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Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Weaning

weaning early

66 replies

HJ06 · 26/07/2006 22:12

My ds is 14 weeks old, and for the past week he has been hungry all day,feeding every hour or so and and started waking every 2-3 hours at night.
he has only put on 4oz in 10 day, where as he has been putting on up to a pound on in 10 days.
He has been crying none stop from been hungry and tired. I gave him a teaspoon of baby rice for the first today and he was like a different baby, back to him happy self.
Has any body had this, what did you do?

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NotQuiteCockney · 26/07/2006 22:13

It's a growth spurt and/or the heat. Babies really aren't meant to have solids before 6 months - 26 weeks. They cheer up, eventually, whether or not you give them baby rice.

suzi2 · 26/07/2006 22:34

4oz in 10 days is quite reasonable - especially when he has been gaining a pound every 10 days (which is quite a lot!). Weight gain does start to slow after 3 months. I used to weigh my DS every 2 or 3 wks and average it out - about 5oz a week average which I was told was spot on.

the crying, hungry thing is a growth spurt. Some are longer and more traumatic for all involved than others. My DS had a particularly long one between 4 & 5 months that I thought would never end and wondered if he needed solids. But it did pass and he was chirpy again between 5 & 6 months. He actually got worse a few weeks into weaning (6 months) again.

Anyway, really do hold off on the weaning until near 6 months. There are so many good reasons to. Your babys health being the first. A bit of babyrice and puree is not going to give him more calories than milk, just more bulk. It really isn't good in the long run for him to get it this early. The bonus for me waiting until 6 months was that I didn't do any babyrice or purees or spoons...!

CorrieDale · 27/07/2006 07:50

Please please don't continue with the baby rice. 14 weeks is way too young for anything other than milk. At this age, baby's gut is still quite porous and open, to allow milk to be digested easily. Trouble is that anything other than milk can also pass through the gut into the bloodstream. Which isn't good. As Suzi2 says, this is a difficult time for babies. Between growth spurts and the heat and them being able to sit up and take notice now (which must be quite scary for them when you think about it) they do tend to become unsettled and it lasts for a few weeks. So stick with the milk, this is a phase and it'll pass. You might want to read this leaflet which explains weaning nicely, including the risks.

munz · 27/07/2006 07:55

ooh yes Joey had the same thing I put it down to us going on holiday, it lasted for about a week to ten days, apparently they have a growth spurt now thou. just feed more and you'll come thru it.

I basically went with it as was determined not to wean/give formula, slep when he sleeps and hope for the best, at night - how do u feel about co sleeping? personally I couldn't/don't like doing it so didn't but mum was on hand for me during the day of the worst bit so took him for me.

your not ment to wean till 17 weeks at the v earliest.

munz · 27/07/2006 07:57

(also their weight gain does slow down, we went from an average of 11oz p/w to 13 weeks, then only 6 oz to 17 weeks, neither i nor H/V was worried as he's a big boy anywasy and is alert/happy and healthy.)

HJ06 · 27/07/2006 17:34

saw nurse at health centre 2day, wants to see ds next week to check his weight. said some babies have mad growth spurts lasting a few weeks (thought feeding settled after a couple of days)
seems a bit like more like his normal self today so hope he sleeps better.
oh and anything for hicups

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CorrieDale · 27/07/2006 20:14

Just time, I fear! A bf used to help DS. Mind you, he still gets them now at 13mo.

HJ06 · 27/07/2006 20:47

i have ds in cos next to bed, he was sleeping very well untill this past week. If he is very bad i put him in between me and his cot with his own bedding (oh and cant fall between)

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DebitheScot · 01/08/2006 15:32

Interesting that most of you are saying to wait till 6 months before weaning. My health visitor said 4 months but that I might need to start early as ds was quite big (9lb 1oz), she did also suggest that if I needed to start early to only give rice for a few weeks and not start on veg and fruit till 4 months. He's 14 weeks now and seems ok on milk only so will keep going with just that for now. He does eat a lot, 4 big breastfeeds and a 9oz bottle at night, but isn't desperate for food for too long before each feed

2Happy · 01/08/2006 15:36

Your HV told you to wean before 4 months?! [slaps hand to forehead in despair]

2Happy · 01/08/2006 15:46

Tiktok (baby feeding and MN guru) wrote this on this thread a bit ago. Hope it helps a bit.

"By tiktok on Friday, 14 July, 2006 12:31:58 PM

The guidance in the UK has never been 4 months - it was 4-6 months until 2003, so 6 months was always 'allowed' in the guidance. HVs who said '4 mths' were getting it wrong - maybe not always their fault as the training in this area has been woeful and still is.

In the guidance, provision is made for invidual needs, because no baby wakes up at 6 mths exactly desperate for solids.

It's a developmental stage, which most babies will reach at some time close to 6 mths.

Reaching for food is not a sign of needing solids. It's a sign of being old enough to see something and grab it. Babies do this with anything, and they may well put it to their mouths.

I can understand aragon's problem - early solids are culturally the norm in some places and people do what they want in the end. I see the guidance not so much as telling indivdual mothers what to do with their babies, as guidance for healthcare workers and others to support solids from about 6 mths and to enable mothers to continue with excl milk feeding until then, and using the guidance as a way of educating parents about babies' needs. "

Scoobydooooo · 01/08/2006 15:53

Well i was told to start weaning at 4 months & now that dd is 6 months i am being told no more purred stuff & to start giving dd "proper" food, i find this weaning process very confusing & to be quite honest i feel people should just go by there baby, i started weaning dd at 4 months & she loved having the odd bit of pured food but now she is 6 months & i am finding it hard she is very un interested but the HV the other day was not impressed by the amount of mild dd was having & not enogh solids grrrrr
She said dd should be having no more than 16 ozs a day, but at the end of the day if dd does not want "solids" & crys for her milk i will give it to her, i could not give 2 hoots what they say she is my daughter & i know her best.
she now has milk in the monring, then weetabix or sometihng mid morning snack, then milk again then some lunch & a small pudding (sometimes) she is so not interested in anymore after that, she has snacked on some melon today but she sucked that for 10 mins & then throw it on the floor

Do what you think is best for your baby, but i will say i think 14 weeks is a tad early & peobably just a growth spurt.

wannaBe1974 · 02/08/2006 21:42

I would say do what you think is best for your baby. I weened my ds at 4 months. Then the guidance was to start weening at 4 months - he was hungry but not interested in milk. I gave him baby rice and never looked back. All babies are different, most babies were weened well before six months until 2003, now suddenly we're being told to do it differently. There is absolutely no way on this planet I could have waited till six months to ween my ds. Imo I didn't do anything wrong as that was the guideline back then. If I have another baby I will go with that baby and if it is necessary to ween before six months then that is what I will do.

HJ06 · 02/08/2006 22:44

debithescot, is that just as night or in 24 hours?
ds has settled again, not needed to give him baby rice since that day, his feeding has settled again, every 2 hour in the day any 2-3 times in the in the night (8pm till 7am.
he was 8.5 when he was born so he was quite big

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FairyMum · 02/08/2006 22:48

I weaned my first 2 at 4 months. They would feed every 2 hours around the clock and everyone told me to wean early so they would sleep longer. It didn't make a difference at all. Still woke every 2 hours until they were around 6 months when they finally started to settle a bit more.

HJ06 · 04/08/2006 13:48

Just when i thiught he had started to settled again, He is still up every 2-3 hours in the night (he was only up 1-2 times a night and then only for 10 min bf), he is up for up to 30 min at a time, dont know what else to try, could it be that he has just got into the habit?
Oh and was told by GP when he was 8 weeks that it was ok to give him baby rice if he needs it.

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FanjoFanjoWhosGotTheFanjo · 04/08/2006 14:02

at GP saying baby rice ok from 8 weeks. Where are these people from?

Oh, and Wannabe1974, it's only fairly recently that weaning before 6 months was normal - I think in the 20s, people were meant to wait until 9 months.

USAUKMum · 04/08/2006 14:06

hi HJ06

My two have always been really hungry (at 2 & 5 they still eat every 2-3 hrs -- just not from me )

DD (5) was weaned at 14 wks (so v. early) -- 8 lb 8 oz at birth. She was feeding every 1 1/5 - 2 hrs (for 45 min) which dropped to 2 - 3 hrly. Then at 13 wks went back to 1.5 hrly round the clock. After a week of "trying to fit an extra feed in" the more experienced HV said to try feeding her. Went down a treat, no prob getting it i (e.g. tongue pushing it out, gagging etc). and within a month was up to 3 meals a day, b 6 mths 3 meals, 2 snacks + 1 night feed. Didn't drop the night one until 10 mths.

DS (2) was weaned at 16 wks. 8 lbs 3 oz (at 38 wks) at birth. Though the HV (non-experienced one) told me to try and hold on. Was going through exact same as with DD and exhausted. So gave him baby rice first day ate 1 tsp in 1 min (not joking) and then cried and then fed 40 min. Second day, same thing. Third day, I doubled amt of baby rice, DS smiled, then fed for 30 min. But dropped back down to 1 night fed (kept this until 11 mths despite all efforts to drop it) and within a mth was chowing down like no tomorrow. He eats more than DD now!

But must say, my two definately have their Dads (my DH) metabolism !! The three of them never stop -- a bit tiring for me and my slower pace of life!! At least DS helped me lose 30 lbs !

(sorry for the long response!)

dizzybint · 04/08/2006 14:31

re those health visitors.. 'more experienced' could also translate to old fashioned or set in her ways, and 'less experienced' could translate to modern, up to date, newly trained.. IMHO.

FairyMum · 04/08/2006 14:38

I know it's really tiring all this waking at night, but it is also quite normal. All mine were like that and like I said in previous post it really didn't help weaning them. My advice would be just to try to relax a bt and not see it as a problem. I know you are tired, but he will evetually settle. Follow his lead.

zubb · 04/08/2006 14:38

it's not to do with size of baby though, larger babies than those mentioned here are not weaned till 6 months.

HJ06 · 04/08/2006 15:12

just going to have to stick with it,if i can get another 5 weeks i would be happy as he has now started reaching out to food i am eating and copying chewing movments.
He also has started wanting feeding when he smells food? whatever thats about.
on a + he has put on 11oz in 11 days.

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USAUKMum · 04/08/2006 17:37

No "more experienced" didn't mean older -- it meant better. The "less experienced" one was known to be clueless throughout the whole town.

Must also add both children were also losing weight during this period despite all the milk feeds. And only put on weight once given solids. They were both bf until 15 months.

I am saying that they are guidelines and not applicable to every baby.

HJ06 · 04/08/2006 19:51

Spoken to another HV this evening, going to see if someone can come out to find out what is going on with him, think it might be a habbit than he has got into (knows he will get a certain reaction from us) although tonight is the first time in weeks that he has not cried to be fed for an hour of so after his bath.
He has been falling asleep after his bath when i feed him, but when i put him in his cot he is awake crying to be fed again within a couple of mins.But tonight he has gone down really well, no crying or shouting.

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archiesmummy · 04/08/2006 21:23

Hi HJ06, I'm not sure they really start habits so early, he is just a baby. My DS didn't get a proper evening routine til 5 months or so and often cried after being put in his cot. He still almost always wake up 1 hour after his bedtime for a top up (he is 7 months) but I don't see that as a problem..
And to add my voice to all others, please don't wean DS til 26 weeks, it's not necessary. They do reach out for food and they make out they are chewing, but if you gave him a piece of broccoli or something I bet he wouldn't know what to do with it. Good Luck

Flip

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