Anyone started GF late?

10 replies

Beccarollover · 11/01/2004 18:55

DS is 18 weeks. A very good baby capable of consistently sleeping 12 hours a night although some nights doesnt manage for various reasons (illness, feed structure, hunger?) Im about to embark on weaning and will be using the gf weaning book as a guide - I thought it would make sense to get DS's feeds on the GF track while Im at it so I can follow it properly.

At the moment he feeds 3 hourly during the day normally taking 5 feeds = 35oz. He ocassionally wakes for a night feed as well.

Ive always followed the EASY way of doing things (a la tracy hogg) quite loosely but always put him down 2 hours after waking, activity before sleep etc etc)

My question is I suppose, has anyone started GF late? How did you go about it and any tips!?

OP posts:

Evita · 11/01/2004 20:08

I was a loose GF follower and only really took it seriously at around 3 months. I never found my daughter slept for the designated times no matter how I tried. She did 7pm - 7am all on her own and did a 30 min nap in the morning but I could never get her to nap longer than 30 mins after lunch and she'd always need a late afternoon nap to top up. It worked so I stuck with it. As for the weaning guide, I thought loads of it made sense and it worked for us though my daughter was a much smaller eater than GF suggests they might be. Alas, as soon as she got a bit bigger the food guide went out the window and I got more and more desperate to get her to eat anything at all at any time of the day! I was looking at GF's diet plan again the other day and thinking my daughter would never do it, she doesn't eat enough at each designated meal for me to leave her pretty much snack free until the next meal time as GF suggests.

popsycal · 11/01/2004 20:13

becca - i did - but you knew that already!

expatkat · 13/01/2004 03:12

DD started on GF properly at 5 months. For one reason or another it didn't work for us before then. The weaning was the key (for us). DD could suddenly go longer periods without a feed, and could finally sleep through a night. So I think that, for some, starting GF late is actually a good thing. No particular advice, aside from that.

aloha · 13/01/2004 10:06

I did, sort of - in a very similar way to ExpatKate - only my ds still didn't sleep through the night. The bits I used were the putting down to sleep after two hours, a rough timing for sleeps and keeping to the feed times but in a relaxed way. That was about as much routine as both of us needed at that stage. It gave me more time during the day and eliminated morning crying and misery etc. HOWEVER, i have to say Becca, you seem already to have a great routine and a great baby! Three hourly feeds, sleeping through most nights and good naps are the dream we all look for at 18 weeks, IMO and I honestly don't see why you would be trying to change a thing. I think you've got it sussed! I also wonder why you want to wean at 18 weeks rather than leaving it a little longer - ie the recommended six months. I say this partly for health reasons (no moralising here, my own son was weaned-ish at just before 4, though I think it was quite unnecessary when I look back) but also becauee IMO weaning takes your life into a new dimension of fuss, mess, indelible banana stains and the drudgery of peeling and pureeing! The longer you leave it the easier your life IMO - plus babies weaned later seem to need less fuss in the kind of food they eat and can go basically straight onto family food - Readybrek, bananas, bits of toast etc, and you bypass all the no gluten, no milk fuss etc etc etc. And you won't have to buy any baby rice! My ds loathed it...

aloha · 13/01/2004 10:07

I want to emphasise, I honestly do not think you will do your baby any harm whatsoever weaning at 19 or 20 weeks - my comments were primarily practical. You seem to be an excellent mother with a wonder baby!

Original poster

Beccarollover · 13/01/2004 20:27

Thanks for the comments Aloha I am starting to wean DS as I think he is ready - he has started waking at night after sleeping through for weeks, looking for a feed soon after he finishes one, has lost his tongue thrust reflex and seems to really enjoy his baby rice! Im taking it very slowly - just 1tsp baby rice once a day, Im in no rush really.

The reason Ive gone for GF is because Im using her book of weaning!! I thought it would make it more straightforward if his milk feeds were along her lines so I can structure meals etc. Im not too bothered about sticking religiously to it, as you say Ive got a pretty good thang going already - just think he could benefit to a more structured approach to his feeds as he is a bit of a snacker!

It seems to be working too! Today is 2nd day on GF and he has adapted perfectly - taking full feeds at all of the relevant times so Im happy

Becca
xxx

OP posts:

jimmychoos · 14/01/2004 11:30

Hi Becca
Sounds as if you are doing really well. I came late to Gina ford with both my children - I started the routines from around 14 wks. I found it all too much to think about in the early weeks with a newborn. I had two big babies and they needed weaning at 4 months - milk just wasn't filling them up, and like yours they both started waking in the night for extra food. Once I started them on solids they seemed to fall in Gina's routines quite naturally. I found her routines and weaning advice invaluable actually as a guide - although the quantities weren't always accurate for me - both my children love their food!

charlieplus3 · 14/01/2004 14:15

hello all. My DS is 17 weeks and been doing Gina Ford for one week. Previosly to this he was sleeping through and now hes not. But gonna stick to it as i find hes not latched on all the time with her routine. Knackered though as hes constantly latched on at night. Is this just a comfort thing do you think?

squirmyworm · 15/01/2004 14:24

Hi there all - I'm new here so be gentle! I have to say that reading GF in my first week as a mum (12 weeks ago) I panicked a bit as it all seemed so rigid and scary and I couldn't imagine how I'd get this little person to cooperate and be drowsy at the right times! HOWEVER, I have followed the routines on and off and find that they do work...I think the trick is not to let them take over your life too much (otherwise you never go out or do anything) and I've found that even the bits in bold that say 'it is essential that you don't do this or that at this time' can be tinkered with and you can use your common sense to push sleep and feed times around a bit depending on what you are up to, what your baby is like on that particular day etc. I guess all babies are different but there were days for me when trying to stick to GF was just another stress when for eg all ds wanted to do was to feed all day...Having said that, the book really helped me especially at times when I felt he had become a bit unsettled and anxious and a few days on a slightly stricter regime seemed to help lots. All the best

charlieplus3 · 15/01/2004 20:15

Hi sq, i am not following the book word for word as yes it is a bit scarey and ridgid, But as a guideline fot times of feeds etc i find it usefull. DS still woke 3 times last night but i wouldnt feed him and he settled again after a few mins so im gonna try that again tonight.Who needs sleep anyway?????

Flip