Advice please, should I leave it for a while?

[Jack2601]

Hi,

DS is coming up 23 weeks old (was 7 weeks early so 16 corrected) and is ff fed. Bliss website advises to try and wean prem babies between 5 and 7 months. Lately he's been watching us eat and EVERYTHING goes to his mouth (although I know this is a way for babies to explore anyway), so I thought I'd try him with a teeny amount of baby rice. After his morning bottle a couple of days ago I offered him the smallest amount, it was not even a pea-size and it pretty much wiped his lips!! He didn't look particularly impressed, but nor was he upset/distressed etc. Wednesday and yesterday was a bit better and I think he swallowed a tiny bit, but again, most of it was spat out. This morning, however, I offered the same tiny amount and he gagged and then choked, not massively but enough to cause him to throw up pretty much most of the milk he'd had before. Again, it didn't distress him, but I don't want to make him sick. He isn't the world's best milk taker anyway so the amounts he does have, I'd rather keep down!!

Should I knock it on the head and come back to it in a week or so, or should I keep trying. I don't want to push him at all, but obviously I need to try it at some point. I don't want to wait until he is draining 8oz bottles and looking for more because given the amount he takes at the moment I could be waiting until Christmas. Don't know if this makes a difference but at his last weigh-in he was 12lb 14oz, having put 22oz on in 2 weeks - don't ask me how he managed it!!

Thanks for reading.
xx.

[theyoungvisiter]

personally I would wait - he won't come to any harm with a few more weeks milk.

DS2 is 7 months and is gagging on puree and even yoghurt so has had nothing on a spoon. Strangely though, he has no problem with feeding himself toast, croissant and gnawing chicken wings . Think he's a natural BLW!

[CMOTdibbler]

I'd wait. He's not even 26 weeks chronological, and is putting weight on well - no need for weaning yet.

Watching you eat isn't a sign of readiness fo weaning - they are just interested in what you do. My DS was interested in me using sharp knives and power tools too

[Jack2601]

My mistake, advice on weaning that I've read have said that watching us eat is "one of the signs". I think I will leave it a bit, no need to stress both of us out.

Not sure if I need to rise above your last sentence CMOT...........