need help.

[k8y]

Ok, James is 14 weeks old and has started waking through the night sometimes up to 3 times even though he has had a good routine of 9hour stretches up untill 2 weeks ago, He is solely breastfed and I really do not want to supliment with formula. All my insticts are telling me to start him on baby rice and so today he had his first taste and he loved it, he grinned the whole way through. At arond 11 today I made up a teaspoon of baby rice with a tablespoon of EBM and he gobbled it all. what now?

Anybody else weaned this early?

How long should I be giving him this amount at this time?

When should I increase the amount of baby rice/ amount of times in the day I feed him baby rice?

When do I start to introduce purees?

If anyone can help with my q's I would really apritiate any advice please.

Katie (and a hungry James)

 

[PeanutBean]

I'm sorry I've not idea about what to do weaning that early. The recommendation is 6 months and certainly not before 20 weeks as before this time the gag reflex is not properly developed presumably much increasing the chances of choking. Are you sure it's not just a growth spurt? 14 weeks is the normal time for one.

 

[lolly101]

I was told not to wean before 17 weeks...(the NHS leaflet I was given also says 17 weeks).So don't introduce any purees unitl at least then...they are not ready before that..As for amounts When you have made some up if they eat all that I try a bit more the next time and increase it as baby demands...

 

[Amanda]

There's so much conflicting evidence out there on when to start weaning. Yes, the guideline is 6 months, but you know your LO, and if you think he's ready at 14 weeks, then go for it - SLOWLY!

I know it was different back then, but I started weaning Kayleigh at 9 weeks on the hv's advice! At 7 weeks, we were putting half a rusk in her last bottle so she would sleep through - that is a definite NO-NO now, but it was the advice given then.

When Charlie was tiny, it was 6 months, and no earlier. That was the advice then. He had his first solids at 14 weeks - he wouldn't wait any longer.

Now they are saying try to wait till 6 months, but if you can't, then no earlier than 18 weeks. But my hv told me that the guidelines say this and under no circumstances was I to try any earlier, and then gave me a big wink and said "This is what I an told to say by my bosses". I started Ben on baby cereal at about 15 weeks as he also started waking and was screaming still after draining 8oz bottles (every 2 and a half hours!!!!!). Ben is so much happier and he now has breakfast at 9am and then savoury and pudding at 3pm. Each meal I also give him 4oz of milk, and then he has 4 additional bottles of 8oz each on top.

Just a small amount, I'd say about half a baby-food size jar of each.

 

[Tiff]

I didn't wean early, but I remember alot of people posting about a "hungry baby formula". Not sure if that would help you?

I do know they go through a crazy growth spurt at that time, but seeing as this was posted quite awhile ago (sorry!) I don't know if it is still the same case. Hope you find the answers you need.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Hmm sounds like a growth spurt to me. Have you tried cluster feeding him in the evenings (say 6,8,10)?

 

[ryder]

The only thing im going to point out is that formula and baby rice are very similiar... With the exception the rice is... well rice...

However, I started Jasmine on a bowl of baby rice in the evenings when she was 3 months, so I have nothign against early weaning.

Do what you feel you are comfortable with.

 

[k8y]

I didn't wean early, but I remember alot of people posting about a "hungry baby formula". Not sure if that would help you?

I do know they go through a crazy growth spurt at that time, but seeing as this was posted quite awhile ago (sorry!) I don't know if it is still the same case. Hope you find the answers you need.

hes breastfed so that wouldnt work for us Thanks for the thought though

 

[k8y]

Hmm sounds like a growth spurt to me. Have you tried cluster feeding him in the evenings (say 6,8,10)?

Yes I have tried lots of things I didnt just wean him as an easy option He feeds anyway at between 5 and 7 pretty much constantly. Thanks.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Oh I wasn't suggesting that you had weaned him as an easy option, I was just making a suggestion as that's how I've dealt with growth spurts.

 

[beancounter]

I'm sure you are not weaning him to get him off milk, just to him eating regular amounts of milk because he's very hungry? This is why I started baby rice. I gave a couple of spoons in the PM, and when it looked like he needed more, the next week, instead of increasing the amount I gave him breakfast and dinner. Then gradually increased the amounts to suit his appetite. About a month or 3 weeks later I started purees because the HV told me too- really simple ones, mostly just savoury vegetables. potatoes, carrots, green beans, butternut squash, sweet potato- all mixed into his rice. Then he has some fruit in his breakfast (purees apple, squished banana)

now that he's 6 months I'm going to introduce him to those more allergic foods that you shouldn't give before - wheat and dairy. We are vegetarian so not thinking about meat. We started weaning at 17 weeks. Hope that helpsx