Is 3 months too early to wean?

[May2000]

My baby girl is 3 months old and is having 6-9 oz every 2/3 hours ( having a 6oz then wanting more so she has another 3oz) she was taking 5oz every 2/3 hours HV said it’s normal as she was a bit small at birth and she might be ready to wean early.

I tried her with a little bit of banana porridge the other day and she loved it and was demanding more when I took it away as I was too scared that she was too young. Has anyone else’s baby been ready before 4 months if so what do you start them off with? Thank you x

They don’t advise 4 months.

It has been 6 months since about 2003 so about 20 years now.
Babies don’t need solid food at 4 months.

She was prescribed gaviscon at 2 weeks old but it didn’t help then switched her to anti reflux milk but she’s still the same. Thank you though x

My HV said 17 weeks is when they recommend which is just over 4 months

If she has screaming and being sick has the GP given you reflux meds?
It doesn’t sound like she is hungry but maybe the reflux is causing pain? X

Even if the HV said 17 weeks (which is not good advice), you've already started feeding her some food when she's a few weeks away from that though.

Your HV is wrong.

Have you read the NHS pages?

She’s been prescribed gaviscon but didn’t work so I switched her to anti reflux milk which still isn’t making a difference. I can tell she’s in pain when drinking her bottle but I just can’t do anything about it as I’ve been to GP numerous times they just keep telling me I’m over feeding and won’t let me say otherwise

How can you possibly know she was crying for more? She’s a 14 week old baby.
If you were having a glass of wine and the baby was crying for some, would you give her it? When she’s older (like 2, 3 years old) and she’s crying to have candy floss for dinner will you give it to her?

Anyway, as you say- you asked for advice, and you’ve been advised by many posters that it’s too early. So what are you going to do now?

Very genuinely if my baby was drinking 72oz of milk a day at 6 weeks I would assume there was something medically wrong with them and be seeking referrals!

What centile is your baby on?

17 weeks is not just over 4 months (a month has more than 4 weeks in it).

17 weeks is just under 4 months.

Is fine not to know everything as a first time mum, but it's hard to believe this is true.

There are great, easily accessible resources, including books, NHS website & other guides.

There is no way your GP or HV are telling you to wean. If your baby was a week or so under 6 months, that would be different.

If you were starting to wean, some puréed veg or fruit is good to start with, absolutely not processed food like banana porridge (they never need to have that).

OP as others have advised definitely see another GP for help with the reflux, she probably isn't actually hungry she's just drinking the milk to soothe the burning feeling of reflux.

There are other meds to try if gaviscon doesn't work, my son had to have Omeprazole and it was a complete game changer. As other posters have said ask the Dr about CMPA too. But definitely don't wean her this young.

Did the GP prescribe anti reflux milk? If it's CMPA then it won't help as it's still got milk protein in it. Go back and push further.

Like I said silly silly woman… women like you make other mums scared to ask for advice. Obviously I won’t be giving her a glass of wine 🤣. Like I said I gave her a few little bits whether it was the wrong thing or not I won’t be giving it her again

@May2000 All of my children have had reflux and the paediatrician has always recommended weaning from 4 1/2 months at the earliest.
Your little one sounds very similar to my DC in that they always seemed to be starving but it was milk soothing rather than milk hunger.

i would suggest you go back to your GP and ask about omeprazole or similar as your baby is probably getting comfort from the milk as it soothes the reflux burn initially before being refluxed back up and contributing to the problem.

Even if your baby is showing some of the appropriate weaning signs, her gut will not be ready and she will be more prone to food related issues.

No but since the gaviscon didn’t make much of a difference so I gave her anti reflux as I genuinely thought that was the problem until someone suggested that it could be CMPA I Will be changing my GP to see if I get somewhere

Okay thank you

So neither your GP or HV suggested CMPA but both suggested weaning her at 4 months? You need to change surgeries they sound incompetent.

It's 3 months too early

Why is it obvious you won’t be giving her a glass of wine if she cries for it? It is because you know it’s bad for her? It’s almost like you’re running headfirst into the point.

I just don’t understand why you would need to ask for advice on it when the official guidance is very clear.
Like- I’ve read the official guidance but I think I’m special and different so I’m going to ignore the guidance.
Then get pressed when people say err no actually, the guidance is there for a reason.

Thanks for the double personal attacks calling me a “silly silly woman” twice though. I haven’t called you any names.

Glad to hear you’re going to follow the guidance now. Enjoy your baby and don’t feel you have to rush onto each new stage.

Like I have said I was clearly following the wrong advice yes my HV said 17 weeks but she also said that it might be before that as she has seen my baby. Like I said I was clearly wrong and will not be doing it again

I went against the grain with weaning in that I did it at 4 and 5 months. I'm in the UK, was aware of the guidance, but also the guidance in the rest of Europe (mostly 4-6,m) along with research studies showing all increased risk of allergies if waiting until 6m. I also read a ridiculously long paper by the WHO on why they recommend 6m (note it has nothing to do with gut health, allergies or anything of particular importance in a developed country). In short, I was happy to start weaning 'early' in the hope of reducing allergy risk. But this was after a lot of research, my reading the back of a packet of baby food!

Also 4m really does need to be a minimum, so definitely don't push it further. And when you do introduce food it's a bad idea to start with things that are sweet.

Hang in there a bit longer.

@DramaAlpaca "Make of that what you will, OP. You're the mum, it's entirely your decision."

Please don't give such dangerous advice.

@May2000 The answer is absolutely not. Far, far too early. Just give her more milk.

Yes but I did not know it would be this bad for her. Like I said I was told the recommended age but I was also told that ‘baby will tell me when they are ready’ and ask for advice if I genuinely need it. I did not get ‘pressed’ because everyone was saying I was wrong I got the way I did because I felt like everyone was coming at me all at once

It was said that it’s neglect if I give it her any sooner. That was the reason why I felt personally attacked I’ve been told different things by professionals but the one thing that stayed the same was that they all said she will tell me when she’s ready

When my eldest was 3 months old she was eating everything, at the time it was the recommended age for weaning!
my middle child was a nightmare with milk, it wouldn’t fill her up but it would bloat her so we changed her to hungry baby milk

Thank you for the advice x