Weaning

[haylosler91]

Hi all, my son is 10 weeks, he's always hungry and on 6oz bottles now. He's been forward in everything he does, cooing lifting his head trying to roll over onto his tummy ect. I'm just wondering what age would it be ok to start him on baby rice or something. He's always been a hungry baby from birth but now it's just getting bad lol. I know it's not safe to wean him now but has anyone weaned before 6 months?

[MrsPatrickDempsey]

As you say the guidelines are 6 months. You can read up on the reasons for this. How often does he feed? If he is hungry, give him more milk. I certainly wouldn't give solids before 17 weeks (evidence base) and because milk should form the basis of their nutritional intake for the first year.

[nephrofox]

If he's hungry there's many times more calories in milk than carrot puree or whatever.

Let him have 8 oz bottles

[Eminado]

Please read up on weaning - there are good reasons for waiting. Just give him more milk.

Also when you do wean, baby rice is not v nutritious.

[minipie]

What's wrong with giving him more milk?

[TaliZorah]

I started weaning at 14 weeks, DS was really hungry and had horrible reflux. I was told by my health visitor I may have to wean early.

DS is much better on it, throws up less and likes it. He has baby rice, home made purees and the HIPP stuff. He will eat all of them

[TaliZorah]

mini mine refuses milk after a point, sometimes he refuses it completely. Maybe OPs baby does too

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

You wean when they're sitting up, can accurately pick up items and have the coordination to bring them to their mouth, bite, chew and swallow with no tongue thrust reflex.

Weaning is v little to do with hunger. It's about gut maturation and ability to digest solids. Think about it. If a baby is hungry, how will a harder to digest food stuff which they're not biologically ready for and contains fewer calories and nutrients, help with hunger?

Milk is a complete food, easily digested and safe. If your baby is hungry then give more milk or give it more often.

They show the physical signs of readiness around 26 weeks. You should never wean before 17 weeks and early weaning should only be done on medical advice where there is a clinical need.

[MargaretCabbage]

Weaning should ideally take place at around 6 months, but never before 17 weeks and then should only be done on medical advice.

Your baby might be advanced, but you have no way of knowing when his stomach is ready and that's why it's best to wait. At six months he'll be able to eat most foods, sit up and feed himself so it makes it will be a lot easier for you too.

Let him drink as much milk as he needs for now, there is nothing wrong with that.

[TaliZorah]

I was advised by my sons dietician that 17 weeks is fine for weaning and that weaning before then can be necessary, HV said the same. While obviously waiting till at least 17 weeks is better the "never before 17 weeks" sentiment is inaccurate.

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

The not before 17 weeks thing is accurate insofar as the it is the recommendation of the World Health Organization, the NHS, DoH etc and is based on most recent research.

Individual advice based on one baby's clinical needs does not impact upon the advice for the general population.

[TaliZorah]

Rax it's an accurate guideline but to say "never" is what isn't strictly right as there'll always be cases which need individual advice

[Eminado]

Tali your situation was very specific!!

It was for medical reasons with the relevant medical advice.

[Eminado]

Margaret said

"but never before 17 weeks and then should only be done on medical advice. "

[TaliZorah]

I'm probably being too sensitive, it just makes me feel I failed DS somehow when I see things like that even though I tried everything before food. I don't want anyone to feel crap if they have to do what I did

[TaliZorah]

I read as should only wean after 17 weeks but before 6 months on medical advice and never before. Like I said I'm probably being too sensitive.

OP if your baby isn't struggling with any feeding problems it is better to wait

[Eminado]

Sorry you feel sensitive Tali

I really dont think you failed anything at all?!

I had a reflux baby and an emcs and I think i did great

[Freezingwinter]

All babies love to suck! Have you done paced feeding? Give baby an oz, have a minute break, continue feeding. If so you could just up the amount of milk he has. Is he gaining weight and content between feeds? Is he going through a growth spurt? As has already been mentioned there's no way there is more calories in milk than a few spoonfuls of baby rice. Signs of readiness for weaning usually appear at 6 months or there about, ten weeks is absolutely toby! Have a look at stomach size in a ten week old. If you waited until he could sit etc you could move straight onto baby led weaning.

[TaliZorah]

Emin Thank you. hope your babies reflux is better!

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

My wording does sound absolute, sorry. Specific cases where there is medical need are v different. Weaning before 17 weeks is not recommended. There are cases where it has to happen of course. We do have to be careful not to use our own experience as advice. Otherwise "I was told it was fine" takes on a meaning it shouldn't even if it is true in essence iyswim.

Don't carry round guilt. From the day my dc were born (by cs) I wasn't giving them the best start and after dc1, I heard judgement everywhere. It took a while to realise I didn't have a textbook baby. I had my baby. Through necessity, sometimes best practice was anything but best.

[TaliZorah]

Rax thank you. It's me, I read it back and I definitely am being sensitive. Yeah it does take on a different meaning in different contexts. My DS has always had feeding issues, allergies, reflux and other things so like you said not textbook. I just sometimes wonder if I didn't try hard enough even though I know I did.

[IAmAPaleontologist]

Tali bad reflux is, with proper advice as you did, a reason for early weaning,please do not dwell on it. You made a decision based on medical advice for your child.

To the OP, as others have said weaning should be around 6 months when you baby is physically ready. The NHS web pages on weaning are actually very good and also point out things that you might mistake for signs of being ready such as fist sucking.

Milk is the best food for your baby, just follow his lead and if he is hungry give him more milk. You say he is on 6oz bottles but how often? Sometimes being hungry before the next feed is "due" is a sign that he wants feeding more often rather than more in the bottle at once. Milk isn't "just" milk, it has everything he needs in it. The first few months of weaning is far more about having fun with texture and flavour than anything nutritional.

[MrsPatrickDempsey]

^^good post

[MargaretCabbage]

I didn't mean to make anyone upset, everything I read about weaning suggests never to wean before 17 weeks, and I don't think the OP indicates a need to start. If you've had medical advice to wean earlier than that, listen to the paediatrician who knows your baby, my opinion doesn't mean anything!

[Jw35]

I weaned at 5 months, 6 months is a guideline only and all babies are different. Anything from 17 weeks is fine unless there's a medical reason to do sooner.

[Buttercup27]

DS was a hungry baby too. We weaned at 6 months. At that point he was on 9oz bottles every 3 hours. Personally I would stick to milk. I was weaned at 17 weeks as was guidelines then and have always suffered from IBS and reflux. It may not be linked but I wouldn't risk it.