Thoughts on weaning at 20 weeks?

[Lavenderlane]

My DS was 20 weeks yesterday. He is not showing any signs of wanting to feed more through the day, but has started to wake twice during the night for a feed. He takes a full feed on both feeds and is still looking for a feed at his usual time of 7:30.
Feeling guilty about considering weaning earlier than 26 weeks as the sleep deprivation is influencing my decision.
Can and will hang out but just wanted to sound people out on thoughts and when they weaned.
Would you reccomend any particular foods when I do start weaning?

[pommedechocolat]

I weaned dd at 18 weeks and dd2 at 22. It was fine. Until six months I just did fruit, veg and gluten free baby cereals.
Dd1 was already sleeping at this point and dd2 dint sleep until about 9 months old. Unlikely to change sleep. Mine were both refluxers and it helped that.

[kiwidreamer]

For the vast majority weaning does not improve sleep, so if that's the main reason I wouldn't bother!!! There is a growth spurt at about 16 weeks which had me considering formula and all sorts but really it was just my baby telling my body to up the production and things did settle back down again, it could be a delayed version of that growth spurt possibly.

I know its sooooooooooo hard when they change their sleep patterns and you must be exhausted ((hugs)) but unless he is showing real and true signs of being ready (tongue reflex being the biggie I think) then I wouldn't bother. It really is one of those 'this too shall pass' phases.

If you do decide to give it a go then fruit (avoid the typical allergy fruits like kiwi, strawberry, pineapple) and veg (not potato) til 6mths. He is getting very close to the 'right' age, so maybe hang out another 2 weeks and see what you think then??

[Lavenderlane]

My DS has reflux too. That also why I'm interested in what foods people would reccomend. DD weaned no problem, but think I'd blame myself if reflux became worse because I weaned early.

[forevergreek]

I would wait and introduce another feed in the day.

[MissPlumBroughtALadder]

One thing to remember is that reflux babies are notoriously bad sleepers. My DS has severe reflux. He is now 20 months and still wakes between 3 and 7 times a night wanting milk. Milk is a soothing antacid, so gives comfort to refluxers. Also, bear in mind that reflux babies are much more likely to experience food intolerances. I do believe you are better off waiting for him to show signs of readiness. Introducing food early increases the risks of allergies and intolerances, and as he is already at increased risk you would potentially be opening the door for more issues.

[Sunnysummer]

DS has reflux and the paed has already said that given the frequent link with allergies and intolerances they normally recommend waiting until 6 months for reflux kids. Cannot help with the rest, as am FTM with no idea yet!

[MissPlumBroughtALadder]

Oh, and by milk I mean breastmilk. A significant majority of reflux babies are cows milk protein intolerant reactive, so cows milk tends to make things worse.

[minipie]

I would wait. Personally my experience was that DD started feeding MORE at night when I started weaning her, she was taking less milk during the day because she was more interested in food, but then catching up at night instead. When you say two feeds at night, what times is he feeding? if it's once at say 10/11 and once at say 3/4am I'd say that's pretty normal and not really sleep deprivation territory... (sorry!)

[BoysRule]

I weaned both my boys at 20 weeks - they were both over 95th centile for weight and milk just wasn't enough. They both slept through the night from being weaned.

They only had baby rice, fruit and veg until they were 6 months but both dramatically dropped the amount of milk they were having almost immediately. It was a struggle to get milk in them so I had to make sure they were getting calcium through food as soon as I could.

All babies are different though and you have to do what you think is right. The HV on both occasions advised me to wean early due to their high weight and me nearly wasting away trying to feed them.

[Sheshelob]

I weaned at 17 weeks because he was showing signs. It helped his waking mood but did nothing for sleep.

If he isn't showing signs, don't do it for sleep alone. It makes your life more complicated.

[Lavenderlane]

Minipie-He tends to wake between 2-4 for first feed and then 4-5:30 for second. I'm breastfeeding so DH can't help out unless I express. He wakes at 6 for the day. I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times, takes a long time
for me to drop off so some nights I can find myself having 4.5 hrs sleep. DS only naps in the day so no chance of catching up in the day! Also have a DD to look after and little support available.

Nevertheless, all the messages have spurred me on to wait a while. Didnt know about food intolerances and reflux babies so glad I posted.

[forevergreek]

I would try dreamfeeding before you go to bed ( 10/11pm), then at least you should get a few unbroken hours sleep before first waking

[MissPlumBroughtALadder]

Great that you are breastfeeding. Hold off on introducing cows milk products (including yoghurt) until he is 12 months to reduce the likelihood of him reacting to it.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Will try and come back later. Have written a massive post and the computer just crashed

Just a couple of thoughts, if he is waking at 6, could DH get up then and take him downstairs so that you could get an hours sleep? My DH did this for me and it made loads of difference.

Have you tried introducing another feed in the day, giving a couple of feeds in a quiet place free from distractions and have you tried breast compressions? Having a bath together might encourage to take a big feed in the day [smile[

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Oh and have a read of the MN info on weaning if you haven't already, its very good

[Tigresswoods]

Meh, will be fine, just take it slow.

[minipie]

Hmm, that is tough to cope with, can you get an early night (like really early, 8pm??) at all?

my uneducated guess would be that the second wake up is not mainly due to hunger (since it's so close to the first wake up and feed). rather it's him coming into a light sleep (which I gather most babies have at about this time) and not going back off by himself for some reason but wanting the comfort of a feed to get him back to sleep instead. what is that reason - don't know, could be teething, overtiredness, too much day sleep, morning light in his room/bird noise, a developmental phase that means he is more alert... hard to say. even if he takes a full feed, doesn't necessarily mean it's hunger waking him, just that once he's awake he wants it in order to get back to sleep iyswim?

some of these causes (eg too much day sleep) are fixable, others might be fixable, others he will just have to grow out of...

the other possibility is that he is feeding less during the day due to distraction or teething pain or both and so is making up for it at night. have you noticed day feeds being shorter/boobs feeling less empty after a day feed?

[MamaBear17]

I weaned my dd at 18 weeks on GP advice because my dd refused milk and dropped centiles. The GP told me to look for the signs that she was ready for food rather than wait until 26 weeks. At 18 weeks all of the signs were there for dd. I found this helpful: wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/readyforsolids.htm#.UbohtefCaSo

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

A few people have mentioned the signs of readiness, thought I would just post a link to what those signs are

[Lavenderlane]

Thank you all so much for your advice I really appreciate it. Could those of you who have experience of reflux babies tell me how I am best to space feeds and meals out?

[forevergreek]

What are your current milk feeds like? Approx how often and how much

[BabiesAreLikeBuses]

I had a reflux baby and weaned at 17 weeks, i was dropping weight too quickly as he was constantly looking for food. It didn't change night feed pattern, it didn't put him off milk, it did make for happier days. I followed gina ford weaning, suited me at that time to have someone to tell me what to do! It was mainly carrot, apple, pear purees plus baby rice and baby porridge. Def avoid seedy stuff for allergies. And at 12 months he went onto goats milk not cows (mainly due to family history of asthma being exacerbated by this). Switched to cow's milk at 2. He isn't asthmatic and hasn't any food allergies. In terms of timing again i did what gina said and it really worked, was easy when i returned to work too. He was half a set of twins (other half no reflux) so time and brain power to research it myself was short! He's now 5 and still constantly starving...

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Like forever says, can you tell us what the current feeding pattern is like? If Lo has reflux, has he been checked for tongue tie too? Reflux can often be diagnosed when it is tongue tie that is the problem

The sudden change in sleeping pattern could just be a development leap, which means that if you wean its going to make sod all difference. Actually that's not true, it could make sleep worse as his gut might be too immature and it will make loads more work for you

Did you have a read of the Mn weaning info? You might also like How do we get started with solids. As for sleep have you read sleeping through the night?. Like I said though, this waking is a new thing and is likely to stop as suddenly as it started

Have you spoken to a BFC about how often you feed, night wakings, reflux and weaning? Perhaps that's a good place to start. Have you got a Bfing Support Group in your area or do you have the Bfing Helpline numbers?

[Lavenderlane]

Sorry for the delay in responding. DS was feeding 3 hourly during the day. Friday night resulted in 3 full feeds and Saturday 6. Seemed he was increasing night feeds but there was no change to day feeds so started to feed 2 hourly during the dat yesterday to see if this helps in the evening.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Feeding 2 hourly in the day sounds like a good idea. Are you sure there isn't something else going on like teething?