Weaning advice

[IHateToCashew]

Please - don't flame me! I'm posting because I'm genuinely unsure what to do, and really need some guidance.

DS is 16 weeks tomorrow. For the last two months, he's been having 180-210ml every two hours, day and night. Even the HV seemed to think it was a huge amount for him to be having, but he seems to be starving. By the time we reach the two hour mark, he's screaming, guzzles it down, and then is content again for a bit. I've tried comforting him in other ways, but a feed seems to be the only thing that pacifies him.

So my question is, do you think 16 weeks is too early to start with baby rice/porridge and fruit/veg purées or something? He can nearly sit up unaided, and has good head control, so I don't think swallowing would be an issue. But he just seems so young I've heard about putting a scoop of baby rice in his feeds, or moving onto hungry baby milk. But I just don't know what's best for him.

I just want him to be happy and content.

Could I have a bit of advice please? The HV round here takes a couple of weeks to get back to you, and I don't have anyone else to ask for their opinion.

Sounds tough but nutritionally milk will have more calories than any solids at this stage. Rice in a bottle is a big no no - highly processed, no nutritional value and a significant choke risk. I know it’s a pain but two hrly feeding sounds pretty normal. Timing of weaning and the 26 week guidelines also reflect the level of gut development and readiness. The evidence base for hungry baby milk isn’t robust but anecdotally some people swear by it. Can cause constipation. I wonder if it’s a bit of a growth spurt?

Honestly it's a relief to hear it's normal! The HV implied he was absolutely unnatural to need 'that many feeds' I'll happily preserve with whatever is best for him!

I'd like to think a growth spurt, but feeding like for two months?

I think my posting here reveals my apprehension to give him anything other than milk I just don't feel like he's old enough, or ready, but I don't want to deprive him if that makes sense.

Is there milk left over in the bottle when you have finished feeding him? If not offer him some more and let him stop when he has had enough.

The guidance is that it’s best to wait until 26 weeks but in any event no earlier than 17 weeks. My baby is almost 26 weeks and seems fine still on milk even though they’re huge so I’m happy to wait but it is an acceptable decision to wean earlier I think, so long as not before 17 weeks. However as others have said, there aren’t many calories in mashed up veg etc so more milk may be best if truly hungry. I don’t know how ff works but my baby feeds every three hours roughly and I have other friends who babies feed every 90 mins. But is that how formula works or is there an amount you’re “meant” to give in formula and if so how much more is you’re baby having than that? What percentile are they measuring at?

I just mean with bf’ing you never know how much they’re getting so you just follow cues and feed as and when so it seems normal to me and if satisfied and not obese then keep in with milk? But really HV should be giving you advice not just saying that’s loads etc

I remember my DS1 at that point was a total guzzler, he was having 35-40oz a day and my HV told me that was too much. He was quite a fat thing, on reflection, but still followed his percentile line roughly.

We waited til 6mo to wean but he wasn't interested in food at all until he was about 12 months. He still just wanted milk. He is now a terrible eater (he's nearly 3) and quite skinny, so totally different to how he was when he was a baby.

I suppose my point is that even if you do introduce solids he might not want them and just because he's a guzzler now doesn't mean he'll be overweight. If you are happy to keep feeding often with milk then I would keep doing that, 6mo as a guideline is the advice for a reason and weaning early might not help anyway.

I would swap to hungry baby milk for a few more weeks and see how he goes. I had to with mine in the end and although it wasn't brilliant it did help.

210ml is only just over 7oz. Can you make him bigger bottles? Tommee tippee do 10oz bottles.

Is he in discomfort? Have you ever wondered about reflux? Reflux babies tend to overeat because it helps their pain but it causes more discomfort so they feed again so on and so on. Just musing here...

Mainly though, OP, please don't worry. There are always babies at the higher end of normal and some at the lower. Please don't over think it and make yourself anxious.

On the flip side, my DD is 19 weeks and is only on 5oz bottles. I have worried myself silly over this, panicking about under eating and dehydration but she's following her line so she knows what she needs. Sleep isn't one of those things but that's a whole other story 😂

Just try to relax. Make bigger bottles, if he's draining them offer more. Try hungry baby milk.

I once read something really helpful here on MN which said that if you were trying to lose weight you would eat the fruit and vegetables. They really do not offer sustenance to a baby. They are purely introduction of flavours. Milk is the best thing for him.

A bit off topic, I still think waiting til 6mo to wean is correct but I always find the 'milk has more calories than mashed vegetables' thing to be a bit misleading. It's not just about 'calories' when we're talking about 'hungry babies' surely? A mars bar has more calories than a bowl of lentil soup, but I know which one would keep me fuller for longer.

Thank you all so much for your replies lot less worried now!

Honestly the HV just made it sound like he was a total weirdo and said not to give him more than 150ml per feed which I've obviously ignored.

He's not overweight, he was just over 5 pounds at birth and seems to be following the 25th centile perfectly so god knows where he's putting it all I think I'll give the hungry baby milk a go, see what he makes of that.

He doesn't appear to be in any discomfort, never vomits, but I guess reflux could be the issue? Even though he does seem perfectly content after a feed.