Want to wait to BLW but DS is starving!

[JAMW]

DS is 17 weeks and currently breastfed. I posted on here when he was 14 weeks because I was physically exhausted from feeding him and wanted to start weaning - I was advised by posters and the HV to give him formula if i couldn't cope. So now he has one bottle at night that sees him from 11pm to 3am. Other than that he has hourly feeds, big hourly feeds!
I really love the idea of BLW but he is too young to pick anything up and explore himself, so gets frustrated seeing others eat and screams the place down. We go out for dinner a lot and have had to stop now because he makes such a scene. We've got a supportive high chair that we put him in with a bit of food to play with but he's too small to pick it up!
He is a big boy, was born 8lb3oz and is now over 17lbs, sits up well and is very strong (rolled over at 14 weeks!) he sucks his fists and has to either be on our laps when we're eating so he can see the food, or has to go into another room as he has a fit when we eat!
I've tried feeding him prior to our meals to keep him content but even with hourly feeds hes gone from a happy baby to starving over the past few week and just cries all the time because he's so hungry!
Has anyone else been in the same situation? Wanting to BLW but had a DC who is too hungry to feed themselves? My mum said to fill him up with baby rice until he's ready to wean himself, but this is old fashioned advice! Please help!

He's 17 wks so no harm in trying some purees. Baby rice is a controversial one. Have you heard of annabel karmel? All the mums I know who cooks their own purees follow her book. She advocates you do root veg, apples, pears and bananas first. Baby rice is to thicken purees up.

You probably know he can't have finger or lumpy foods until he can sit up properly or it's a chocking hazard as he won't be able to cough back up food that got stuck.

This is a link to her book. Btw don't expect weaning to solve you hungry baby problem. He might be grumpy for all sorts of reason. But if it will put your mind at ease try it. Just remember don't force feed him. If he wants to eat he will open his mouth like a little bird. And he will swallow. You will see a lot of posts here saying why my baby pushes out all the food with his tongue. That's the tongue thrust reflex to protect them from solids and toys harming them.

Hi OP, I don't really know what to suggest as I weaned at 23 weeks, but could this be a growth spurt? Or could there be another reason why he behaves like he does, are you sure it's hunger? Do you think he might be teething and he finds BF comforting? DS cut his first tooth at 19 weeks and was sucking his fingers and his fist all the time the couple of weeks before.

You can start doing purees, but I just don't know how filling these would be, they can't have much before 6 months and what they can have doesn't have many calories. With regards to the baby rice, in big amounts it can cause constipation...so do bananas.Tricky one, you must be exhausted from the hourly feeds. I hope someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

JAMW have every sympathy as this is exactly the same as my DS was at that age.

The advice then was to wean at 4 months and we started him off on purees and baby rice. Really sorry but our experience was this actually made him worse. I think this is because the rice and purees contain a lot less calories than your bm plus as the gut hasn't matured properly at this age many babies who are given solid food get indigestion and wake more than they were before.

Hourly feeds must be exhausting though. When he feeds does it look anything like ? Have you read this? Have you spoken to a BFC about wanting to wean or how to make his gaps between feeds longer?

It's probably worthwhile posting in the bottle and breast section and ask how to make his gaps longer.

At the moment though you are doing everything right. All he really needs is milk, its more calorific and nutrious than the food and will fill him up more.

There is some good information on weaning here .

JAMW he is due for a leap in his mental development soon which can affect behaviour, feeding and sleep. Have a look here.

Babies often have a growth spurt at this age too.

Do you go along to a Bfing Support Group? Just wondered if they had given you any advice on the hourly feeding and weaning? it might also be worth going along to your local LLL as they sometimes have talks on weaning.

I don't have any advice I'm afraid. I'm just marking my place as my little one is 15 weeks and is the same. It's not quite hourly feeds but not far off. I'm assuming it's teeth and the breast feeding is for comfort, but I'm interested to see what others think.
Fingers crossed we get some good advice!

ICan, it could well be teething that is causing the frequent feeding, your instincts seem spot on. You could try a teething gel, like Dentinox, to ease the soreness and pain or ibruprofen if it gets worse.

That is a very impressive claim too .

Have you tried posting in 'breast and bottle feeding'?
There is a growth spurt at about 4 months and typically babies appetite goes through the roof.
And its true - there isn't many things that you can give at 4 months that are as full of calories as milk.

I am reminded of a friend of mine who was really struggling at 4 months. She said she felt run down, kept crying for no reason etc so she started weaning her little boy. My friend is tall and thin - she has a lovely figure, like a model even 4 months after giving birth. She says she often forgets to eat all day because she is so busy.
I suspect that if she had a diet like mine she may have found it a bit easier.

I know there are dietary supplements you can take to help breastfeeding. Someone on the 'breast and bottle feeding' board my be able to reccomend something. Oh, oats are supposed to be good - porridge, flapjacks etc.
I found mars bars good :)