Slow weight gain - starting solids at 22 weeks?

[MummyKanny]

Hi all

DD is approaching 22 weeks and I'm tempted to start the weaning process. She is showing interest in food but not really sitting up with or without support. She was on the ninth centile but she has just dropped off it and her weight gain has slowed.

I would ask a health visitor but I have more chance of seeing Father Christmas around here. Has anyone had any experience of weaning to help with slow weight gain?

Thanks in advance!

For me, both of mine gained less weight for the first few months. Has your Lo dropped 2 centiles? If so, you need some RL support. Are you bfing or ffing? Whichever it is though, can you just offer more milk?

Have you read the Mn weaning pages too?

Also, until she is 6 months you can only give her fruit and veg. There is very little in that line that is going to be as calorific as her milk. The nhs recommend starting out on solids once a day, then moving to 3 meals between 8 and 9 months. So unless you offer her a calorie dense vegetable, like avocado once a day, which sounds like a huge faff, it is unlikely to make much difference.

Best stick with milk. I know its tempting I have been where you are.

Weaning doesn't increase calories like milk does and can begin to suppress appetite for milk. Before 6 months isn't high in calories as its fruit and veg only and it's very common for baby's to not gain fast or drop weight when being weaned.

If you dc has dropped over 2 centiles talk to your gp. My dd did this along with a few other symptoms and has been diagnosed CMPI. I'm not in any way saying there is something wrong but better to be sure.

Don't wean on the basis of weight alone as its likely to make the situation worse .

You could try it, it won't be harmful at that age. Just make sure you offer her milk first.

My dds both gained weight when they were weaned.

What Julie and Cupcake said

Thanks very much all. It's very tempting indeed to start her on solids because of her weight but you all make very good points.

She is grabbing at food (had to wrestle toast from her today) and watching us when we eat but I might just wait a little longer and offer her milk before solids.

I had no idea that babies could lose weight when being weaned.

Ive started feeding my dd fruit and vegetables at 21weeks on advice from paediatrician as shes on the 1st centile (if the line was shown on the chart!). Only offered it after breast feeding (ebf) and it doesnt seem to have affected her appetite for milk so far. shes loves a bit of banana and is a mix of curious and appalled by sweet potato and avocado.
milk should be the main source of calories at this stage and you have to be careful not to fill her up with solids, so only give after a feed. As a PP has said virtually the only food that contains more calories than breast milk is avocado. Im avoiding baby rice like the plague (despite heavy pressure from friends and family!) as it contains less calories and nutrients than bm and has a higher 'volume'.
If youre anything like me, you worry about weight and dread every weigh in, in case theres been a loss. Id really advise you to seek professional advice about early weaning but if you do start early, keep it small i.e. one 'meal' a day and only after milk. keep the food fun!
HTH

Loosing weight in a baby is very unusual and if a baby does lose weight, they need to be seen by a doctor pretty quickly. Has she dropped more than 2 centiles? How is her length centile?

However I think you might have meant not gained enough weight? And yes, once we introduced solids both of mine stopped gaining weight at the rate they had before.

If she is reaching for food, try to make sure she's had her usual milk before you eat and maybe give her a spoon and an empty bowl to play with while you eat.

Thanks again all. She has dropped one centile but not lost any weight. She is on the 98th centile for length. I think we'll leave it for now and re-assess in a couple of weeks' time.

Thanks for all the tips. The world of weaning is a foreign place!

That is quite a difference in her centiles, are you or her dad tall and skinny?

If you are bfing and worried, have a read of how might I increase my baby's weight gain?. I might also be worth going to a bfing support group for some reassurance.

If you are ffing, are you using first stage milk? Could she have an extra few ounces over the day?

Neither of us are particularly tall! DD is ff now and usually has between 160 - 200ml per feed around six times a day. I always make sure there is around 230 in the bottle in case she wants more but she has never had more than 200.

Not sure if this is relevant but DD has been rolling for a few weeks and "scrambles" when on her front as if trying to call. She never sits still so I wonder whether she is burning lots of energy.

I'm seeing a health visitor tomorrow so will see if they can shed any light.

It does sound fine and she could just be like that, especially if she was born tall and skinny. Sounds like you are doing everything you can

I hope so! Thank you very much for your help

Hope everything goes ok with the HV tomorrow Kanny