Been advised to start weaning at 17 weeks, but no idea where to start?

[devon_91x]

I know alot of people on here are very opinionated when it comes to early weaning, which is fine, but negatives or judgementals comments are not needed, just looking for advice, im a first time mum and have no idea about weaning.

My LO suffers from terrible reflux. I have tried everything but nothings helps. Even the doctors and peditricans don't know what else to do, so have advised i start weaning once she turns 17 weeks (she is 14 weeks atm) She is on anti reflux milk which has helped with the sickness but she is still constantly in pain and im beyond breaking point

I was going to start by just giving her breakfast in the morning (Ellas Kitchen baby porridge) obviously mixed with her formula. The packet says 1 spoon of porridge with 5 spoons of formula, but does this mean tablespoon or teaspoon? I dont want to give her too much and make her sick!

Also unsure as to what time to give it to her? Atm she has a 7oz bottle every 4hrs, but she doesn't have it at the same time every day, it depends on when she wakes. For example, she usually has her first bottle of the day at 7am. Would i replace this bottle with the cereal? Or give the bottle first then cereal after? Im so confused as to when to give it and how long i should leave it between cereal and bottle

Also sometimes she wakes around 4-5 for a bottle, so in that case she wouldnt have another until 8-9. So does it all depend on what time she has a night feed? Or is it easier if i give her the cereal as lunch instead of breakfast?

If anyone could just give me an example of how they started weaning that would be great as i think i am just getting more confused that needed!

 

[Bunnikins]

I weaned my baby early cos she was hungry all the time, and so far its gone well (ignore all the people on here trying to make out that we are doing something terrible, we arent! If theyre not ready, they wont eat it.. simple as!)

I started off by giving her baby porridge. I think the one i have is called organix or something, but i got it cos it was suitable from 4 months and was banana flavour (i knew she liked banana cos she had tasted one when i wasnt looking!). I gave her the porridge mid-afternoon about half an hour after a bottle, so she wasnt starving. The mistakes i made on her first attempt at eating was that i didnt put a big enough bib on (it went everywhere!), and i mixed up what it said on the side of the pack which was 2 tablespoons of porridge to 6 tablespoons of milk. This made WAY too much porridge! I now make it with 1 dessertspoon of porridge and approx 2oz of milk (enough to make it quite runny). She has also had mashed pear, which she loves.

Good luck! I hope your baby likes eating

 

[Celesse]

my 4 month weaning attempts with a refluxy baby resulted in a LOT of projectile vomiting and me opting to wait a bit longer.

First thing she kept down was pureed pears. Pear is very gentle on the tummy. I started with 1 ice cube worth and increased the amount once she didn't immediately throw it back up.

 

[Sparkle2]

We do two teaspoons of baby rice to three of formula. It doesn't really matter- just make the consistency you think they will like best - mine likes it quite smooth. You can't give too much- if they have had enough they will let you know - same as milk.
We do baby rice in the morning at breakfast, followed by her bottle to "wash it down". We then do dinner baby rice for her dinner, (feed before last bottle of the day) with her dinner bottle. This seems to work for us. It all sounds daunting- and confusing! But it's just something that "works out". Listen to your baby- they will let you know. Xxx

 

[Laucu]

It is completely and utterly daunting when you start, isn't it.

Just mix the porridge to the consistency you think she'll prefer. As for the amount, she will soon let you know when she's had enough -- once you've done it a few times you'll get to learn how much to make.

I found the Annabel Karmel book really useful for those first few months - do pick up a copy if you can. It has recipes (most of which are good) and meal planners...whilst I didn't follow the meal planner's recipes, it did really help me to know what time to introduce meals.

Good luck x

 

[bubbles123]

I start with solids after the 11am feed. I give half her feed before solids and half after and then gradually cut down the amount of milk (don't do this before 6 months) to encourage the solids. I start with this meal as it is then easier to turn this feed into lunch at 12 noon once they are 6 months plus and can drop the milk feed and have a snack instead. I then introduce dinner at 5, with a full feed at 3pm and 7pm. The last meal I introduce is breakfast which I serve at 9am after a full milk feed at 7am. This leaves you with 3 meals and 3 full milk feeds by 6 months plus. As you are starting at 4 months, I'd start with the mid morning feed at 11ish and give half the milk feed, solids and then the rest of the milk. After a a few weeks or so try offering solids at tea time (5 ish) then lastly offer breakfast at 6 months ish.

 

[overcomer79]

Teaspoons. I don't do straight rice tho. I do with apples or something.

 

[NickyKB]

It's terrifying when you start out isn't it as there are so many things which seem like rules after a bit though you learn to go with your baby and they'll let you know what's what!

Re: porridge spoon size - it actually doesn't matter they're just letting you know what proportion of milk to porridge it should be. so you can use any size spoon just use the same one for the milk and the porridge when you're measuring it out if you want a small portion use a teaspoon, dessertspoon for bigger and so on. I actually found that the amounts they put on the box made it way too runny I now just heat some milk and pour the porridge on top and stir it in and keep adding a bit more until it looks the right consistency.

Start with 1 meal a day (probably lunch as it's easiest) I do milk before meals but if you find your LO is just not taking any solid at all you can do either a split feed (half milk then solid then end of milk) or try solid first. Just see how you LO goes.

To begin with they don't take that much solid so I would do your milk feeds however you're diong them now and just fit in the lunch solid at a handy point.

Fine to start with porridge or rice my LO really wasn't fussed for rice he much preferred pureed veg/fruit and so I changed to this after a couple of days. I think someone has mentioned annabel karmel I've found her books really helpful for giving recipe ideas along with clear straightforward information about what they can have when.

HTH x

PS My LO also had reflux (was on gaviscon and ranitidine), since weaning he's doing really well with reflux things and I'm now slowly stopping all his meds today is hopefully his last day on ranitidine!

 

[readytotry]

Make sure you read the ingredients to check for gluten/wheat and dairy as a few naughty companies label food 4 months when the current guidance is not until 6 months+.

 

[devon_91x]

Thanks ladies, a bit clued up now but its still very daunting! So if she is feeding every 4 hours, for example, 7-11-3, should i give her a bottle at 7, then maybe solids at 10? Then another bottle at 11? I find it really hard to get hunger ques from her as sometimes she seems really hungry and shes is crying but then she wont take a bottle. Sometimes she can even go 5-6 hours between a feed! I do have the HV coming to see me about her feeding issues next week so i will ask her then, its just so scary at first, i guess its kinda just trial and error really?

 

[annanouska]

depending on your HV tbh i wouldnt bother telling her. i told mine and she had a real stern talk with me and suggested i go on a parenting course!!! some HV are more helpful than others.

I would go with 30 mins before the bottle is due buthtat doesnt work for everyone. the reason i do it htat way is too hungry-he wont eat, too full-he wont eat but if i do it inbetween feeds he then decides he wants milk!

only thing i would say with the porridge is it can fill them up a lot so if she drops too much milk i would try the fruits/veg. ellas kitchen do some pouches which you can freeze in pots too so if you are doing little tasters they are good as then you are not making huge lots they dont like.

we tried at 17 1/2 weeks but he didnt take too well really but by 20 weeks he is a lot better so see how you do xxx