Weaning, reflux and CMPA

[frangipani13]

I'm feeling quite lost/confused around weaning and GP/HV haven't been very helpful so far...

LO is 6 months and has quite bad reflux and on nutramigen for suspected CMPA.

A couple of weeks ago I started trying her with a tiny bit of baby rice mixed with formula in the mornings but she completely went off milk (some days going 11/12 hours without a feed) and doing large projectile vomits. We've also tried a bit of pureed sweet potato and she was v sick again. She's on 9.5ml of omaprazole per day.

I've just managed to get her to drink about 5x 6oz bottles a day again (Inc a night feed) and giving her the tiniest tastes of pear/banana.
I feel a bit lost as to how to proceed and am getting stressed that she should be eating by now, and isn't... She's on the small side (9th centile) so can't really afford for her to refuse milk.

Has anyone experienced anything similar with their babies and could you share any tips if so?

[5minutestobed]

We didn't do purees at all with ds. We also didn't start weaning really until he was about 8 months which helped with the finger foods.
Are you avoiding soya too? What about toast fingers with pure spread? Broccoli?
Sadly weaning was quite a big learning curve for us about what triggered his reflux. Carrots,tomatoes,oranges,apples,pear, grapes,raspberries are all no nos for us but triggers are different for different babies obviously.

[frangipani13]

Did you see a dietician at all? I think she's a bit little for toast yet. So far she has gagged quite easily so I am a bit reluctant to try finger foods yet...but maybe I should?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Wait. I don't know what the feeling is for baby led weaning on mn these days, but we did it with out ds age 4 and we're about to start with ds age 6 months. But even if you do go traditional puree route, wait until she can shut confidently, pick up food herself and get it to her mouth, and until her gag reflex has 'moved'- for a lot of babies this will be as late as 8 or 9 months. I read somewhere that you'd have to give a kilo of carrot puree to replace the calories in an 8oz feed, (i think, that might be wrong!) so as long as she's taking her milk she doesn't need anything else and when she does, she'll let you know.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

That should say sit confidently not shut.

[AppleYumYum]

I've got two DC who were CMPA, grew out of it after their 2nd birthdays. Stay away from the baby rice, useless and overly sweet stuff. Don't start with sweet things if you can or she'll never try the veg.

Don't worry, they don't start eating anything like a full meal until they are 1, just think of it as fun play for now. If she's not into it, there is nothing wrong with giving it a rest and trying again next week.

She'll be fine with toast and any finger food at 6 months, don't be afraid of gagging, it's not choking. Their gag reflex is much further forward than an adults to protect them. They have to learn to move the food around their mouth and you'll find they'll just gag, bring it to the front of their mouth and start chewing it again !

[5minutestobed]

No we didn't see a dietician. That's part of the reason we waited was it took me that long to get my head around it all!
I found weaning really stressful but we got there in the end (ds is 3 and still refluxy/CMPI)
I would wait another month or so and see how she gets on with finger food.

[frangipani13]

Thank you for your reassurances... My instinct is that she has a little while to go yet so maybe I should just ease off and stop worrying so much. Were yours both sitting unaided when you began weaning?

[5minutestobed]

Yes he was but he probably wouldn't have been at 6 months.

[AppleYumYum]

Yes my first was sitting up then, wait a bit if they aren't sitting on their own yet. Forgot to say you need to choose your timing too - not too close to the last feed as they aren't hungry or interested, but not when they're super hungry as they def won't be impressed and will be too cross to try anything!

As previous poster said, don't think a bit of carrot or yogurt is nutritionally any match for what they are getting from formula/breast milk, they're getting all they need there, at this stage the aim is to get them to try things, if any is eaten it's a bonus. From 6-12 months throw every taste and texture at them, as once they hit 1 or so they start to get a bit suspicious about new things.

Eat together when you can as you'll notice they watch you carefully then sometimes mimic you - or snatch it out of your hand! Like study the way you are holding and biting the top off a broccoli floret. If you are doing something on a spoon open your mouth really wide in an exaggerated way, that triggers them to copy you and open their mouth too. Sometimes two spoons is good as they'll want the spoon, let them hold one.

I should add that with DC2, well I wasn't as excited about starting weaning as the first time around, it is a pain, affects you getting out the door and v messy for quite awhile, he's 2 now and still covers himself and the room in food! Looking back I probably didn't really try too hard until he was about 8 months old, he's perfectly fine.

[Niknak1980]

My little girl is 10 months and cmpi / reflux. I started with a mix of finger food and purée but to be honest I don't think she was ready at 6 months so I stopped as she was getting sick / tummy ache etc. I tried again at 7 months and took it quite slowly with gentle foods and it was much easier. I'd listen to your gut and maybe wait a little bit, or let her "play" with some finger food, she loves rice cakes with hummus, organix snacks, fruit in the munchkin net feeder and toast / bread fingers. Good luck! X