Help ! weaning - how much to give

[colette]

My 4 mnth old has started on solids (baby rice ) 1 week ago. I am really unsure as to how much I can give him. The books say 1-2teaspoons once a day to start with. He would like at least 4 times that amount 2 or 3 times a day .
First of all I tried as per the books and he was unsettled and didn't sleep. I felt he was still hungry so I increased the amount to suit his appetite- that night his stomach gurgled a lot he didn't sleep well and he did a very lquid ,wind powered nappy!
So yesterday as the sleep deprivation really kicked in I gave him 2 moderate feeds and he was awake half the night and I breastfed him twice.
Dd was so easy and I did it all very gradually , she did not have the dodgy stomach he sometimes has. Are you supposed to feed until they refuse? (I don't know if he would refuse any)
I am also finding it hard to express milk to mix with it - I think it is because I am so tired. I have used cooled boiled water to mix with the baby rice. Sorry about the ramble I am getting a bit demented- any advice welcome.

If he's unsettled by the rice perhaps his system is not ready yet. Is he really hungry for it or could you go back to milk, settle his stomach again and try again in a few weeks time ? Otherwise how about skipping the cereal for now and going straight to veg and see if it makes a difference.

Thanks for your reply lizs. I am having trouble getting online this morning
I think he is hungry and milk is no longer enough ,it took me a while to twig what was wrong with him as dd didn't start solids until nearly 6mnths old.I was hoping to do the same with him if poss.
I am not sure it is the rice but I could try going straight to a veg what's the easiest veg to digest. He has always had green/windy nappies (sorry to be so graphic)

Help!!!!!!!
No sleep ,any more advice welcome. Feeling absolutely desperate to stop him being hungry without unsettling his tummy

Colette - 4 months is not very old to wean.... he may not be ready!
Increase breastmilk and ANYWAY breastmilk has more calories than any solids you can give him at this stage.
Why did you wean him now ? Most breastfed babies can wait much later ?

Pupuce
He was unsettled all the time ,fist in his mouth, drooling , watching us eat. He had a personality transplant- now he has his happy sunny self back at least for the day. I feed him more often as well. I would go back to just b/f because I hadn't wanted to wean him yet but it isn't enough for him.
Do you think I should try increasing the b/feeds even more. I am b/feeding him twice (at least ) a night as well .
Thanks for answering

I am intested that b/f has more calories also I forgot to mention he is 16lb and wolfs baby rice down and then cries for more.

At 4 months most babies become unsettled at night again. Can you increase breastfeeds in the day ?
Regardless of the solids he does seem like he needs more milk. How many BF does he actually have between 7 and 7?

I would stick to baby rice but increase it slowly to allow his stomach to adapt to it. I began weaning at four months and took it slowly which was frustrating as ds would have eaten much more than I let him. Each baby is different and it is fine to begin weaning now if you feel he is ready.

Are you sure he isn't crying after feeds becuase of indigestion rather then hunger?

Colette if you go here and choose
Weaning onto solid foods you might find information useful

Thanks for your replies
Mimm the indigestion makes sense
Pupuce I think I give him about 6 feeds but since he has had baby rice it has probably decreased and the night feeds have started again . Thanks for the link I will look at the website but I am off to feed him now. Today I think I will try and b/feed him as much as poss and not give any rice at all.

Colette - you may be suffering from worrying that you have a 'big hungry boy' and therefore convincing yourself your milk is not enough. It IS, honestly. Try offering him more frequent feeds during the day so that he is not looking for his milk during the night. That is not to say he still won't wake for a few nights though. Your milk supply will adjust to his demand for it.Solids really aren't necessary just now.

Colette - you probably know that guidelines are now that babies should have breastmilk exclusively until 6 months where possible. My baby started getting a bit more unsettled at around 17 weeks (waking up twice a night again for example), but settled down again after a few weeks. So I can see how alot of people think their baby is "ready" for solids at around this time. But as Mears says, your milk is enough for him. (My baby is very heavy too, btw). Hope this helps.

thanks Rosy and Mears
I am just b/f at the moment . Hv thinks he may have a stomach virus - he is a bit snuffly so it is possible , he is waking every 2 - 3 hrs at night and I am tired
I will leave it a while anyway and will do it more gradually. Hv said try veg next week but I will try and last out.