Early Weaning 10 weeks

[PandaSpaniel]

First off please don't shoot me.
I keep getting advised by people to give my DS a little baby rice, as he is BF and only sleeps between 1 or 2 hours between feeds at the moment.
He is putting on weight and is healthy around 11 lb 8oz at the mo.
My question is, is it harmful to give a couple of tea spoons of baby rice at this stage and would it help him sleep longer?
I occasionally give him a bottle of expressed Breast milk and he takes around 3 or 4 ounce.

I'm sorry to say it but I think you're in a growth spurt and the only way out is to feed him milk. Baby rice won't make a difference and you might end up being up all night with a baby with stomachache.

It won't last long. I felt it would last forever but looking back it was about 10 days.

Hang in there!

Yes it is harmful. Don't do it.

Baby's sleep patterns are normal for his age.

Baby rice may or may not make him sleep longer, but sleeping longer is not what he is developmentally designed to do yet, and forcing it risks his development as well as health.

I'm sorry about your sleep deprivation. It drives you crazy.

Weaning at 10 weeks would, I think, be really damaging to your baby's tummy & digestion. The NHS recommend 26 weeks, and doctors will only recommend you start earlier in special circumstances. Also, with my DD I couldn't wait for the holy grail of solids which I had hear would like a magic trick make her sleep for longer. It didn't. There are no magic wands I'm afraid

I think you should see your health visitor or GP and get your baby checked out for reflux, colic, tongue tie etc, to see if there's anything preventing DC from settling for longer. Worst comes to the worse I think introducing one bottle at night (might help sleep for longer and at least someone else could give it) would be less damaging than premature solids.

Yep more milk is what is needed. Baby rice will not help him sleep any longer at all. It may feel like it, but it does not last forever.
Good luck

At that age babie's bodies are not developed enough to digest anything but milk. You will end up with a 'sicky' baby and could damage his digestive system (advice from my HV)

Thank you, I know its not a good idea but nothing seems to help. I have tried giving him a bottle of hungry baby formula, he drank 4 ounce and was up 1 and a half hours later for another feed. I have tried giving him Breast milk in a bottle but he only takes around 4 ounce max. He is just hungry all the time and I am so tired I am going crazy.

He doesn't have colic or reflux, he is settled in between feeds, he just eats a lot

I can understand the temptation, I was at that stage not so long ago with DS. It's a growth spurt, ride it out with milk, and then before you know it you'll have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. I wouldn't give baby rice, your baby's body is not developed enough to deal with it and it will be a case of long term risks for short term gain, if indeed there is any gain

Do you know where your local breastfeeding support is? I'd really recommend that you go along and chat to a bfc about your concerns. It may be that he isn't latched on properly and so milk transfer is inefficient. Feeding 2hrly is still within the normal range for a baby of that age. Some babies are just more frequent feeders - as are some adults.

It sounds like a growth spurt. Have you tried co-sleeping?
DD 4 months sleeps with me all the time but I know with DS and DD1 I worried about doing this. I used to put a bed on the floor and sleep with DD1 through these hungry spells. That way she couldn't fall out, DH couldn't squash her, my instincts stopped me from squashing her and I could BF in the night without hardly even waking.

Assuming you've got the message, that early weaning is NOT the answer , I'd second the suggestion to have milk transfer double checked and then think of ways of riding it out if you truly do just have a hungry baby. DD was the same and fed at least 2 hourly until 8 months. Feeding lying down saved me as I just snoozed and relaxed. Ask for help with housework, cooking etc. If you express then bugger it all when somebody else gives the feed and go to bed. You can't change the needs of a tiny baby but you can change the way you handle it so that you don't go mad.

I am feeling so isolated at the moment. My partner is stressed out and is not being much help. I tend to go to bed at 8pm when my older DS goes to bed and take lil one with me. He is sleeping in a moses basket next to my bed but ends up in my bed most nights anyway as I BF lying down.

I keep asking my mum if she will have baby for a morning so I can get some sleep but she wont and she comes out with "Well I had two babies and only 18 month between you both and I coped".

Well as you can imagine I just feel worse that I am not coping at all. I think he is getting enough milk from breast feeding as when I express a bottle he doesn't do any longer between a feed.

Oh and my partner has taken to sleeping in my sons room so baby doesn't wake him up. I don't mind really as its not like he could breast feed so doesn't really matter but I do end up feeling a little resentful on occasions.

Baby rice is not the answer, if anything it might make your baby ill now or later and that will only make you lose more sleep. More milk is the only way. Have you tried feeding lying down? It made a massive difference to my levels of rest, once you find the right position you can snooze along. Also, if your baby can take a bottle, could you ask a friend to give her a feed while you catch up on some sleep? Your friend can watch a film along with the baby and you get a bit of rest.

If you really need to supplement with anything, give the baby formula, not baby rice. Though formula can mess up your supply so ideally, stick with breastmilk and get some real life support. Show her where the kettle is and go to bed...

x

Get your partner to wake up for one night feed with a bottle so you can sleep a bit more.

Okay, so when you feed - how do you feed.

Baby wants feeding so you offer breast right? When do you end the feed and how many sides does he take?

it sounds really hard Panda especially with another child to look after.

Do you have any friends who could take your older child for a few hours so you can 'sleep when baby sleeps'? sorry your mum is not helping, aside from refusing to take the children, which is obviously up to her entirely, the comments about coping must be infuriating.

Also, could your partner take both kids out for a few hours one weekend morning to give you a chance to rest? even 2-3 hours of sleep without baby present will make a difference I'm sure. Point out to him that he is getting sleep overnight, which you are not.

When you give baby the extra bottle of milk, is it you who feeds him? Could you get your partner to do that feed, and have a few hours sleep yourself then?

My DS was a very very hungry baby too, it was grim those first few months, we tried expressed bottles as well as extra bottles of formula a few times. Funnily enough, they made absolutely feck all difference to his sleep. He just grew and grew and grew though, and was such a chunk by 3 months, he was in 6-9 month clothes. He's 2.7 now and on the 50th centile for everything, so god knows why he wanted to bloat himself so much in the early days

it will get better soon, honestly :)

It is very hard but for my own experience of my last 3 babies and from on here, giving solids does in no way help a baby to sleep through sorry.

3 of mine woke every 2-3 hours for milk even when on 3 meals and snacks a day. I know how rubbish it is right now and it's so tempting to try anything just to get some rest.

What about expressing and getting your DH to do the first night feed so about 11pm that way if you feed at 8pm, go to bed at say 10, you can get a good 4 hours before the next feed. Would also second cosleeping and feeding lying down its what saved my sanity. It does get better.

Your mum sounds really mean and is looking back through rose tinted glasses unless she's super woman.
I have 3 DCs and it's hard work.
Have you tried a mums n babies group? Although it's hard actually getting you all up and dressed and out it's worth it when you get there. There are always lots of other mums in the same boat as you, lots of coffee/tea and biscuits and mums with older DCs love to steal your tiny baby for a cuddle, leaving you free to snooze drink your coffee. Also all the noise and action might distract your LO from being hungry for a while :)

like sweetkitty says, solids do not equal sleep. My 7 month old still wakes up several times through the night and helps herself as she's lying next to me.

I do feed him lying down and he tends to feed apx 10 mins on one side then pulls off himself and is content. He wont go back on even after winding and changing. I then offer the other side at the next feed. He seems to be getting plenty of milk as he is settled in between feeds and doesn't go any longer between feeds when given a bottle whether its formula or expressed milk.

mumnosbest my older son is 6 and at school so am up and out for the school run and I take lil one to baby massage and another couple of groups when I feel up to it.

I am really struggling talking to my partner right now as he seems very stressed and down so I don't want to add to his worries. He hardly gives baby a feed as I take baby upstairs to his bed around 8 as I think its important for him to know its bedtime. So my partner stays downstairs and assumes its easier for me to BF cos I tend to go to bed at 8 anyway

Do you always offer the other side even if he seems full?

It sounds like it's just the way he is. It's unfortunate but their tummies are so tiny at this age, you'll just have to wait it out. Often at 12/13 weeks there is a jump in development so you might find his feeding gets more efficient and he can go longer by then. (Your boobs tend to stop feeling full between feeds at around this time too - don't worry about this as it just means your body is synchronised up to his demand properly, so they only make milk when needed.)

For now just use every possible source of help or coping strategy you can - remember this too shall pass!

He will be safe in your bed, as long as you keep him away from pillows and duvets and make sure he can't roll out or into any gaps. Going to bed early is good (although depressing!) - again, this is only temporary. If your DH can look after your older DS in the mornings for a bit or at weekends so you can have an afternoon nap then so much the better. Is he not at nursery yet? Does he still have a daytime nap?

Panda, when he comes off one side, immediately offer the other. If he pulls off because he is tired of sucking the other side will be easier for him as the milk flow will be faster. It is also better for your supply and also speed of flow to get both sides sucked, even if for only a moment, with each feed.