When to slot feeding in with milk feeds?

[KellyGT]

Hey all,

My son is 14weeks old and i have just begun to wean him. I know its a little early but my HV thinks its time too. He is a very big baby and suffers from reflux too and he has just been getting hungrier and hungrier over the last few weeks. To the point now where we have resorted back to three feeds during the night again.

He usually has milk feeds every 3hours during the day, but lately hadnt been lasting 2.5 hours without crying for food and drinking the whole lot.

I just wondered how other parents squeeze in their food with baby during the day? As i know his milk should be the main source of his vitamins etc so i dont want his milk intake to suffer. So do people often give baby a milk feed and maybe an hour and a half later offer some food etc?

Ive been giving baby rice at dinner time and the last few days sweet potatoe at tea time. Each an hour or so after a bottle but just worried about structuring a routine which will work this way.

So if any other parents could pop up what their feeding routines look like it would be a great help.

Ive had no trouble weaning him he loves to eat and gets so excited when he sees that spoon! And his mouth opens at the ready a.s.a.p. If anything i've been stopping early thinking i was told that 2-3teaspoons at first but he would happily eat more (providing its not straight after a full bottle) But ive been going slow making sure his body is able to digest/cope with the food and much to our relief it has helped wonders. We are getting a full poo nappy every morning like clockwork. Which has been a big improvement.

I didnt wean my first son til he was nearer 6months but boy my lil one is ready now and im glad my HV could even see this too. I was going out my mind trying to tell myself it would pass but it just wasn't.

Lately he's managed to stay awake happily for 1hr30mins - 2hours before he's ready for a nap again.

Thanks in advance

[~ Vik ~]

Hi Kelly

I must say, 14 weeks is so, so young for solids.  You say that your HV is ok with it, but have you spoken to a doctor?  Reflux babies do often start solids earlier, as the solid material helps to keep everything down in the stomach where it belongs, but should always be done under the supervision of a doctor or paediatrician.

Here's a few links that you might find helpful:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68459.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=36922.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=118497.0

HTH
Vikki

[KellyGT]

Hi Vikki

Thanks for your reply.

Yes i know it is very young age and this was a big concern for me. Like i said i tried for some time to delay this but with the advice of my HV and yes my doctor they have given me the go ahead. He was double his birthweight at the age of 12weeks and has been giving every other 'ready for solids symptom' for quite some time now. But it has just gotten to the point where its an immense struggle to get through the day with such a hungry baby and as a result was making both him and myself unhappy.

My lo was also 2weeks overdue and i think the professionals are taking that into consideration as well as the fact he is the size and at the same development stage as 6month old los.

Thankyou for the links i have looked over them before. I was more after some help and advice as to when to slot or think about slotting in the bit of food around his feeds etc.Its hard to believe that ive done this all before but going through all this with what is now my 6yo son seems like a lifetime ago.

Thanks again

[Lolly]

We started weaning at 17 weeks because of reflux and our pead advised us to try it. It has helped although we are having a bad few days at the moment with very little milk going in so we have backed off on the solids.

I have been giving her solids about 30-60 mins after a feed (providing she has had a decent sized bottle) and she is on a 4 hour ish routine. She isn't usually that hungry in the mornings and takes most of her calories in the evening so feeds get closer together then.

6.30 bottle
7.30 cereal & milk (usually an extra 2oz)

11.30 bottle
12.15 solids (few tsps of veg)

3.30/4 bottle
5 solids (usually rice & 2oz milk & fruit)

7 bedtime bottle after bath etc

10.30ish dreamfeed & hopefully sleep til 6.30 but sometimes another nightfeed.

It seems to suit her and she loves eating from the spoon, and is getting good at BLW style feeding herself.

HTH!

Laura

[nossi]

I started solids around 5 mos.  My DS is 8 mo now, and I still usually BF before solids, but I may change that soon.  Here's our routine:

8am - BF
9/9:30 - Breakfast of homemade cereal and fruit
10:30-12:00 - nap
12pm - BF
1:30 - Lunch of fruits and veggies
3-4 - nap
4pm - BF and snack
6:30 - Dinner of boxed cereal and veggies
7:30 - BF and bed

The routine isn't always the same.  Sometimes, I give him lunch before the afternoon BF because I go out with him and don't want to bring his lunch with me (it's easier just to BF when we're out).  Also, sometimes I also BF him at 10:30am because he hasn't eaten enough at breakfast and I'm a little full/uncomfortable.  I basically follow a routine, but am comfortable tweaking it a bit when it's convenient for me.

[KellyGT]

Thanks for the reply nossi

Im glad to hear you tweak etc to suit your days i feel like im 'winging' it at the moment.

[~ Vik ~]

Hi again

We started ds with breakfast in the mornings (always give new foods in the mornings so you have all day to watch for any reactions) and gave it to him about an hour or so after his morning bf. So if he bfed at 7, he would have a solid food breakfast between 8 and 830. After he was comfortably eating breakfast (a little over a week, maybe?) we introduced dinner. Again, he would get it about 1.5h after his afternoon bf, usually around 430. It was probably almost a month before we starting giving him lunch too.  If I remember correctly, our eating routine looked roughly like this:
7 bf
8 or 830 breakfast (cereal/fruit/new food)
11 bf
12 lunch (not until about 7mo, fruit/veg/protein)
3 bf
430 dinner (proven foods only)
7 bf

Remember that milk feeds (breast or bottle) are the most important source of nutrition for your lo until 1yo.  Keep an eye on his milk feeds to ensure that they don't decrease in volume

Good luck!
Vikki

[Adaias mom]

Hi,

I weaned my lo at 14weeks shes now 8mths and never looked back. This was also due to reflux, but if i were you, i'd do it VERY slowly. Just stick with baby rice, or baby porridge (Gluten Free) for now if its just the extra food he needs to fill his tummy then start with veggies when he is a bit older (17 weeks is the earliest recommended)

This way you won't be introducing anything to him that his little digestive system can't handle.

I always gave milk first as per usual schedule and offered solids an hour later. I followed the 4hr easy once she was eating though.

Good luck

xxx