my 5 month old won't eat!

[nappynovice]

I'm nearly at the end of my tether. My 5 month old has been exclusively breast fed and refused to take a bottle even for the occasional feed so my HV advised me to start weaning at 4 months. She refuses to open her mouth for any solid food, I've tried baby rice, porridge and various fruit and vegetable purees to no avail. She has also started refusing breast feeds. She isn't sleeping more than 3 hours at night and is screaming right now. I don't know what to do and my HV is useless so I can't speak to her.
Sorry for the rant but I just don't know what to do.

I would leave it for another few weeks tbh
You could try baby led weaning then - just offer small bits of whatever you are eating
Spooning purees in can be very hard work , especially when your baby doesn't sound ready just yet
Ignore the hv and just up the milk feeds

tbh i'd stop trying to wean her, sit down with her and have a day relaxing. just BF'ing her.

does she have a bit of wind at the mo? possibly she's tired?

I'd say she's not ready for weaning yet thou - or at least give it a rest for a few days.

If she wont open her mouth then she is NOT ready.Your HV is a bloody idiot!!

Continue to offer breast feeds she won't stave herself.

It's perfectly normal for a 4 month baby to only sleep 3 hours.

Try to relax

Sorry 5 month baby.

take her out for lots of fresh air that will help her sleep
Do you go to any groups? just sitting with a cup of tea chatting to other people in the same situatuon will make things seem more bearable

Thanks, I don't think she's ready either as she wasn't showing any other signs of wanting more food. I just wondered if the reason she's waking up all the time is because she's hungry?

FGS starve

If she is waking up because she's hungry just up the feeds if you can.
breast milk is more calorific than any food you can try and give her.

I would echo what the others have said. If your lo was happy ex b/f then carry on! My ds 1 was weaned at 15 weeks (as per the guildines then 16 weeks) and he reached out and grabbed a sandwhich and put it in his mouth. Ds 2 on the other hand really wasn't that interested until 25 ish weeks and really didn't 'get' food until much later.

Follow your baby and trust your instincts, you know far more than you think you do!

I'll definitely try upping the b/f. Tried that yesterday and she did take it but still woke up every 3 hours. Am sure its normal but i am blooming knackered!
I agree that HV is an idiot: all she did was give me 2 leaflets on weaning and left me to get on with it.
Thanks for all yr advice.

hopefully this is a growth spurt and will be over soon

Could she e teething? my ds started around then, and i found the Ashton and Parson's powders very useful!

I love the logic of the HV - baby won't take a bottle (presumably of formula) so must be weaned instead. Excl. bfing is apparently not enough.

Where does the NHS find these numpties?

To the OP, as the others have said, just up the milk feeds. You're doing really well to continue bfing despite having a brain donor for an HV.

You should complain imo, you're obviously intelligent enough to see through the bulls*§t but others may take her word as gospel.

Thanks everyone, feeling a lot better now that i've got a plan!