Need advice on weaning my 10wk prem baby

[leanneandlilly]

Lilly was 10wks prem and will be 6months the end of September. Milk at the mo is satisfying for her but we're considering weaning at 6months due to evey1 saying treat her as a full term baby. I'm going to see how she is before we try anything though.
I'm not sure of how to change our routine when we do start, our routine at the mo looks like this

wake up 7 210ml
830-10-30 sleep
11 - 210ml
12-30-2 sleep
2.15 - 180ml (lilly won't go an longer between this feed)
4.30/5 - 30 mins (sleep if we're lucky)
6 bath
6.30 - 160/180ml
We rarley have any night wakings which is a godsend after having every 1-2hr wakings for about 3 months!

I'm not sure where to add solids and where to take away milk any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks Leanne and baby Lilly x x

[woopster]

There's no need to take away milk. Milk should be the main source of nutrition til she is a year old. Solids should just be a taster.

You may find that she is not interested until her corrected age. I have 2 prem babies (12 weeks prem) and they weren't interested til way past 6 months corrected.

Follow her cues. Is she interested in what you are eating?  Has she lost her tongue thrust? If milk is satisfying her at the moment I would be tempted to hold off for a bit longer.

Our consultant told me that mine were ready at 4 months old - 1 month corrected!

[jess, lukeys_mom]

i think that is great advice from pp. i have two friends with prem babes the same age as my ds. one has twin boys who, after the first 14 weeks of their lives, started growing so quickly that at 6 mo they were always hungray and wanting more foods. so she weaned them then.  and it was fine.

the other friend has a 7 week prem baby who was still on the small side at 6 months and he wasn't always finishing his milk. some people (incl our equivalent of a health visitor ) told her to wean at 6 months to get him to eat more, which she did, but this resulted in him drinking even less milk and losing weight. she stopped and just continued milk until he really showed signs of being ready, which wasn't until just over 8mo (6.5m corrected)

[leanneandlilly]

Thanks for the advice ladies il see how Lilly goes x
Another problem we're having is when i'm feeding Lilly she keeps shaking her head from side to side and making straining like noises and is totally not intersted in her milk, i thought it was wind and gave some gripe water but this is still happening. My health adviser said it could be a behavior thing but i'm not sure. When i give her a couple of mins she stretches back quite forcefully and i try her again and she goes at her bottle like mad, any thought on this???

[woopster]

Reflux? Is she on any reflux meds?

[leanneandlilly]

No but this was mentioned a few months back and i changed her milk to sma stay down and this stopped her sickness and the loud moaning noises she would make during the night. She also pushes the bottle away with her hands that is why i was told behaviour!

[woopster]

I'm no reflux expert but from what you describe with the archy/stretchy back it sounds like reflux. Have a look at the reflux board.

Has she ever been on reflux meds?

[leanneandlilly]

No but think that might be the way forward, Lilly has been in pain this morning and some of last night but we reacon she might be teething aswell due to red cheeks chewing on hand ect, its none stop fun !! haha. Il have a look on the reflux board thanks again x x