Help please

[mummy_ellie09]

I'm presuming this is in the right forum!

My son is 12 weeks old on Friday (3 months by date on 6th Feb) and today I had to put him up to 7oz bottles as he was draining 6oz and whinging for more.

My question is can I start to wean him onto at least baby rice or baby cereal? My nephew is 11 weeks older than my son and my sister weaned him at about 3 months and he seems ok.

 

[-Ma'Bree-]

talk to your hv about it first as every baby is different , my sister weaned my niece at about 4 months and baby was okay but when her work-mate did the same with her lo as she was on hungry milk and seemed to constantly want a feed (and encouraged by seeing my niece taking to weaning well ) , her lo got tummy problems-bad constipation and collic and doc said baby's tummy wasn't coping well digesting solids , she had to stop...so really i think you should talk to a gp or hv.

do you just think baby isn't full on the 7oz ? just asking..

 

[Kit]

I would offer more formula - we went up to 9oz eventually. The recommendation is not to wean before 17 weeks as their digestive systems aren't mature enough to cope before that age, and to wait to 6 months if at all possible. Obviously, as the previous poster said, every baby is different and there isn't some magic switch that flips at 17 weeks suddenly making them ready for solids, but I would seek as much advice as possible before thinking about starting a full month earlier than the minimum recommended age. I wouldn't expect your HV or GP to say that he should be weaned simply for wanting a lot of formula - they are generally fairly firm on the 6 months deadline - I was surprised when a HV told me to wean at 5 months 1 week. There is also the hungry baby milk option.

I am interested to hear about a baby having problems after weaning at 17 weeks - I have never come across this before and just the other day I met someone who weaned at bang on 17 weeks on GP advice and is now having enormous problems which the GP has now put down to not being ready for solids. I always assumed that 17 weeks was a conservative deadline - I thought about weaning then and assumed we would be safe to do so - I guess some babies must not even be ready at that age. Oh dear - just when you think you have something figured out!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I agree with Kit.

Yes they are all different - and lots of babies are not ready even until after 6 months! I'm certain mine was not ready until 7 months.

At 12 weeks my baby was on 9oz bottles of hungry baby milk and usually draining them.

I would not think of early weaning as an easy option - the later you leave it, the easier and more enjoyable it will be, because the baby will be more able to sit up and chew and also there is a very long list of foods you can't give before 6 months, plus needing to sterilise everything. I would say giving lots of milk is easier!

 

[Connah'sMommy]

I would offer more milk first,IMO 12 weeks is a little early. Ask your HV though if you are still thinking about it and she will tell you the best thing to do x

 

[babyndme]

i started to give just half a spoon of baby rice into my sons morning and night milk when he was 3months, without hv advice. hope this helps xx