should i start already?

[tapan]

my boy's dropped a couple of centiles (he's 5 1/2 months). he's impossible to feed and is only drinking half his bottles at times over the last couple of days. he seems well otherwise apart from a bit of a snotty nose but nothing terrible. sleep is also terrible where before we had a bit of a routine going. have checked for teething but no obvious signs (he's been chewing on his fingers and dribbling since birth and there have been times he's done it much more than he does now). poos are normal.

what do you think?

I wouldn't, would wait the couple of weeks until he's six months. It's safer for him and easier for you. Any food that is suitable for a baby under six months is going to be less calorie dense than milk so isn't likely yo help with weight gain.

He's probably just preparing to make another developmental leap, both mine did the same at 5 1/2 months.

bump

anyone else?

I'd start weaning him - I don't think that two weeks makes much difference, and since you're having so much trouble with his milk feeds, introducing something simple like mashed banana or a baby biscuit might help.

If you do introduce solids now, I'd keep it to one or two things until he gets to six months, and then go straight into introducing a new food every couple of days or so.

New research doesn't entirely back up the guidelines (re certain foods), but obviously the guidelines are there for a reason. Science and knowledge is a continually evolving thing. Do what you feel is right for your baby.

I'd wait - the guidance is 6 months, it's only a couple of weeks away.

Here are a few extracts from www.kellymom.com on this

"Why delay solids?"

Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.

If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.

The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood. [links to more detail on this, on kellymom page linked to above]

Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.
Babies who start solids later can feed themselves and are not as likely to have allergic reactions to foods.

Does he sit up unaided? Has he lost the Tongue thrust? Try the banana test- put a banana in front of him, if he picks it up and starts eating then he's ready!

Personally I wouldn't worry about a couple of centiles. He may be off his food (i.e. milk) as he's had a cold. Milk (BF or FF) is way more nutritious than any of the other foods babies are weaned on to anyway.

There is no evidence that giving solids increases sleep, this is a myth.

Chewing on fingers can be a development stage or teething rather than a sign of hunger.

I wouldn't start weaning for any of the reasons you've given. You can't see inside him and see whether his gut is ready. You can however wait until the date that has been recommended by scientists after a lot of research.

he sits up on his own yep. well thanks for your replies have decided to give him random bits of suitable first foods to munch on/play with for the next two weeks before i launch into full on weaning when he's six months. changed his feeds a little too. and crossing fingers a lot.

Playing with food is what it's all about early on :) enjoy the mess!

lowrib - that article is aimed at breastfeeding mothers; there's little sense in quoting it for bottlefed babies (unless the bottles contain expressed breastmilk) because the gut of a FF baby is already changed by the artificial milk.

At 5 1/2 months if baby is sitting I wouldn't be worried about delaying further, however, I would not start altering milk feeds - your DS will naturally start dropping these as his solids intake improves.

Have you tried a faster teat? Mine got bored with slower flow and were much better again once I used fast flow teat.

I am really perplexed by what is meant to happen to a baby's gut on the morning they turn 6 months! Surely the gut developing is a gradual thing, and like any other developemental milestone in a baby, such as sitting up, rolling over, walking, depends on the baby, and will differ from one to another.

I agree we cannot see into a baby's gut to see if it is ready, but that is why the outward signs are there, just as we cannot see into a baby's back or legs to see if they are ready for sitting or walking, but the outward signs are there. Surely the 6 months should be a guideline only, with a mother's instinct and commonsense playing a part.

Also, is the 6 months from due date or actual birthdate - ie what happens if a baby is overdue?

And the point about FF - does formula make a baby's gut develop faster of slower?

I really don't think it is as simple as wait till six months and thats it!

I imagine his loss of appetite is related to his cold and his teething.

More calories in milk - so I would up that. But a couple of weeks early isn't the crime of the century - just don't worry if he's not very interested.

Flossie69 - I agree with you. Someone told me the other day that they'd been tempted to start 48 hours before baby turned 6 months but didn't because they couldn't cope with the guilt if he had allergies in the future.

Ludicrous.
Development isn't like a bloody cuckoo clock for gods sake.
Recent studies are also suggesting that it's the food itself that matures the gut. They are also showing that whilst not introducing things like wheat/dairy too early is beneficial introducing them too late is also dangerous as they will be likely to have a larger portion if they are older.
I would not worry about 2 weeks myself (I didn't worry about 2 months myself as it happens...).

Flossie69 - completely agree with you too!

I was determined to wait until 6 months with my (5 week early) dd, but after being a very good sleeper and not needing a feed in the night for over a month - she started waking up and wanting 200ml in the middle of the night! After nearly a week of this I decided to get on and wean her ... So I weaned her a whole 10 days early!

she was clearly hungry and after a week or so of solids when she was having a few teaspoons of baby rice and fruit she didn't need anymore feeds in the night.

I think you should rely on your own instincts as to whether your baby is hungry.
If you think he's feeding more in the night because he's genuinely hungrier, then go for it! good luck.