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Original poster

Weaning at 3 months - thoughts?

91 replies

Peppery123 · 12/01/2021 11:17

Just wondering
Both sets of parents and in-laws have advised me to do this as she is waking up every 2 hours in the night.
Also, the country where my partner is from they wean around 3-4 months. So just wondering if anyone has done it and their experience.

Was also sent this link by dhs sister who has also weaned her dd early -->www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/babies-fed-solids-earlier-sleep-better/

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bakingdemon · 12/01/2021 11:20

That would feel too early to me - can she sit up? Grasp things?

Wallabyone · 12/01/2021 11:21

I would not do this. Babies at that age are still tiny, they can't sit up, they have strong tongue thrust and it is totally normal for them to wake every couple of hours. Feeding them a bit of watered down baby rice or carrot purée is not going to improve their sleep, IMO.

4amWitchingHour · 12/01/2021 11:21

Waking up every 2 hours in the night is normal. In general, their gut is still too immature (although there may be exceptions), so just wait until 6 months.

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MonkeyPuddle · 12/01/2021 11:22

Nope.
Waking through the night is normal. Completely and utterly normal.
Weaning won’t stop waking.
If baby is hungry offer them boob or a bottle.

MaMaD1990 · 12/01/2021 11:26

I wouldn't recommend weaning this early. Babies developmentally aren't ready for it hence why they recommend 6 months plus. Waking in the night is normal and weaning won't do anything to help it.

NannyR · 12/01/2021 11:27

Formula or breastmilk has much more calories and nutrition than any of the foods you would feed a three month old, like baby rice and fruit and veg purees. Those foods would fill her up by filling her tummy with fibre, but she wouldn't be getting the milk she needs to grow and develop.

RaspberryCoulis · 12/01/2021 11:27

No way. Don't do it. Waking is normal through a growth spurt, they need more milk not solids (which are often lower in calories anyway).

OverTheRainbow88 · 12/01/2021 11:30

Giving food won’t help them sleep through. My 2 year old eats for England and still wakes up.

Ride out the bad sleep and give baby food when her gut is ready for it.

EasterIssland · 12/01/2021 11:36

do you think kids who eat solids sleep better? then why som adults have sleeping problems?
its way too early for their system to be weaned and you could damage it

not that the link you've posted they slept 17 mins more, not sure it's worth!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/

Original poster
Peppery123 · 12/01/2021 11:37

She can actually sit up. Her neck movement has been so strong from 2n a half months. hv seemed surprised and doctors/nurses. She does grab things but then drops them
Just having pressure on me from dp and his family as they say its "English guidlines and why are they all ok"
Actually its terrible as my sisters children all have food allergies who were weaned at 6 months. None of his family do so they loke to mention this.
Tbf my mum weaned us around 4 months as it was the norm in those days. So if anything I would wait for 4-5 months
I am just in 2 minds maybe to just let her taste something

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Alb1 · 12/01/2021 11:37

Waking every 2 hours is perfectly normal, weaning at that age is potentially dangerous and advised against in this country so I wouldn’t do it.

mynameiscalypso · 12/01/2021 11:40

Please don't; her stomach isn't ready for it yet. The very earliest to consider is 4/5 months on medical advice. It won't help sleep at all and is, frankly, a pain in the arse for the first few months. I understand what it's like when family are nagging you but please put the health of your baby first.

Ewentheawakesheep · 12/01/2021 11:40

Weaning does not improve sleep so no point doing it for that reason. It's also against NHS guidelines for good reason.

FelicityPike · 12/01/2021 11:40

“ So if anything I would wait for 4-5 months
I am just in 2 minds maybe to just let her taste something”

Absolutely crazy!

mynameiscalypso · 12/01/2021 11:47

I think it's also important to point out that it's good that your baby wakes every few hours - it's a protection method against SIDS. I know it's exhausting but 3/4 months is when the risk of SIDS is biggest so that fact that your baby is waking up every few hours is good and should be reassuring. The risk of SIDS will be higher if a baby sleeps really soundly/solidly.

SummerInSun · 12/01/2021 11:52

WHO advice is 6 months. I don't think you will find a single reputable health care professional in the U.K. these days who would say that any solids before 4 months is anything less than a terrible idea.

Babies wake up regularly through the night. That's what they do. Maybe a growth spurt. Also, are you giving her a few minutes to see if she settles back to sleep on her own before you pick her up? I remember a few times my baby waking up in the night, deciding I'd better go to the loo before I picked him up to feed him, and in the three minutes I'd be in the loo he was back to sleep. I realised then he was sometimes only half awake if he made noises in the night and it was me getting him up that woke him properly.

Santaiscovidfree · 12/01/2021 11:58

WHO guidelines trump old fashioned relatives op...
If they tried to insist your baby slept on it's tummy would you bend?
Night waking do not mean add solids....

Abouttimemum · 12/01/2021 12:04

You need to read the NHS guidelines which is quite clear that a baby having loads of milk or waking in the night does not mean it’s ready to wean.

BarbiesWorld · 12/01/2021 12:11

I hate to say it but DS is 11 months and obviously eatong 3 meals plus snacks (as well asbeing breastfed on demand) and he still wakes every 90 minutes through the night.

Weaning won't necessarily have any impact on sleep.

Terracottasaur · 12/01/2021 12:57

Waking through the night is normal at this stage - it isn’t a sign of a problem that needs fixed. I certainly wouldn’t wean yet unless you’ve discussed it with your GP or health visitor first.

Lockdownmummy · 12/01/2021 13:07

Even babies who are weaned early under medical supervision do not start until at least 17 weeks as their digestive system is just not ready.

This might be a good read
www.childrensnutrition.co.uk/full-blog/early-weaning

craftbeer · 12/01/2021 13:20

Pointless and developmentally normal to still be waking at night.

SamPoodle123 · 12/01/2021 13:21

Babies wake a lot at that age...dont wean too early as you could mess up the gut. And weaning early does not guarantee better sleep....

CeeceeBloomingdale · 12/01/2021 13:30

Completely against current advice and possibly can create medical issues later. A spoonful of squashed carrot will not make her sleep better than milk. It's very normal for babies to wake frequently at the age. I started weaning one of mine early at 5 months on medical advice, it made no difference to sleep. Her much larger sibling didn't have medical issues so started at 26 weeks as per the recommendations. Again it made no difference to sleep. Food is for fun, not calories between 6-12 months, calories come from milk.

Original poster
Peppery123 · 12/01/2021 13:52

Sorry didnt mean to dripfeed but the idea of weaning her early from family is not just because of the sleep, she is suffering from silent reflux and MIL swears that dh was the same when he was a baby. Apparently in and out of hospital as wasnt putting on weight, they gave him baby rice and was fine after that.
Iv heard some gps prescribe a thicker milk. She reacted badly to the gaviscon so havent given it her again

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