15 weeks and ready to wean??

[lilybet85]

My little boy will be 16 weeks in 4 days time and for the last week has started waking in the middle of the night for a feed. He has been on formula from birth as he flat out refused breast milk, at around 8 weeks we had to put him on hungry baby milk as we were not able to fill him, he has also slept through the night since 8 weeks. He is now on 8 & 1/2 oz every 3 hours but cries for the next bottle after 2 & 1/2 hours, he has always got his hands in him mouth and also seems to be numming on thin air! I've been told the absolute earliest you can start weaning is 17 weeks, but feel terrible seeing him cry his heart out because he's hungry, is it ever ok to start early? Have contacted the HV but she made me feel and idiot for even asking, but gave no advice as how to satisfy my little boy. Just seems to be incredibly tricky.
What would other mums do in my situation? desperate for advice!

I would feed him in the night, this is a common age for a growth spurt and sleep regression.

Its too early to wean.

If he can sit up unaided, pick up food, put it in his mouth, chew and swallow then he's ready. This usually happens around 26 weeks but you are right that you should NEVER wean before 17 weeks. He will not be ready at 15 weeks.

Waking in the night, chewing their hands, mimicking chewing and watching you eat are NOT signs of hunger. It's developmental leaps, growth spurts and copying you. Chuck in teething, hands and mouths being sensitive and curiosity and it means nothing.

Guidelines here. They explain red herrings and real signs your baby is ready.

Of he is hungry after 2.5 hours feed him?

With milk.

He is waking in the night because he is hungry. Lots of them do. They need milk. At night. Not food in the day.

And if he is hungry in the day, feed him more.milk.

He is gumming his hands because thats what babies do.

He is still very very young. Babies do go through growth spurts at 16 weeks. They feed loads more just before a growth spurt - this is because if they were breastfeeding they would have to stimulate the breasts more just before a growth spurt to ensure the supply would increase.

I know sometimes babies can sleep through, but actually my DS only started sleeping through at 16-17 weeks for the first time. Some babies don't sleep through until they are over 1. Just becase a baby starts waking again it doesn't mean they need solids.

If he is very very hungry he just needs milk. They can't actually digest the calories in solids efficiently enough at this age - in fact they are not ready to be on just food and no breastmilk/formula until they are 1. This because until around 1 the solids they are having are not being digested efficiently enough to rely on them. So, if you give solids at 16 weeks, all you'll be doing is filling up his little stomach with empty stodge and leaving less room for the milk, which is high in fat and calories, and has added vitamins and minerals that he can more easily digest.

I know it's frustrating. Can you not fit more milk into the bottle? Feed him when he's hungry? It might well be that he actually knows what he needs and by grizzling early he is just hungry and going through a growth spurt?

Why don't you just feed him whenever he wants feeding?

PS As someone else said, if he wakes in the night hungry, then he needs feeding in the night still. It is quite normal for babies of this age to do that and not to be able to get through a long night before getting hungry. He's still really little and probably growing fast at the moment and he knows what his body needs, so he wakes for more food. Plus, feeding in the night means he'll probably be better in the day.

If he's hungry then feed him (milk)

I don't mean this as grumpily as it will read but just because you've decided to feed him at 3 hourly intervals it doesn't mean he won't be hungry or thirsty before that?

My 91st centile DS is 6 months old and some days still feeds every 2 hours, sometimes 3 and sometimes 4 and still feeds 3 times between 7pm and 7am yawn

Don't wean him this early, the guidelines are there for a reason. Such early weaning (17 weeks) is when recommended by a paediatrician if they have severe reflux or similar not because he can't go for 3 hours between feeds and wants a night feed.

Try feeding him at smaller intervals in the day and see if he's happier? TBH I would expect a baby that little to be feeding at night anyway.

You can only give fruit and veg before 6 months and there are more calories in his milk so food is not going to make him any less hungry anyway.

My SIL weaned at 19 weeks because of severe reflux and he wakes more for milk now than before.

Thank you for your advice ladies, was only making him wait 3 hours as that's what my HV told me to do, think I'm just gonna except he's a hungry baby and feed him when he wants it. Will put off weaning as long as possible, don't want to damage him , thank you again