4.5 months baby doesnt seem satisfied with milk only

[Amel]

hi all,

i know that it is not recommended to give solids earlier than 6 months, but i was wondering if there are exceptions to be made. my 4.5 baby never seems satisfied with milk, she keeps looking for something to suck on and also keeps waking up before her dream feed by an hour. is she going through a growth spurt? she might, but it is not reasonable that she goes through a growth spurt every week!!!
i really need help knowing what to do and if anyone is going through the same thing?

[~inbalance~]

A lot of moms will tell you they started solids earlier, whether by doctor's advice or their own instinct, and everything was fine.  Others will say they started early and it wasn't the right decision for their baby.  It's true the World Health Organization recommends waiting until a baby is 6mos, and in my opinion I do think it's best to wait as long as possible.  But every baby is different and sometimes you have to trust you instinct.

Before you go giving it a shot, maybe talk to your baby's doctor first.  Also, read here for more signs about whether or not your baby is ready:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=36922.0
Here is a link to the WHO recommendations for starting solids: http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/complementary_feeding/en/
And some more helpful info:  http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/

It could be a growth spurt.  Or it could be an issue with your feeding routine.  How often is your baby getting milk?  Maybe your baby is on a 3 or 3.5hr EASY but is ready for a 4hr EASY.  If you'd like to post your routine we can see if there is anything that stands out. 

[Amel]

Thanks Martina for your reply.

her daily routine is something like the following:

6 am: wake up
6:15 am: 1st feed (15 minutes)
6 - 8 am: activity time
8 am: sleep time (1.5 hr to 2 hr)

cried alot before sleep (had to feed her 20 ml)

10 am: feed (165 ml breast milk )
10 - 11:30: activity time
11:30: sleep (1.5 hr to 2 hr)

2 pm: feed (125 ml breast milk)
2 - 3:30: activity time
4:30: sleep (1 hr)

cried alot before sleep (had to feed her 15 ml plus put on breast for 15 minutes)

6 pm: feed (13 minutes BF)
6:30: bath
7 pm: put in bed (slept 7:40 pm) after BF for 10 minutes

10 pm: DF (still did not feed her since i am writing this at 8 pm)


this was yesterday but she did not wait for the DF, she woke up at 9 pm and then at 11 pm and i had to feed her.

please advise.

[~inbalance~]

Your routine looks pretty good, she should be feeding pretty efficiently on a 4hr routine.

When she wakes, what happens if you don't feed her?  Maybe she is not actually hungry but settles easier with a feed.  Does she continue to wake throughout the night?

You could post on the NWings board as well to see if anyone else has any suggestions:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=33.0

I wouldn't recommend starting solids at this age to try and satisfy her hunger, since solids before one are really more for fun and not for filling babies up.  If you think she is really waking out of hunger, you'd want to look for ways to fill her up with more milk during the day.  You can check out the breastfeeding board for more advice:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=12.0

What do you think? 

[Texomamama]

Martina is right about solids being more for fun than as a significant nutrition source, and it certainly isn't going to be the "Magic bullet" for a hungry baby. 

Also, with regards to the 6 month recommendation, there are other groups that say earlier is just fine.  I believe the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends somewhere between 4 and 6 months.  Where in that time frame depends on the baby, and certainly a quick call to your doctor's office is warranted.  I just tend to take the WHO recs with a grain of salt.  They seem a bit overly cautious to me.

[Amel]

Thank you all for your comments.. i guess ill stick to Breastmilk until the 5th month, and keep on looking for signs. once i am confident that she is ready i will start with the solids...

appreciate all the help girls!!!