(Sorry... could be a long ramble!!) Does anyone else...

[Tabs]

...feel totally overwhelmed and terrified of weaning?

I know Morgan isn't ready quite yet, as she is still sleeping pretty well (apart from her teething) and is happy with her bottles (she can have anything between 3-7oz of SMA white, 5 times a day, depending again I think on how much her gums are hurting!!). She's still gaining weight pretty well (was 13lb 15oz last Thursday - 18 weeks old) and is steady on the 25th centile.

My MIL keep lecturing me on giving her rice and more (she's been doing this even before Morgan was born... I swear she'd have had me wean her in the womb!!! ) but I know, and OH agrees, she's not really ready yet.

But just in case, we bought a box of Heinz pure baby rice, some little bowls and some soft-tipped spoons (4m+) from ASDA at the weekend, so we were prepared at short notice!!

I have read loads and LOADS of info on weaning, downloaded charts of Hipp and other sites, read advice on here, have several chats a day on the phone with my mum, and the whole process absolutely scares the bejesus out of me!

I'm sooooo scared of getting it wrong (and fyi, that's not because of any recent threads on here!! I've been worrying myself to death about this for weeks!).... I'm worried how it's going to affect her reflux (although we are starting to gradually reduce her Gaviscon, and so far so good!!)...

I'm scared shitless she's going to choke, cuz she's a bugger for doing it with her milk still!

Am I going to give her enough? Too much?

I know deep down I'm almost looking for obstacles here, making it all harder for myself than it really is!

How can I get over this fear though? Why do I feel like this?

OMG!!! I think my head's going to explode!!!!

 

[Totally Mommy]

I have actually read and have been told by the health nurses here not to wean your baby to cereal until they're 6 months because it could end up causing more harm then good. A emergency room nurse once told me that she had many parents come in with baby's who have ripped their stomach lining because of giving rice cereal to soon. So my personal opinion is to wait until she's 6 months and tell your mother in law to back off it's your baby not hers.

My mother in law was the same way but she wanted me to do it at 2 months! It's just what they did back then but there has been more research on it now. If you feel Morgan's not ready then listen to your gut. Personally we tried to wean Damien at 6 months but he still wouldn't have it until he was 9 months and we tried every day but he would flip. If anything talk to her doctor before you do anything because they will know for sure what's right but if you don't feel comfortable don't do it! MIL's don't know best

 

[Vickie]

I'm not sure. Although I do have some fears, I mostly figure that as long as I do my research and do what I think is best for my baby that I (hopefully) can't screw up to badly Hannah's already on cereal and she loves it (I know there are those that won't agree with it but in my opinion she was ready--I certainly wouldn't force her to have it if she didn't want it.)

You'll do great! You're a great mother and you've done tons of research from the sounds of it. Morgan is lucky to have you!

 

[Serene123]

I think the only way to overcome your fear is to wait for when the time is right and dive in head first. You start with a little bit, offer her some baby rice, see if she takes it. If not, wait a while, try again.

You can't make a mistake if you know what's WRONG what's NOT ADVISED and what YOU feel.

Nobodies perfect. None of us know exactly what to do. Good luck when the time comes

 

[LaDY]

I am exactly the same hun...my LO is 6months in a few days and i need to start...i have read absolutly loads and loads on weaning...iv bought recipe books...ask mums on here...so what i ended up doing is writing a list of questions to ask a health professional to get their opinion on i all...which i did today...and i feel so much better about it all...there is so much you hear, read etc that i think it actually appears scarey...

Im sure you will be fine hun hugs: xx

 

[princess_bump]

i too have been utterly terrified of weaning up until a few weeks ago's. i too believe just go with your instinct and you will do fab. i too have researched and read on here, spoke to hv etc and feel really ready now, though maddi isn't bless her we're all here for advice and support honey x x x

 

[Caroline]

I think weaning is pretty traumatic.

TBH I don't take any notice of so called guidelines for weaning as they keep changing there minds. I wouldn't want to start before 4 months, but you will know when lo is ready for more than milk.

From your post it really dosen't as tho she's ready yet for anything other than milk.

I remeber when my eldest daughter was getting ready for weaning,she would sit and watch every forkfull/spoonful of food as it trqavelled from plate to mouth. One day she was sat on my knee and tried to intercept the spoon before I ate it.
She took to weaning quite happily and went from a few mouthfuls to 3 meals quite quickly and she loves her food now.
I started weaning her bang on 16 weeks, she was ready for it (was hungry baby, even if she'd just had a feed & was asleep as soon as she smelt food was wide awake & would want another feed).

We started my youngest on rice @ 14 weeks. I really couldn't hold out any longer. H wasn't keen as "guidelines " say 6 months yet she was more than happy for me to wean her sister at 16 weeks 3 yrs earlier.
My youngest was sleeping through & I'd gone back to work. initially she just wouldn't settle til late. Which I initially put down to change in routine, but a week later was waking during night for a feed, then waking 2 times a night for a feed.
Tried her with a tiny bit of rice at tea time and she was as happy as again.
She would begrudge every mouthful of food you had to the point of actually crying when you were eating & she wasn't.
Again she is a food monster now even though she is little tinytot.

I was told by my HV with DS @ 12 weeks to start weaning him as he wasn't putting on much weight (this was when you could wean from 12 weeks). Theere was no way he was ready, but as he was my first I was guded by the HV. I wish I had been better informed 'cos it was much harder than with the other 2.

As her mum I pretty sure you will be able to tell when she's ready. Its one of those mummy things, especially when you are read up on it.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[Tabs]

Thank you so much girls for your replies!

I'm sure I'll be ok once we start... it's just me getting myself all worked up about nothing!!

 

[Sweetie]

Thankyou for posting this topic. I have been fighting with myself over what I should be doing. Thanks too to all the other ladies who added their two cents as I'm going to continue on the path I have started now.