Too early to wean but showing all the signs... help!

[Sparky0207]

Maisies only 15 weeks but shes showing all the signs and im shattered!!

She has had a bit of a growth spurt over the last week and went from sleeping through to waking once in the night for a feed but now its just getting ridiculous!

As well as the usual hand eating and watching intently while I eat, shes feeding like milk is going out of fashion!

Yesterday she had 9oz at 7am, 5oz at 10am, 8oz at 1pm, 8oz at 4pm, 8oz at 7pm, 8oz at midnight, 7oz at 3am and 7oz at 6am.

Whats the earliest I could wean her? HV have given me very conflicting info!

 

[IvyBaby]

The minimum age is supposed to be 4 months (17 weeks). I hope you don't have to wean her just yet! Speak to GP or HV hon, maybe it is just a growth spurt or because of the hot weather.

 

[Carrie76]

Hi there,

I don't know much about weaning but from what I've read I think the earliest recommended is 17 weeks. Have you thought about hungry baby milk? I was reading a carton in Asda one day and on the tub it says "could delay early weaning" or something along those lines? My HV said it was for babies who are draning 8oz bottles and still hungry!

Carrie!

 

[natty1985]

Hiya,

My little boy was 6lb5 born and you wouldnt think he would have been that hungry but ffrom day one he was always feeding.. I spoke to the HV and they didnt advised weaning until 16 weeks however my mum told me we were all weaned at 3 months back in the day so as always i took mums advice over the HV experience over textbook anyday and i weaned finley at 13 weeks he was fantastic and so much more happy and content some babies just need it hun and you are her mummy no one else if you feel she is ready then she is ready xxx

 

[Sparky0207]

Thanks everyone.

Ive spoken to 2 different HVs about it... one said put her on hungry baby milk and delay weaning til 6 months and the other said give her some baby rice.

I wont wean her til shes 16 weeks at least (sunday) but just finding it so hard.

 

[Kit]

To be honest, I am not sure you even need hungry baby milk. You are on about the same as we were at that age - we finished up on 9oz bottles at less than 3 hour intervals but we managed to hold off until nearly 5 1/2 months and in retrospect should have hung in there a little longer as he wasn't really ready.
And don't worry about the hand-eating and watching you eat - most babies do these things and it doesn't mean they need weaning. I am not sure why health professionals even mention watching you eat as a sign - I think it would be odd if a baby studiously ignored you eating!

 

[sophxx]

my los 14 weeks znd takes 8oz or 9oz bottles 5 to 6 times a dayt he weighs 19lb! the hv said to wean at 17 weeks! x

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

What Kit said.

Also....although you may well receive anecdotal evidence to the contrary, solids actually do not help your baby sleep longer. So if you wean, you could well end up taking all the risks associated with early weaning, and having to do all the extra work (pureeing up food, and/or buying expensive jarred food) for no reason!

If a baby is drinking a lot of milk is is because they need it. Giving solids early is like putting LO on a diet - milk has the highest number of calories compared to any solid food especially weaning foods like baby rice - and calories are what babies need to grow and develop!

 

[Jolinar]

I'd persevere with more milk feeds she might settle down, Nic was greedy so-and-so at that age and came through it and I didn't begin weaning until 6 months. Baby rice and other solids will make her drop milk feeds too as well as being less calorific. Watching and mimicking are normal developmental things for your LO to do not a sign shes ready to wean.

 

[kayleigh&bump]

Id defo try the hungry baby milk before you do anything. My HV recommended I put lo on it at 4 weeks as he was taking so much milk. She said all along to start weaning him at 17 weeks, but i admit i did start a week or so early. My lo took 11 x 8oz bottles in one day at one point try the HB milk and see if it makes any difference, if not try to hold out till 17 weeks if you can xx

 

[bubbles123]

If he's having so many milk feeds on first milk that it's hard to keep up, then I'd give hungry baby milk a go as it might help to reduce the frequency/amount of feeds a bit. My LO stares at me when I eat and has been chewing his hands furiously since he was about 1 month old. Thing is food has a lot less calories than milk and they need a lot of calories at that age and baby rice and fruit/veg etc don't have a lot and will just fill them up and stop them taking the milk they need. I do totally believe you should wean when you feel ready - not by some arbitrary age limit but also it will be a lot easier for you if you can delay weaning for as long as possible as your lO will be much easier to wean when they are completely ready X