Weaning early to help sleep through night?

[milkmummy1]

Hi
Just a quick question, hoping that people can give me their thoughts on this.
Friend's breastfed baby aged 19 weeks has started waking at night for feeds up to 4 times. Health visitor has said to wean to get him to sleep through.... baby is quite advanced, sitting on his own, showing other signs of being ready etc.
The guidelines are still to wean at 26 weeks right? do health visitors often tell you differently and judge each case by its own? is 19/20 weeks classed as really early or do lots of people do it... and should it help with sleeping?
Think she has tried to use formula but baby didnt seem to like it.

I was told to wean dd1 early by HV for the same reason (in those days it was ok to wean from 4 months) so i tried it and it made no difference what so ever. Dd1 woke 2-3 times a night until she was 4 years old . So i would say no, it doesn't make any difference.

HV really vary. The good ones will assess each baby individually, but unfortunately, there are many who just seem to put the same piece of advice forward regardless. It is quite possible that your friend's baby is having a growth spurt and will stop waking in the night in a couple of weeks. I would agree with Marne that feeding won't make any difference, but a lot of people try because being woken in the night to feed is really hard work.

There is something called the 'banana test' that I've read about, which helps to find if a baby is ready for weaning. It is something like, if they can sit up unsupported, reach for and pick up a bit of banana, then they are ready for weaning. You could probaby google it and find out more.

Yout friends baby sounds like he is having a growth spurt common at aroud 4 months. Weaning now wouldn't resolve that - pureed carrot doesn't contain many calories. Nice creamy milk does.

The HV sounds like she is giving outdated advice.