Hungry/big baby? Growth spurt, weaning blah blah advice please :-)

[littlemissindecisive]

DS was doing great, bfeeding well and going anything from 4-7hours through the night until 13 weeks. Then it went mad and he's feeding every 2 hours ish (although recently some nights can go from 7-11pm).

He's almost 18 weeks, older kids were weaned early but i thought i'd wait this time. Friends and family are surprised I've not started DS.

At 11 weeks he weighed 13lb, in 6 weeks he's put on 4lb, and gone from his steady 50th centile from birth, to the 75th (no wonder with all the feeding!)

I'm shattered, not sure which way to go...keep plodding on or start with some rice??

((He was also born dead on 37 weeks (would have been earlier but i managed to hang on) if that makes any difference....had i had my section days earlier like my consultant was going to do he'd be on an age adjusted weight chart.))

18 weeks is a classic growth spurt time, as you know. It's also a classic sleep regresison time, so the waking every two hours is probably nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with all the interesting new connections fizzing and popping in his brain.

Baby rice has less calories per oz than milk, so it makes no sense to put them on it to fill them up - it's counterintuitive.

If he's just put on a bunch of weight he's probably about to shoot up in height (they grow out than up, I've noticed), and it sounds like you're doing a brilliant job.

So I wouldn't, just because I don't think it'll buy you any more sleep, and that's the point of the exercise, isn't it?

The older they are when you wean, the easier weaning is. If you wait till six months you can introduce a bigger range of food right away instead of poncing around with baby rice which is frankly horrible stuff. I don't think it'll harm him at all, or anything, I just think it's adding in another complicating factor (and extra housework) when you're already shattered, for no real gain.

Good for BF so long. DD2 went from 50% till above the chart. She was 20 lbs at 18 weeks (corrected). I was advised to wean her early, but she was already FF. I started at 18 weeks (rather than the 16 weeks I was advised) And she really needed it (I tried to stop, It didn't go well at all).
You shouldn't do it without medical advice.
Around 18 weeks they have a sleep regression phase and a growth spurt you might find that in a few weeks milk is still enough.
Ultimately you will decided what to do with your child.
Also I was advised to start with veg then fruits rather than baby rice.
I just reread your post, and if he has put on so much weight in just 6 weeks may be you should talk to the GP or MW about it. You obviously have enough milk to provide for him and its hunger . Check your iron levels and vitamin and that your are eating enough proteins. this might help with your tiredness. Make sure you drink enough as well.

Thanks both of you.....part of me really can't be bothered with the hassle of weaning, but part of me wondered if it was his time. His sister was the same and the hv at the time told me to wean her early.

I hope 18 weeks isn't a classic growth spurt time....this has been going on 4 weeks already

Well, 3-4 months is a growth spurt time, you should be coming out of the other end soon.

A lot of HVs still advise to wean early, but it really doesn't make sense. If you, an adult, are dieting, you switch out the fullfat dairy products and increase cereals and fruit and veg, right? So why would you do the same thing to give a baby more calories?

Just looked at DD's book and she was lighter than DS at this stage!

tortoise you're right about his height, he's in 6-9month clothes

16-24 weeks was one long period of night waking and extra feeding here. It's normal and NOT an indication of readiness for solids.

Thank you....i am inclined to keep going. I think DH et al assume solids are the answer to everything.........just like a few years ago they thought sticking DS1 on formula would solve his sleep problems..NOT!!!!

I want to be sure i'm doing the right thing and not coming across as being stubborn. Will also see what hv (different to DD) says later

There is a point when babies can't/don't want to drink more milk though. And that is time to wean. Nothing to do with calories but how full the stomac feel. little DS obviously doesn't need more calories as he is doing so well on milk only as my DD was. She was doing too well, that is part of why she was wean early. That and the fact that she was already showing all the signs, sitting unaided, grabbing food, and eating it, pincer grip, not increasing milk feeds but still being hungry...
they need less calories, and more substance as they grow up. As they grow as well they would need a huge amount of milk to provide for thier needs which their stomac can't contain.
For your info, weaning my DD did make her stop asking for a feed at might but it didn't stopped her waking up... so more sleep shouldn't be an insentive to wean.
Talk to your GP/MW.
From Bliss weaning is between 5 and 7 months, and some countries have reverted to 4 to 6 months with fruit and veg. then at 6 months introduced the rest.

little if YOU think he is not ready for solid then he is not, follow your instinct and don't let your familly bully you.