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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be terrified of weaning?

68 replies

BeverleyGoldbergInc · 11/10/2019 18:51

DS is almost 17 weeks and showing signs he’s ready for something more substantial than milk. He was a huge baby (over 11lbs born) and is still off the charts in height and weight. Milk is just not satisfying him anymore - he has 8oz every two hours during the day. He does sleep through from 7-7 though.

Anyway, I am absolutely terrified of weaning - he’s my pfb and I don’t know what to do . There is so much contradicting advice online and I’m in a constant state of panic about it.

Was considering starting him on porridge for breakfast and a meal of the evening.

What did you do? And were any of you scared of this too?

I will add, I realise it’s irrational but what can you do?

OP posts:

Ohnoherewego62 · 11/10/2019 18:55

Weaning is brilliant. Scary st the start but brilliant fun and very messy.

First time mum with precious first baby here too.

Annabel Karnel is great. I didnt wean until the 6 month guideline though.

Have you spoke to a health visitor about his appetite? Is he able to sit up ?

Entirely your call, just make sure your fully informed first. I started with a little fruit and veg puree at lunch time! Just so I could see how she coped and for any reactions.

Dazedandconfused28 · 11/10/2019 18:59

I would just start with a few mouthfuls of pureed veg - broccoli, carrot etc. I think the advice is to start with 'bitter' veg, so they don't get a sweet tooth. You could try a little bit of baby rice mixed with his milk. They do say 'food until one is just for fun' - so I would just gradually introduce things. I started on purees and then added finger foods later as I was worried about choking - but a baby 1st aid course helped reassure me. As baby gets bigger you could start some more 'meal' type recipes - wean in 15 on instagram is quite good & I like the sr nutrition blog. Good luck - it should be fun!

LeahSMS · 11/10/2019 19:00

Op I’m the same baby is 5 months now so I do need to start soon but I’m so scared

Wallabyone · 11/10/2019 19:02

I would give him more milk, rather than start weaning at 17 weeks. If you're going down the purée route, some puréed veg/fruit and a bit of porridge won't really fill him up to begin with anyway. Good luck, it's fun once they start to get it x

Camomila · 11/10/2019 19:03

Most 'baby food' like pureeed fruit and veg has less calories than milk so it may not fill him up anymore. I'd speak to your HV visitor and see what they suggest.

Honestly, weaning is such a faff...either pureeing and freezing, or constantly cleaning your floor (BLW) I'd try and hold off a while longer!

sleepymummy2019 · 11/10/2019 19:04

Personally I’d wait until 6 months, the evidence shows it has the best long term impact on the risk of allergies. Big babies don’t need to wean early.

It’s normal to worry but it really isn’t hard. Could you contact your health visitor to ask if there’s a weaning workshop you could attend to get your questions answered? You might feel more confident

Celebelly · 11/10/2019 19:04

I wouldn't overthink it tbh. It's very hard to do wrong unless you're feeding them wotsits and coke. You just end up going at your baby's pace anyway. We started with purées but quickly went on to more BLW style as she showed a real interest in food and quickly got the hang of it, so just let your baby do things at their pace and don't worry about it. Expose them to lots of new flavours and textures and just enjoy it. I love seeing my 8mo DD tucking in to her bowl of spag bol

thundercats192 · 11/10/2019 19:04

17 weeks is too early - 6 month guideline is there for a reason.

Just give more milk or feed more regularly, every 1.5 hours or whatever your baby needs.

Celebelly · 11/10/2019 19:05

I would wait for sure though. If he's sleeping all night then he's not hungry. It's normal to feed often through the day, especially if he's sleeping through as a lot of babies get a decent amount of their calories overnight at this stage.

BertrandRussell · 11/10/2019 19:05

Honestly, he’s too young. If he’s sleeping through the night then he’s getting enough food- just keep doing what you’re doing until he’s closer to 6 months.

Aberhonddu · 11/10/2019 19:07

@BeverleyGoldbergInc
If you go and have a look at topics, you'll find infant feeding, I think that's a better place for you to ask for help. AIBU can be a bit vicious so maybe ask for your thread to be moved.
My DS IS 41 so I'm definitely not up to date with current advice. My daughter in law has successfully weaned her 2 boys and starting with porridge is a good idea.
She was terrified too but the oldest is 3 and the baby is 1 and they are both very good eaters.
It helps to remember that they say food before 1 is fun, don't expect your pfb to go straight to 3 meals a day.
Ask @MNHQ to move your thread over to infant feeding.

Aberhonddu · 11/10/2019 19:08

Whoops cross posted with loads of posters

CatsOnCatnip · 11/10/2019 19:10

I started weaning at 4 months. Little spoonfuls of purée (I know it’s not everyone’s favoured choice) but it gave her something more substantial. I puréed my own (butternut squash, carrots etc) and shop bought to just try and get a different array of flavours. Some things were favoured over others, but all in all it was stress free. At nearly 8 months she’s loving a bit of toast and peanut butter, rice cakes, slices of butternut squash. It’s been a journey and I felt a bit confused at first, but apart from the occasional gag, it’s been all good.

Original poster

BeverleyGoldbergInc · 11/10/2019 19:12

Thanks for all responses.

I did speak to the HV who said ‘well he looks fine to me’ - this was when he was on 6oz every two hours, so I upped it to 7 and then 8.

If I try to feed him at shorter intervals he pushes the bottle away, but two hours on the dot and he drains the 8oz.

He’s not sitting up unaided but his head control is great so thought maybe weaning would work. It’s so difficult, obviously I have no issues with feeding him when he’s hungry but I’m just worried he’s not getting enough from milk.

He follows food when we are eating and has started to reach out for things on our plates - which when googled suggested time for weaning.

I will try the health visitor for a weaning class.

Thanks for all help!

OP posts:

Tippety · 11/10/2019 19:15

Have you spoken to your health visitor? Not that they're an oracle necessarily, but there are additional signs of readiness they recommend for solids such as being able to sit up. Food won't contain the same nutrients as milk and might not be as filling, have you tried upping to 9oz? If he's going 12 hours at night without a feed, is it intake over the other 12 hours reasonable? 2 hours seems often, but a lot of babies are still feeding at night so over 24 hours might not be having much more. I would follow your instincts, if you're very anxious then maybe hold off. I had the same, DS who was 98th centile, everyone asked when I was going to start weaning, we started at 6 months and it was fine. If you feel comfortable starting earlier then great, and it's parents choice of course- I read the guidelines and went with my gut. It was scary though, but we soon got into the swing of it, a first aid course really helped.

Tippety · 11/10/2019 19:16

Sorry in the time it took me to type that lots of cross posts! I found DS was interested in anything I was holding, and lots of chewing things which turned out to be teething.

Greywalls12 · 11/10/2019 19:17

He follows food when we are eating and has started to reach out for things on our plates - which when googled suggested time for weaning.
My DS reaches for my beer, doesn't mean I'm going to give it to him.
Your DS has no idea that what you're putting in your mouth will fill him up. He's following it and is interested because you do it so often.
17 weeks is far too early. The 6 month guideline is there for a reason, and IMHO is harmful for babies.
None of what you have said shows he is ready for food. I think you should discuss this with your health visitor or doctor, getting some actual medical advice rather than off google.

BertrandRussell · 11/10/2019 19:18

There are more calories in milk than porridge!

Bellringer · 11/10/2019 19:20

Milk is perfect food for babies. They grab anything and stick it in their mouth, that's no indication of anything.

turnthebiglightoff · 11/10/2019 19:27

17 weeks is too early. Babies will be interested in food on our plates; doesn't mean they have to eat it.

I had a big baby at birth and have just started weaning at 25 weeks. Only purées so far. HV will advise you to wait unless baby has bad reflux.

user1493413286 · 11/10/2019 19:28

I found that the more I read about it the more confused and anxious I got about it so instead I made sure I knew the (very small list) things that DD couldn’t have and then followed my instincts. I started sigh soft foods and blended up trickier foods but I know people who started with solids straight away and both ways worked fine. The main thing for me was being relaxed about foods which then made DD relaxed about eating. However I’d wait until 6 months as all the research says they’re not ready until then and milk is far more filling than food

Original poster

BeverleyGoldbergInc · 11/10/2019 19:32

Well, yes, obviously I spoke to the health visitor and will speak to the doctor if this continues.

As I said, I don’t want to get it wrong - this could be feeding too early or not feed him enough. I will up his milk to 9oz for now and see how that tides him over.

OP posts:

Tippety · 11/10/2019 19:35

Good luck OP, my DS was on 9oz from around 4 months

Original poster

BeverleyGoldbergInc · 11/10/2019 19:37

Thanks Tippety I just worry he’s starving. (He certainly doesn’t look it, that’s for sure!)

OP posts:

Wynston · 11/10/2019 19:39

Have you tried the hungry milk??
I hated weaning-i remember waiting for my neighbour to be home before trying anything new.......he was a paramedic!!!

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