Has anyone weaned before 6 months?

[whyIsARavenLikeAWritingDesk]

As title suggests?
I have been having trouble getting any Mille into my 18 week DD, it is a daily battle and she refuses anything after taking half oz!
My HV isn't any help she says not to worry and she'll grow out of it, this has now been going on for 7 weeks!
Basically I want to know if anyone has weaned their baby this young? I know to speak to HV first but thinking MN might have some advise!
I'm in tears everyday because she just won't eat

[ChangedUsername123]

I weaned DS1 at 20 weeks WITH GP's and Health Visitors advice. Do not do it without.
DS2 I did at a little after 6 months and my god, it's so much better to wait. He took to it much better, didn't eat mush for as long (straight onto proper food) and didn't get constipated.

DS1 was weaned early because he was drinking close to 90oz a milk by the time he was 16 weeks old and it was just spilling over and making him throw up. GP suggested some baby rice in small amounts and some mashed banana etc. Please don't wean without medical help, it's so much better for the baby to wait

[ChangedUsername123]

And I know it's so hard, but keep on at your Health Visitor, get her to help you with feeding. It's much better for the baby to just have milk, 18 weeks is still so small

[BertrandRussell]

How's her weight?

[AuntieStella]

Yes, most of us with DC older than about 14 will have done this (the guidelines used to say 16 weeks and they changed about 2001/2)

Talk to your HV first. But if she agrees that you should try, then you need to scour second hand bookshoos for baby manuals printed before about 2002 for advice on how to go about it. The book that was the one everyone had in the late 90s was by Annabelle Karmel.

[whyIsARavenLikeAWritingDesk]

I don't know how many times I've been in touch with the HV, the first time she just told me to give DD calpol!!
At first I was asked how's her mood? How's she sleeping? Wet and dirty nappies? All answers were perfectly fine, happy sleeping 8-10hrs a night and nappies perfectly fine but now she is so grumpy waking every 2 hours at night less dirty nappies! HV just doesn't seem bothered, I have the 4 month review next week so I will be bringing it up again.
DD also has CMPA so under a dietician who wants her to be taking more milk but I physically can't get any more in her!
She's not loosing weight but not really putting it on either, I think this is why they are telling me not to worry, it's all well and good saying that but when you have a baby that is crying in hunger but refuses milk after the first oz it's so hard not to break down and cry!

[edengarden123]

Could she have silent reflux? Ds4 was very finicky and had suspected SR. carobel thickner worked wonders.

But to answer q I never weaned any of mine early

[Whatsername17]

I did on GP advice. Best thing I ever did as dd was a milk refuser too. She dropped centiles and a very kind gp took one look at us (skinny baby and sobbing Mother) and said 'For heavens sake woman wean her! No sugar or salt, veg puree only and mix it with milk.' Dd was showing all of the signs she was ready too.

[frazzlebedazzle]

We waited til 6 months and even then it still took her a while to 'get it' (and a bit of constipation too).

Is she showing any signs of readiness?

kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-when/

I would push to see GP or dietician, not the HV. I think they vary but, without meaning to be disrespectful, HVs often don't seem to know much more than any other mother! to me it sounds like with this behaviour AND the CMPA it is more likely a milk/digestion issue than a readiness for solids, like possible SR as someone else suggested. The pain can then cause them to reject the milk/bottle.

[missyB1]

yes i did at 17 weeks, ds had reflux and starting solids really helped. I used the Annabel Karmel book and he loved his purees from day one, he literally gobbled them down! By six months he was on mashed food and finger foods.

[nackle]

Babies were weaned at 12 weeks back in the 60s.
Ordinary veg and gravy mashed with a fork plus what
my MIL called meat 'essence' which was the bits of soft
meat left in the roasting tin after cooking the joint.

[ElspethFlashman]

In Ireland you are supposed to have weaned BY 6 months. I doubt UK babies differ that much.

Hold on I'll find our booklet.

[ElspethFlashman]

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/PrimaryCare/pcteams/dublinsouthpcts/dunlaoghaireglasthulepct/weaningguide.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjN4Ze41qTTAhVkDsAKHQ0jDHcQFgglMAE&usg=AFQjCNHIEF3ggmBCfi4U1KtiPF7DcFdQ_Q&sig2=7OryKneOOr8K-IC0_zkNMg" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/PrimaryCare/pcteams/dublinsouthpcts/dunlaoghaireglasthulepct/weaningguide.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjN4Ze41qTTAhVkDsAKHQ0jDHcQFgglMAE&usg=AFQjCNHIEF3ggmBCfi4U1KtiPF7DcFdQ_Q&sig2=7OryKneOOr8K-IC0_zkNMg

That's the PDF. It says it's ok from 17 weeks on, but no earlier.

[MoreThanUs]

I weaned at 16 weeks, 6 years ago. Suited DC1 and worked brilliantly. DC2 didn't eat food until nearly 8 months despite being regularly offered it. A baby won't go for it if they're not interested. In my experience HVs don't seem to know an awful lot, so I'd speak to experienced and trusted friends rather than them.

[Monkeyface26]

I have a 5 year gap between my 2 dds. Official advice at time of dd1's birth was 20 weeks & had changed to 6 months by the time I was weaning dd2. Dd2 was ebf & was clearly hungry and showing all the signs of being interested & ready for food by 20 weeks so I just weaned her then, as I had with dd1. She was an enthusiastic eater straight away. I avoided wheat & meat until about 6 months.

[whyIsARavenLikeAWritingDesk]

The milk she is on is supposed to help with the SR so I'm not sure, I'm really confused!
HV wanted me to try her on normal formula to see if it was definitely CMPA which lasted a day until all the signs came back and we've had this trouble ever since!
Dietician said not to wean before 5 months, HV not before 17 weeks so I'm getting really conflicted info!
I think I'll see what HV says and if she's still saying not to worry I'll make an appointment with the GP.
I understand all the facts etc as to not wean early but I just want my happy little baby back!
In regards to the signs then yes I think she is showing most of them! She just can't sit unaided but can with support

[n0ne]

Guidelines in my country (Netherlands) are 4-6 months. We started solids with DD at 4.5 months - veg purées and fruit, then finger food not long after that, alongside breastmilk. As long as they're shoeing signs of readiness, I think it's fine.

[RyanStartedTheFire]

Sitting up unaided is one of the important signs. Try to hold off for a few more weeks.

[pinkblink]

I started weaning my first at about 13 weeks, he had really bad reflux and I struggled with HV telling me all babies where sick, she wouldn't take me seriously so I started him on baby porridge and veg purées, funnily enough he started gaining weight soon after

[helenfagain]

It sounds like you are going through the 16 week sleep regression. I don't think food will help. The 16 week regression is really hard but it does pass.

[QuitMoaning]

Identical to pinkblink here.

He is 19 now and very healthy. If I had my time again I would do the same as the reflux was so hard work (he was breast fed). Purée food with no seasonings and only gradually.

[Tweetypie85]

My DS started to take less milk and I found that smothering his gums with teething gel allowed him to take more milk! I think the sucking was making his gums sore and different teats weren't helping the situation! He was always showing signs of being hungry but was getting quite stressed when the bottle went near him. His hands would be in his mouth at the same time as trying to take the bottle! It was a worry but we've persevered and he's now drinking more milk than he ever has! Not sure if this helps?!?!

[whyIsARavenLikeAWritingDesk]

helen I'd have thought the same thing if the refusing milk hadn't been going since she was 10 weeks old! It's getting less and less milk each day

tweetypie I wondered if it was her teeth so tried anbesol on her gums hasn't made an difference!
I've tried everything I can think of bar starting on solids.

[Tweetypie85]

Oh dear! Such a worry. I can sympathise with the amount of stress that it is causing the both of you. Let us know what you decide.

[maisybobbins]

With DC1 I waited until six months EXACTLY before weaning because that was what I understood to be the rule. Poor child was desperate for food by this point. With DC2 I randomly decided at four months or so that he might enjoy some apple purée, which he did. No problems at all! Trust your instincts OP.

[Shitalopram]

Yes I did. My first DC turned 5 months about 2 weeks before the WHO changed their advice not to wean until 6 months, so I had health visitor saying "time to wean" at one weigh-in and then a fortnight later saying "don't wean until 6 months..." I weaned my 2nd at about 5 months too. Just a little baby rice or puréed pear as well as breastfeeding.

Both my babies were very big for their ages and I just felt they were ready. Both were a little more contented and slept better, too.