Call me mad but I WANT to wean him now

[Miss406]

A bit of history:
Was born June this year, 3 days early weighing 7lb 14.5oz.
Aged 6-7 weeks I gave up EBF. He has a very healthy appetite - I honestly couldn't keep up with demand. It started off as a FF at night so he'd sleep though, then it was every other feed was FF just to satisfy him.

Anyway, he is now 4 months exactly today.

He is feeding 8oz every 2 hours during the day and at night time he is having at least 14oz before bed.
I had him weighed last week and he has gone UP the centiles. He's jumped even the next line up. He is a very chunky baby. We are already at 17lb + and in size 4 nappies.

On average he has 4 dirty nappies a day, plus lots of wee wees in-between.

I am all for BLW, but I genuinely feel he NEEDS it now. He is so hungry at times he tries to eat his hand, my fingers - what ever is near him. I do believe he is teething too. He has lots of dribble.

Would I be a terrible Mother for trying to introduce some solids now? Just some baby rice etc?

I asked the health visitor when he was weighed last week and she said to wait until he is 6 months old - as his Mother I personally feel he is ready.

What do you think?

 

[missk1989]

I would say definitley not. Their digestive systems can not handle it at 4 months and research show it can lead to problems such as IBS.
There is a massive growth spurt at 4 months so he is bound to be eating more but this is not a sign he is ready for food, nor is him chewing his hands.
Being able to sit upright is a hugely important factor as without this it is a potential choking hazard. You also need to wait until his tongue reflux has disappeared or he will just keep pushing it back out anyway.
If you decide to go ahead and start solids i would skip baby rice as it is foul and has no nutritional value at all.

 

[missk1989]

Forgot to add, although the first few days are exciting, it soon wears off and the reality can be quite frustrating and very messy. I would stick to milk for as long as I could. Much less hassle!

 

[Miss406]

That makes a lot of sense actually!
Just can't help but feel I am neglecting him and making him go hungry

Thanks for your advice x

 

[justplay91]

My son's pediatrician said we would be starting him on rice cereal at four months. But I have read that it has no nutritional value and is just empty calories... So I'm not sure what I'll be doing.

 

[liz1985]

Being super hungry and drinking a lot of milk isnt really a sign they are ready to be weaned, so you don't need to feel bad about not giving him food. The need to be able to sit, or at least sit will when supported, have lost their tongue thrust, be able to pick up an object and take it to their mouth. Im not a 6 month on the dot person, i weaned both mine a little early at 5.5 months, but i do believe in research that shows why waiting till 6m is better, so i think a couple of weeks either side of 6m is good. Plus the types of food you could give at 4m, baby rice, fruit and veg etc, have way less calories than milk so i wouldn't think it would make much difference to his milk intake anyway.

 

[alex_22]

At 4 months some baby's stomachs are definitely ready for food! I do understand some baby's aren't but that's the way it is we don't all develop at the exact same rate! you know your baby and the advise is 4-6 months so go for it if it's what you want to do and what you think he needs it, if your unsure speak to your HV or doctor first x

 

[liz1985]

Not directly to op but i dont understand where people in the uk keep getting the idea that guidelines are 4-6 months? The guidline is 6months. I know some Food in shops says 4m+ but thats because guidelines have changed but legislation hasn't. Even the 4m+ food says on it that weaning is recommended from 6m+. Where do you get the 4m+ from because ive never met a hv or other professional who recommended 4m+.

 

[Miss406]

With my second child my health visitor recommended being partially weaned at 4.5 months due to his hunger. I did however wait until 5 months. Introducing only 1 meal per day and gradually increasing it.
I only asked because he seems to be absolutely starving and I honestly don't think that milk alone is enough for him any more. He is a very chunky lad and he loves his food.

 

[HBGirl]

Hand chewing is developmental and has nothing to do with hunger.

 

[Miss406]

So, feeding 8oz every 2 hours (and sometimes less) and having 14oz before bed IS enough?

 

[alex_22]

Every website ive fallen upon when reading up about this subject has stated that they recommend waiting 6 months but to not wean before 17 weeks, so your advised to wait until after 4 months, there's the advice, quite clearly it has to work for some babies, otherwise they would say wait until 6 months no ifs or buts about it x

 

[Miss406]

Every website ive fallen upon when reading up about this subject has stated that they recommend waiting 6 months but to not wean before 17 weeks, so your advised to wait until after 4 months, there's the advice, quite clearly it has to work for some babies, otherwise they would say wait until 6 months no ifs or buts about it x

True! I suppose it is ''recommended'' at 6 months, some babies must be ready earlier and some babies ready later (especially those probably born prem)

Thanks for the advice

 

[moltal213]

I think it depends I know that definitely breast fed babies are not meant anything else until 6 months but formula fed babies are normally weaned earlier don't know the reason. As for formula 14oz is a lot there are specific formulas meant for hungry babies ask he might want water but also everyone has. Different opinions about that I've been told from 4 months baby should get at least 50 ml a day the up it 25ml 3 weeks later. Bet person to listen to is ur own paed as each persons paed is different .. Ps I don't recommend doing wat I sed its just what suits my baby

 

[tublet]

I think it depends I know that definitely breast fed babies are not meant anything else until 6 months but formula fed babies are normally weaned earlier don't know the reason. As for formula 14oz is a lot there are specific formulas meant for hungry babies ask he might want water but also everyone has. Different opinions about that I've been told from 4 months baby should get at least 50 ml a day the up it 25ml 3 weeks later. Bet person to listen to is ur own paed as each persons paed is different .. Ps I don't recommend doing wat I sed its just what suits my baby

In the UK there are no recommendations to wean earlier if on formula milk.

I would get in touch with your health visitor, we started at 5.5 months baby was having loads of milk from 4.5 months and I thought it was a growth spurt but never went away! Plus despite her having more milk she started dropping down the centiles, she was sitting unaided etc when we started.

There is hungry baby milk, I'm not a fan I would speak to the HV and get some advice.

 

[Miss406]

The health visitor was pretty insistent to wait until 6 months, I say the 'health visitor' what I meant to say was, the people who manned baby clinic whilst the health visitor was - who knows where.

He's already been on hungry milk, at least a month now. The shops had run out of his normal and I couldn't get hold of what he was on. Luckily and thankfully the change didn't upset his stomach - but I haven't noticed it filling him up any more than the other.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Waking in night at 4mths can be due to the wonder week not hunger.

 

[Miss406]

Waking in night at 4mths can be due to the wonder week not hunger.

He is not waking in the night. He is a little restless during the night due to teething but this is not wondering - or hunger related.

 

[alex_22]

Oh my lo is restless during the night too I think that's worse than waking to be fed! Hers is just sheer spoiltness 😂 I just cant help but fuss over her at every little noise she makes they're too cute not so squeeze and kiss to death lol, 3am when she's demanding a hug I'm definitely not thinking the same though x

 

[leiaorgana1]

Around here, the organic store and the supermarkets do 'first spoonfuls' starting at 4 months. They sell huge so someone must be using them.