start at 4 months or wait?

[clare076]

My DD is 15 weeks old and has more than doubled birth weight (weighs 16lb). I think she is showing signs of being interested in food and she is holding her head up well, she sits in her chair very well (slightly tilted back) oh and she started teething last week.

She also has bad reflux, and I was told starting solids early may actually help with this.

My only concern with starting solids is that she is not a very big eater with her milk. She definately does not drink 40 oz a day. We are lucky to drink 30 including DF.

What would you do? She doesn't actually turn 4 months for a couple more weeks so I have time to make a decision.

Clare

[Lªuren]

Because it is so early and before 17weeks I strongly suggest you get the OK from your health visitor and doctor, especially if its reflux related.
15 weeks is very early.

If you start solids her milk intake will decrease and this is not what you want. Milk is still your LO main food source not solids.

[mum of 2]

Hi Clare,

I agree with Lauren, your lo needs her milk.  It's allways best to wait till they are 6 months before introducing solids, especially as you've mentioned your daughter has reflx, plus shes teething so if you start solids now I guarantee it will set you back and she wont wean at the mo. From my experience with a reflux baby the most important thing is to not rush things, has reflux been diagnosed and is your lo on medication for this or a special kind of formula?  maybe that can be looked at if shes not feeding on her milk well enough.  Sometimes babies with reflux can refuse feeds due to it being painful when they reflux and the acid comes up from the tum.  I would advise that you stick with the milk feeding for now she needs this and even with babies without reflux they shouldn't really be weaned before 6 months.  Obviously this is entirely up to you hun, im not stepping on your toes but its what I would do myself.

good luck with the feeding xxxx Alison

PS:  she may not be taking the milk well due to her teething?   

[clare076]

Thanks for the replies. I definately wasn't planning on starting solids until after 17 weeks, but just needed some advice as to whether I should wait until 6 months.

Her doctor wanted to start med's for reflux but I decided to try thickened formula first, which she tolerates quite well. However she does take long breaks with her feeding and needs to be fed in a sitting position or she will not finish her bottle. It was actually her doctor that said I could give her cereal to bulk up her bottle.

I am just really worried so wont get the adequate hydration she needs if she fills up on solids. I guess I already know I will wait but just wanted any pros/cons.

Thanks
Clare

[teezee]

just wanted to add that my dr recommended starting solids early for reflux and i wish i hadn't listened to her now!  it may have helped with SOME of the reflux symptom but definately opened a whole new can of worms as i didn't remotely know  what or how to deal with these new problems.  if lo's have reflux basically their digestive system is immature and solids definately won't help when before 6 months it is not recommended for lo's to start solids, add that in with an immature digestive system and you are just askng for lots of problems.  not trying to preach - just wouldn't want anyone to have the experiences i did.

[*Natasha*]

Sounds like you have recieved some good advice here. My DD did suffer with reflux (it has finally gone  ) and we started her early on solids as she was wolfing down her bottles and wanting more so we gave it a go and never turned back. It did help with her reflux however she only had a mild case and didn't need meds. However i had to cut out most fruit as it made her reflux worse. It can help with some reflux babies but sometimes it can make it worse.
I would wait a while especially since your bubs isn't finishing her bottles.

[Intransit]

Im just going to jump in here--and ask your opinion, since it is related. My friend has twin 8 week old boys. She has been giving the Stage 1 cereal since 6 weeks--stating that it has made a vast change in their crankiness etc...She is not a full EASY person as of yet...very used to the "old school" methods. SHe informed me that in Africa babies eat cereal very young....Shes from there..but....thats SO young! I remember Lizwe was only 4 month when I started him..and he was showing interest..Im just a bit worried!? Any thoughts?

[teezee]

i think it is awfully early myself - although i know that back in the day my mom, aunts, etc would feed us all cereal that young too and we all survived..although my brother and i also had extreme 'colic' which my mom now sums up to reflux. anyway, i have spoken to health nurses about this and she had given me three reasons to try and hold off on solids as long as possible.

1. immature diegestive system
2. less chance of obesity
3. main nutrition should be breatmilk/formula and they will become more 'full' and not necessarily get the proper nutrition

hope that helps some.

[KellyC]

Hi

There are lots of things we used to do with babies but as more research is done and we learn more about how it may affect them we should adjust.  In the same way we now put our babies to sleep on their backs but I slept on my stomach - it didn't do me any harm but it doesn't mean I should do the same with my own baby because now we know better.  I didn't wean my DS until he was 6 months old and it's been a fantastic process as he has a natural interest in food and in participating himself.  I couldn't imagine giving him anything other than milk at such a young age as, besides anything else, his digestive system could not have coped.  We know that now but didn't know it 20 years ago - we move with the times and I'm sure there will be things I do differently with subsequent babies as advice is updated.

Kelly x

[Intransit]

Thanks for the replies--Just worried about the babies myself! The OLD ways of doing things sometimes shock me, but my mother and grandmother had their own batch of tihings to do with Lizwe...but I didn't listen, and he's good! Her babies were quite tiny at birth....5 something and 4 something. Regardless, 6 weeks is too early..I just hope the consistency is really watery! Thanks again!