Help - don't know where to start !

[beaufies]

My DS is 21 weeks, and I have been given the OK by the HV to start weaning (already 18lbs, with teeth and waking every 2 hrs for feeding at night !!!)

My problem is, I don't know where to start. I've bought all the kit and an Annabel Karmel (?) but it doesn't seem to be basic enough for a sleep deprived, complete novice as me and I'm keen to get it right as soon as poss as I need some sleep

What is best to start on ? Root veg or baby rice ? What consistency ? Just slightly thicker than milk or stodgy ? How much is a portion ? IS there anything else I need to know ?

Thanks everso in anticipation

I'd wait until 6 months as per the NHS advice, I wouldn't just go on night feeding frequency as an indicator for readiness for solids. Babies are ready when they are sitting unaided and have lost the tongue thrust.

I didn't follow annabel karmel but did (with DS) 'baby-led weaning' instead from 6 months - self-feeding from the start with no purees or baby rice. It was a great success and I would definitely recommend it.

I would wait till 6 months as WHO guidleines
and then just serve up little servings of what you are having

Don't start yet - he is too young. Wait til 26 weeks.

And please don't be disappointed if it makes absolutely no difference to sleep at all - milk has more calories than pureed vegetables!

I forgot to add it is not a magic way to get your baby to sleep - studies have found that it bears no influence on sleep.

I also agree that night wakings have no bearing on readiness to wean
milk has more calories than any solid food

gecko was BLWeaned at 6 months loves her food and still wakes evry two to three hours

try not to hang everything on weaning onto solids
try to think of it as introducing your little baby to lots of lovely tastes and a lifetime of food enjoyment

so no pressure, let him feed himself

OK well I'm going to answer you actual questions... Best to start on a little bit of pear puree boil it or zap it in the microwave then add water or baby milk and blitz it until it's the consistency of runny yoghurt (trying to think of a better example but can't )... Then you can do the same for sweet potato but go very slowly... ie stick to the same thing for a few days so that if there's a reaction you know what's caused it.

Make sure you give the mush within an hour after milk and just give as much as he'll take... unless he hasn't got a 'full' switch like my daughter in which case you'll need to decide how much you think is enough... Good luck

You know you if you wait until 26 weeks (which your dippy HV SHOULD have advised) you can give exactly what you have, provided it isn't processed crap or too salty.

I also went through a really bad patch with my 2 at around the 5 months mark. Think now they both had growth spurts. Ds1 was already a month into being weaned (as per advice then). With ds2 we just rode it out. No difference.

Thank you Becky 77

As for all the other comments, I don't mean to be rude, but I have tried everything humanly possible to avoid this and it was only after weeks of discussion and consideration that the HV has reluctantly suggested this.

I haven't got time to go through the potted history of my DS feeding/sleeping issues but it has been a trial and something has to change.

Therefore, please can I respectfully ask that unless, like Becky 77, you can provide some answers to my questions that you pass on by this thread. I'm not stupid. I know what SHOULD happen, and don't need to be told.

Thankyou

I just don't want you to think that solids will mean more sleep - because it would be hideously disappointing for you if it doesn't work. And honestly, it doesn't.

And starting solids early may well cause more digestive problems and wind and constipation and other things that might actually make sleep worse.

personally i'm afraid we're getting less sleep since solids, it really isnt the answer to sleep

If you've decided to wean now, and know all the ins and outs (the MN guide on weaning is very funny and brilliant!) then that's fine. You know your own situation.

I'm just starting weaning with my son, we started around the 5 and a half month mark, or a bit after. Pear is good, I'd second that. Or mild eating apples, e.g golden delicious, boiled for a bit til soft, and then blended with some of the cooking water. You can mix up baby rice with some of baby's usual milk and then add the puree, this often goes down better. Then reduce amount of baby rice til they are just eating pure fruit or veg.

Things I have found with my puree fed baby:

The food has to be warm, and it has to be smooth and not to thick. I'm now thickening the purees after 3 weeks and he seems to be enjoying them.

I hope whatever you decide things go well, try not to be devastated if weaning doesn't provide the sleep you crave, and remember you WILL sleep all night sometime soon. Hang in there

Beautifies - can I suggest you copy and paste the post you made on the puree thread here? I think it explains much better why you're making the decision you have.

oops - beaufies! - sorry.

Yeah, I agree - just read your other post, huge sympathies to you. It sounds like you've had a rough ride.
x

Thanks Habbibu and cheerful. Here is my expanatory post from the puree thread which may put my decision into context.

I have already tried upping the milk feeds during the day. The problem is he is combination breast/formula fed and over the weeks I have tried incresing my milk supply and/or giving him more formula.

I tried everything to increase my supply. I went to breast feeding clinics, expressed every time he fed, took fennel and fenugreek, you name it I tried it but all I could do was maintain the proprotion he was having as his appetite continued to grow. When I've tried introducing more formula he decided that he wasn't going to have any at all and his formula strike lasted for a week, which was hellish. This has happened twice.

The other problem is that he won't take much milk at each feed. When he has a breast feed he will only take one side, and when having a formula feed he will only have between 100 and 160 mls max. This is irrespective of how long it's been since his last feed. Last thing and during the night I'm desperate for him to have a big feed, but it just doesn't happen.

I really haven't just taken the easy option, I've treid everything possible to avoid having to do this (my intention was always to exclusively breast feed for the first 6 months)but sadly it seems that some babies and some mums just can't be accommodated by NHS schedules.

I'll willingly try something else, if anyone has any suggestions but I really do feel that we have reached the end of the road

awh, beaufies really sorry to hear that it's been rough for you. maybe he is just interested in different tastes?

ds is only 24 weeks but he's started on purees and some finger foods and he loves them! he's been trying to eat off our plates and took to the foods straight away when we gave them to him. we started on pears (cooked and then pureed with the processor), sweet potatoes (roasted and then mashed through a sieve), some carrot sticks that we microwaved in some water and then cooled off for him to munch on, and mashed banana with breastmilk and baby rice.

don't listen (read?) to others who are giving you grief about this. you know your baby best.

I started mine on 1/2 a banana mushed with a spoon of baby rice and some milk. He had that once a day for 2 weeks or so. then i introduced anoother meal of savory, some sweet potato, carrot, potato etc with milk. now he has 3 meals plus milk which are based round weetabix for breakfast, (half is enough) fruit like banana, stewed apple or stewaed pear for lunch, and a savoury dinner. he'll eat most veg mashed a bit, I never pueed anything, just cook well. he also loves avocado and will eat it straight from the skin to the spoon.
i also weaned before 6 months btw. hth