decision to try wean your child AND MORE IMPORTANTLY you feel it is best for you and your little ones health then do so.

They / You know your child better than any of us forum pundits and you don't need any of our permission to do what you think is best for your little one

OrkneyStar

alleycat` wrote: »

I'm not having a go at your or anyone else but why does it seem awfully early to introduce any mashed up food?

As someone else said on here 20 to 30 years ago 3 months was the norm for weaning (when breast feeding was very much out of fashion).

In my opinion the "6 month weaning" is just something that has come in on the back of encouraging breast feeding.
I actively would agree that breast feeding is the way to go but it isn't right for all people/situations.

Op if your unsure ask your doctor/midwife what they think and if they support the decision to try wean your child AND MORE IMPORTANTLY you feel it is best for you and your little ones health then do so.

They / You know your child better than any of us forum pundits and you don't need any of our permission to do what you think is best for your little one

Thanks for singling out my post even though several other said a similar thing (inserted confused smiley).
As it is guidelines suggest waiting until 6 months or as close as you can get. I appreciate the guidelines have changed recently, with increased understanding of the science behind gut development (and other factors). In some cases earlier weaning may be a solution, but that should be with as much knowledge as possible and careful weighing of pros and cons!
Re: breast-feeding, I was not suggesting that I was better than the OP who formula feeds, simply pointing it out in reference to my complete lack of knowledge regarding what formula might help!
For the record the OP does not seem to be asking for 'permission', simply seeking a census of advice, which seems a very sensible thing to do imho!
I hope the OP gets through this time- I remember the growth spurts being a tiring time! x

JBD

I am just offering my personal experience here [as a mother of 3].
I agree with those posters who said to try 'hungry baby'formula. All of my children were fed this, with no ill effects whatsoever.
I put them all onto solids at the age of 3-4 months, again with no ill effects at all. By that I mean I gave them a small amount of baby rice after their 2 main meals, gradually working upto 'finger foods' at 6 months [which I take it is what people mean by baby lead weaning].
If I was having another baby now I would probably do the exact same thing again. Sorry, I don't agree that babies don't need any solids until they are 6 months old, no matter what 'experts' say. That may be why HV's advise to give solids earlier.
I think a lot of older mothers would agree, a lot of babies do need solids at earlier than 6 months.

LittleTinker

strawberrypud wrote: »

Just had the hv round for a routine visit and was telling her that my 14 week old takes 8oz feeds, 6 feeds a day. Doesn't nap well, often unsettled after feeds, always unsettled in the evening, started to wake earlier in the night for a feed. So she suggested I start to introduce solids, baby rice fruit and veg. Does this not seem a bit early to be starting this? She has piled on the weight since birth so I'm NOT to give her more milk. She has reflux but this is now managed very well.

What should I do?

Feed her proper food.

We used to feed baby rusks and rice to the babies when they were 6-8 weeks old......perfectly ok for the hungry ones.

Its the new trend though isnt it, to not feed them solids till they are 6 months old. What nonsense! Docs and health professionals are always swapping and changing their minds about what is best for babies and most of it comes on the back of research done by some major company or other.....funny that.

You dont see these restrictions on babies in other countries.....they just wean when they need to be weaned.....as did Mums years ago here.

meritaten

I dont understand either why the medical profession are advising not weaning until six months or so! when I had my kids Thirty years ago it was something like 12 weeks - which I ignored if I felt the baby was hungry or interested in solids. when my sis was born over 40 years ago it was considered normal to start the weaning process at around six weeks! but it wasnt done in a formal way, the baby was given 'tastes' of our food, for example a finger dipped in gravy and put in babies mouth. or dipped in porridge oats or custard. when the baby expressed interest or sucked it hungrily then they were offered a small portion of that food.
it was also common to add a little rusk to night time feeds 'to see the baby through the night'.
and i was considered odd or bolshie by the hv at the time as I refused to comply with their new ideology! by my second baby I was putting him to sleep on his back - strictly verboten then!
I honestly think my grandmother, my nana and my mum were right - babies sleep better on their backs and on a full tummy!
sorry for wittering on - what I really meant to post was just to tell you that if YOU think baby would benefit by havinga little solid food - then go for it!
(oh and I also think the rise in food allergies amongst children and young adults is because they are NOT being exposed to common foodstuffs early enough! )

abbecer

The advice was different at the times when I had both my sons. I weaned both of them a little early but only on baby rice. I think if you keep the food plain and simple so as not to overwork the underdeveloped gut it should be fine. Good luck whatever you decide to do. x

Bella79

Hi

My dd was the same by the time she was 13 weeks having 8oz bottles but still not enough, i started by giving 1/2 a rusk with some of her milk wih her last bottle, i took the milk from the bottle and made it with that, then the remainding she drank so she wasnt gettig anymore milk.

I had no problems with it at all, then she had rusk morning and night thats how i kept it for a while untill she seemed like she wanted somthing else then weaned as normal

kindofagilr

strawberrypud wrote: »

Just had the hv round for a routine visit and was telling her that my 14 week old takes 8oz feeds, 6 feeds a day. Doesn't nap well, often unsettled after feeds, always unsettled in the evening, started to wake earlier in the night for a feed. So she suggested I start to introduce solids, baby rice fruit and veg. Does this not seem a bit early to be starting this? She has piled on the weight since birth so I'm NOT to give her more milk. She has reflux but this is now managed very well.

What should I do?

Its up to you

My baby's paedatrician told me at 13 weeks I should start E on solids as he like your baby with his feeds.

But I didnt start that early, I started when he was 17 weeks, but it didnt really stop him wanting his milk, he still has 5 or 6 9oz bottles a day and he is 24 weeks now (and thats as well as 2 meals a day)

Have you tried hungry baby milk? I tried that with E but he had major bad colic and it made him worse

kindofagilr

Spendless wrote: »

Since your HV has told you it's ok, I would go ahead. She is the one that knows you and your baby. People on the internet don't.;) It seems early because you have had a baby at a time when you are told not to wean until 6 months. If you'd had a baby 10 years ago when you were told to wean at 4 months (like me) or 20 years ago when you were told to wean at 3 months it wouldn't seem early.

Thats not really the case, sorry but HVS tell so many different thing to different people, I told my HV what the paediatrican said and they were like :eek: no dont give him solids till he's 6 months old