6 months, weaning, sleep problems and constipation HELP!

[Jen1978]

My DS is 6.5 months and has been on 3 meals a day for the last 3 weeks (on the advice of my HV because of his poor sleep). He seems happy to eat the solids and did begin to sleep better but is now waking 2 or 3 times a night crying, sometimes we can settle him back to sleep but at 4am he sometimes screams in agony for about an hour, hELP! He hardly drinks any milk either these days, often only having 2 -3 oz per feed, but then he has always been a poor drinker which was another reason why the HV said to wean him. I am at my wits end not knowing what is best, he hardly drinks any milk yet doesn't drink water either, he oftne is constipated and now seems in pain in the night! Reading the other threads on similar topics I wonder if I should cut back on the solids, but don't want to take a nackwards step? Any ideas would be welcome, we are totally shattered and so frustrated!

[Drinkypops]

You can get them from John Lewis and I think the NCT

www.johnlewis.com/Search/Search.aspx?SearchTerm=doidy+cup&Offset=1&refined=0

[Jen1978]

Thanks yomellamohelly! He is formula fed, but have already tried different bottles, but will try a faster flow teat to see if that makes any difference.

[Jen1978]

Sorry to be thick but what is a doidy cup?!!

[Drinkypops]

Also try heating the water slightly, as my dd was used to having warm milk, so when I tried giving her cold water, she wasn't too impressed!

[Drinkypops]

I know, I used to walk round the room rocking her and trying to give her a bottle, which only ended up with a screaming baby and me with a dead arm! My dd had the tommee tippe cup and she just chewed on it, so I took the lid off and held it up to her mouth, the first few times she lapped the water like a cat, then she got the hang of drinking properly, it's when she decides she wants to hold it herself that it goes everywhere Try a doidy cup, they are really good.

[yomellamoHelly]

3 meals seems too much to me at his age. My ds2 is 11 months and still doesn't get 3 meals a day.

Personally I would go back to just milk for a couple of weeks before trying again with just one (simple) meal a day before bath time. If he's still alright with this after a few days I'd reintroduce lunch and then breakfast a few weeks later. At the first sign of trouble I'd backpedal for a little while. I'd also always give him a full milk feed first before offering the solids.

My ds2 has really struggled with weaning and it seems to be two steps forward and one back, but for the first year they should get everything they need from milk. Food is about first tastes, no more. Once he's grown some you'll wonder why you were in such a hurry. The key thing is that he keeps to his curve and is happy and active. It doesn't matter if he's on the 9th or 99th.

I'm wondering what form he gets his milk in. If you're bfing I'd say don't under-estimate how quickly they can get what they need from you. If it's formula maybe it's worth switching brand or experimenting with different bottles and/or teats to see if that goes down better.

Just enjoy your ds while he's little and don't feel pressurised to push him before he's ready. There's plenty of stuff on here about hvs and the nonsense they come up with.

[Jen1978]

Thanks Drinkypops! Yes, I am giving him water in a beaker but he doesn't seem to really get the hang of what to do with it, have tried several and have settled with the tommee tippee basic one, but he doesn't really suck on it, just chews it and then spits the water out! I am trying not to get stressed about it but it is sooooo hard.

[Jen1978]

He has always been a poor drinker! Was breast fed for 4 months (but after first 10 weeks had to move to expresing and giving in a bottle due to poor latch from a tongue tie that was eventually snipped), then moved to formula and has nenver taken big feeds, used to have 5-6 oz but now if he has 3 or 4 we are lucky. He has stuck to his centile so I get your point that he is obviously getting enough, and this is what the HV says, but I still worry - surely he should drink more than this? He has always been quite unsettled, especially at night and always very windy. Maybe it is all connected, I just don't know and thats the problem! Plus it doesn't help that ny HV is very old school and is about to retire and doesn't really seem to think any of it is a problem and I am sure she thinks I am a neurotic mother!

[Drinkypops]

My dd went through this stage, I was getting really stressed that she wouldn't have her milk. I now give her milk first and then offer her solid food about an hour later. She was really constipated too, she would not drink water or juice out of her bottle, I think to be honest that is why she went off her milk because I was trying to force the water (it was in the summer and I didn't want her to get dehydrated). I now give her water/juice in a doidy cup and she loves it! She knows when she has the cup it's for water and her bottle is for milk. I know it's hard, but I found not getting stressed about it really helps

[Habbibu]

What was he like about drinking before you started to wean? If he's stuck to his centile then it seems to me that he's been getting what he needs. Would rather you had a few people's advice before deciding, as I'm no expert, but I'd be tempted to just do breakfast and ditch the rest for a bit. Keep this bumped...

[Jen1978]

So should i cut out solids completely, or go back to two meals? DS seems to really like breakfast of porridge and lunch not normally a prob so maybe stop the tea time meal? Am desparate for him to drink more milk, no idea why he doesn't drink much, its always been a problem and my HV is usless and just says "oh he doesn't like milk"! Its usless and can't possibly be true, what baby doesn't like milk? Really worried that something is wrong and nobody is listening to me, should I be pushing for a peadiatrican referral? He is on the 9th percentile and always has been. Just wish I could get him to drink his milk!

[Habbibu]

At 6.5 months it's not a backwards step to cut back on solid food. A lot of HV advice on weaning is just plain bonkers and the solids/sleep stuff is just pox. Cut back, offer milk, try a little baby massage for his tummy and relax. There's no law, there's no "window", and some babies handle solid food quicker or slower than others.