Weaning Premature Babies

[RainbowGift]

Hi everyone! My twins were born a few months early and I was told to wean them based on their actual age (I was going to wait until they were 6 months CORRECTED age because then their digestive systems would be as matured as any other 6 month baby). Actual age had to be used as the guide because of iron issues, apparently.

So, they have been eating solids for over two months now. They are great eaters and never flat-out refuse anything. They are on three meals a day. I still breast feed five times a day (and nurse them back to sleep all night long but that is another issue that we are about to tackle).

Here is my question: Should I really, FULLY treat them as if they are 8 months old, in terms of introducing foods, thinking about dropping milk feedings, introducing finger foods etc? It's hard for me not to think of them as 6 months.
However, they have been doing so well for the last two months, eating homemade purees and able to "chew" chunkier ones. I follow lists of food appropriate for 6 months. Should I really branch out to the 8 month foods?

Thanks so much, for any responses!!!!


Edit- I don't plan on dropping any milk feeds now! Just wondering if I drop them/let the babies drop them according to actual age....

 

[vermeil]

I'm no expert but I say just take it easy.. if you're concerned about iron, you can ask your doctor for supplements. But I believe once you start offering foods they get all the iron they need. You can try introducing some 8 month foods but my opinion is there's no rush - babies are smart and let us know when they're ready

No one bothered telling me to use actual age for food so my son started purees at 9 months He received iron supplements and vitamin D.

 

[RainbowGift]

LOL, no one told me either! Mine were about one week away from 6 months (actual) and I was ordering books, thinking I had a few months... then someone in the twins forum told me I was supposed to used actual age. I freaked out . I had no time to read the books (I was going to look into baby led weaning) and just went chapter by chapter with traditional purees. I think that's why I'm stil questioning things.

 

[25weeker]

I weaned at actual age but just took it slower. I based adding meat, dairy etc on their corrected age and I started finger food at 6 months corrected because hand to mouth coordination is based on development which goes on corrected so it seemed logical to me so should finger foods. I could be completely wrong though!

I dont think there is a right answer just do what you think is best.

 

[AP]

25weeker is right. Weaning with purée etc is fine at actual age. but when introducing finger foods you should go by their corrected age as developmentally.

 

[PleaseBaby]

When I first started with Amelia I stuck to just baby rice untill she was 17 weeks (actual) to help withher reflx. Then I went with the 4 month jars now I make my own, butternut squash, apple, carrot sweet potatoe etc but once or twice a weeek he wil stllhave a jaras I cant get the meat toblen up into a proper puree and she wont tolerate any lumps x

 

[toothfairyx]

As with 25weeker and AtomicPink we started weaning at actual age but spent a long time in the pureed phase.

 

[twins_daddy]

I think we started at six months actual - three and half months corrected. We started with one meal a day, usually baby rice or a weaning meal but the consultant told us to step it up to three meals as quick as possible. Now we're coming up to 10 months actual 7.5 months actual and we're on three meals, finger foods and giving them the 'clean' foods we eat. We actually bumped into our consultant in a social context last week and ran it past him and he was very happy with the diet.

 

[inperfected]

I hav read that despite the prematurity, textured/lumpy food should ideally be given by 9 months to try avoid texture aversion

 

[lozzy21]

Iv never gone with the recommendation for when to introduce textures ect. If you feel they are ready for the 8 month foods then try them, they will ether manage fine or they will spit it out. As soon as Niamh turned 6 months corrected I gave her lumpy food and finger food, she's now 9 and a half months corrected and had veg fingers, wedges and veg for tea that she fed herself.