Weaning a Preemie

[AP]

Me and OH are certainly confused!!!

We're told to go along with corrected age, apart from when it comes to weaning?! That scares me, why?????

I read this in the Bliss Coming Home pack.

 

[bumpsmum]

oh hun, weaning can be a daunting thought I know I was really petrified of choking etc but now can give Matthew a big chunk of something and let him go to town!!!

I also wanted to wait til corrected 6 months but under advice of paed told to start at actual 6 months as he was not ovely impressed with Matthew's weight gain. I would do what you feel is right for you.

Maybe start small to guage how well she will react and manage, maybe mix some of her milk with a spot of baby rice so its not too thick and take it from there.

Matthew took to it very quickly and is now on 3 meals a day plus we need to give him something to nibble while we eat anything or there would be hell to pay

Good luck how and let us know how it all goes x x

 

[premmiemum123]

I am currently weaning Emily, we are in week 2 and it is going well. She is 5 months and three weeks corrected. I started with rice cerreal then moved quickly onto purees as Emily hated the rice cereal. She absolutely loves the purees and we enjoy watching her eat them...she can't get enough of them, we are already up to three teaspoons and are considering an evening meal.
We were advised to wean her soon by her paeditrician as she was guzzling nearly 800ml of feed each day between the hours of 5am - 6pm and also to help her reflux, although I can't say I have seen much improvement in the reflux.

You don't have to start now you can wait until 6 months actual or if you want 6 months corrected, however if you leave it too late it can be harder to wean. Mind you, is your little one on Ranitidine? If a baby is on medicine I am told they are easier to wean as they are used to flavours and Ranitidine is mint flavour so a very sharp taste for your LO. So she will love purees.

It strange weaning them at the corrected age as like all of us, you have waited to get Alex home, have only had her home a few months bottle/breast feeding and now you need to think about weaning. It is mad!

Good luck with whatever you decide...

 

[AP]

Yeah, Alex is on Ranitidine, she loves the taste of it but hates the domperidone (I'm sure we dont blame her huh?

Im just lost. Shes only 2 months corrected so far so i will wait at least 3 months. Her milk intake is rubbish just now with the reflux so thats hard enough!

 

[bumpsmum]

im sure embojet wil be able to offer more advise as Molly was weaned early and not a milky baby either and she's a great wee eater now. Like you say she's 2 months corrected you have time to get prepared. In the meantime you could let her taste various foods to get use to texture and sensations etc xx

 

[embojet]

I weaned Molly at 17 weeks, 6 weeks corrected. She never drank more than 15oz most days, 20oz was a miracle! She was gaining weight fine, but it was recommended that I wean her. She did brilliantly. I started with baby rice which she didnt seem too keen on, so quickly went on to fruit and veg purees. Looking back she probably went from her first tastes to 3 meals 'too quickly' in most peoples eyes, but she loves her food. When she was used to solid food, I just fed her until she was full. Her milk intake didnt drop for a long time, she just ate the food on top of her normal milk so her weight shot up. I'm convinced Molly had silent reflux but it was never diagnosed.

 

[embojet]

Just remember about why....
Appartently babies are born with iron stores which start to fall after about 6 months from birth, whether premature or not. This is why they need a more varied diet than just milk at that age.

 

[Foogirl]

We started weaning at 4 and a half months actual as Abby was a huuuungry girl and I couldn't keep up!

We just gave baby rice at that point, for about a month then moved on to purees (have a look at my facebook video for her first attempt, it was very funny!)

She is still on purees, rice and porridge and she gets these 2-3 times a day.

I was told 6 months actual but I believe bliss says between 5-7 months actual. If I'd waited til 6 months corrected Abby would have been nearly 9 months old. Not sure who told you to go by corrected age, but perhaps they haven't much experience of preemies?

But you'll maybe have noticed by now that some of her development is following corrected and some is following her actual age? At least, that's what we've found with Abby.

 

[premmiemum123]

We started weaning at 4 and a half months actual as Abby was a huuuungry girl and I couldn't keep up!

We just gave baby rice at that point, for about a month then moved on to purees (have a look at my facebook video for her first attempt, it was very funny!)

She is still on purees, rice and porridge and she gets these 2-3 times a day.

I was told 6 months actual but I believe bliss says between 5-7 months actual. If I'd waited til 6 months corrected Abby would have been nearly 9 months old. Not sure who told you to go by corrected age, but perhaps they haven't much experience of preemies?

But you'll maybe have noticed by now that some of her development is following corrected and some is following her actual age? At least, that's what we've found with Abby.

What you have said about some of the development following corrected vs actual is so true, I get so confused sometimes as to what I should be doing with Emily, should I treat her like a 6 month old baby or a 3 month old baby. Our weaning is going really well she is up to 2 meals a day, our babies are soooooo hungry...
Am not quite sure when I should introduce finger foods, am considering moving onto Stage 2 feeding soon but as Emily can't hold objects yet, not sure whether I need to delay finger foods to 6 months actual? Sorry am hijacking your thread SB22...

 

[Foogirl]

What you have said about some of the development following corrected vs actual is so true, I get so confused sometimes as to what I should be doing with Emily, should I treat her like a 6 month old baby or a 3 month old baby. Our weaning is going really well she is up to 2 meals a day, our babies are soooooo hungry...
Am not quite sure when I should introduce finger foods, am considering moving onto Stage 2 feeding soon but as Emily can't hold objects yet, not sure whether I need to delay finger foods to 6 months actual? Sorry am hijacking your thread SB22...

Yeah, I'm wondering that too.

 

[embojet]

I introduced finger foods quite early. She used to miss her mouth a lot, but I would feed her off a spoon whilst she also fed herself. I started off with stuff that dissolves like rusks and organix carrot sticks as I was terrified she would choke, then I went on to all sorts of things like toast and fruit/veggies.

 

[premmiemum123]

Thank you Embojet, how early did u introduce? Emily is nearly 6 months, three months corrected...