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baby showing signs for weaning but only 14 weeks

dd is 14 weeks today and is showing most of the signs that she is ready for food.
she holds head up well
can sit on our laps with support
makes chewing actions
has more than doubled her birth weight
she gets hungry very early and has trouble get to the next feed
she chews her hands
watches us eat and even reached for my crumpet, she also licked her lips when her dad had some pizza,
she was sleeping between 6 and 9 hours at night but now wakes for food.

she was prem but her consultant said to treat her like any other baby and wean at 4-6 months.

its only a few weeks until she is 4 months, would her hurt to try a little rice?

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Replies

  • My little girl was 13 weeks when i started to wean her because she had all the same signs. I had already put her on the hungry baby formula which helped for a while. I`d say to give it a go, though mine decided she didn`t like baby rice after about 3 days so moved onto other cereals and things. She`s a lot happier now and seems more satisfied and I`ve also started to give her 3 small meals a day. Good luck! x
  • Hi,
    I would say you know your baby better than anyone else, so you will know if she is hungry, however 14weeks is still very small, is she breast or bottle fed, if bottle could you try hungry baby milk?
    I would defo say ask your HV's advice especially with her being prem, as does the usual rule of doubling birth weight still apply with a prem baby? Like is say you know what's best for your lo hun, but maybe try and hold off for e couple more weeks if you can as her digestive system may not be ready.
    Let us know how you get on.
  • the consultant at the hospital said to treat her like a normal baby and weant around 4 to 6 months. i have tried the hungry baby milk but it just made her sick.

    i have been holding on now for about 5 weeks as she started showing these signs at around 8/9 weeks.
  • It's up to you hun but i would say wait... defo speak to your HV also if you do go ahead you will need info on early weaning as you have to be careful what foods you give. How many oz's milk is she having per day? I dont mean to sound harsh but would it really hurt to get up during the night for a few weeks until she is just a bit older?
  • Many babies have growth spurts around this age too so that may be why she's more hungry. I would leave it another week and see how she goes - I too think it's a little early but you know your child best.
  • im not bothered about getting up in the night, ive been doing it for 11 weeks since she came home.

    its just that she gets so upset between feeds, and she is sucking her hand so hard.

    she takes 4 oz at every bottle, i make up 5oz so if she wants more its there but she will not take it no matter whsat i do
  • if it is a growth spurt its been going on for about 6 weeks now
  • That really isn't a lot of milk - my little girl was taking 8oz every 3 hours (it was hungry baby milk too) and waking in the night for food every 3 hours too when I decided to wean her. She is probably sucking her hand as her teeth maybe moving under her gums.
  • she is 9lb 12 so will be taking less than a 'normal' 14 weeks old.

    the prem website says that premmies can often benefit from early waening.

    i have already spoken to the hv and she recommended the hungry baby milk but that made her sick. i asked about the amount of milk she is having and she said that all babies are different.
  • I agree that isnt alot of milk... i have just started weaning my lo Joe, who is 24 weeks and he was having 5, 9oz bottles of hungry baby milk a day.
    Maybe her tummy is so small she can only take 4-5oz at a time, could you maybe try feeding her every 2-3 hrs during the day, or maybe just feed on demand for a little while? (i know thats not ideal though) I honestly would speak to your HV or GP hun.
    Babies do tend to suck their hands alot even when they are not hungry, and Donna & Poppy may be right it may be her teeth moving down through gums?
  • She sounds like she is showing the signs, but remember babies are very interested in food even when they're tiny, simply because it's new and exciting, it doesn't necessarily mean they are ready for weaning.

    I would try and give it another few weeks just to see how she goes.
    xxxx
  • i have tried feeding on demand and she would take 2oz every 2 hours so that didnt make any difference.

    im sorry if i have come across as a lazy cow who cant be arsed to get up in the night that certainly is not the case, i am just really concerned. i have tried everything to try and get her to take more milk but nothing seems to work. she just wont take anymore. i just dont know what to do anymore. i obviously dont want to hurt my baby but i just want her to be happy
  • Wait it out a couple of weeks if you can. They definately go through a grwoth spurt around then. Frankie has just got through hers and it drove me insane!!! Shes upped to 6oz bottles now and has 5 bottles a day.

    If you give it a couple of weeks and shes still the same you could try. Maybe try to get some advice from your HV. All the literature i have been given says wait til 17 weeks.
  • You're not coming across as lazy - just someone who has already made their mind up and is going to wean no matter what people say!! Which is fine, it's your choice.
    Weaning is not always easy and can cause tummy problems if they're not ready for it but if it's what you want to do then do it.
    Lots of luck.
  • i havent made up my mind, its just i dont know what else to do. i have followed the advice from hv when i spoke to her before but nothing has worked.
  • You dont come across as lazy at all!! You coma accross as a caring mum her wants to do the best for her baby.
    I'm not really sure what else to suggest, could you try hungry baby milk or just feed her however much she wants whenever she wants it and try to pacify when she gets grizzly, does she have a dummy? Honestly hun, no one will judge you whatever you do, as have have said she is your baby and you know her the best. Have you tried posting this on prem babies forum? They may have some tips?
    Good luck whatever you decide.
  • Nobody thinks you are lazy hun, we all go through it! I would speak to your HV again and say the milk made her sick and what would she suggest? As 17 weeks is classed as early weaning in itself, and especially as she was prem you need to be very careful. Riley fed every two hours day and night for a good few weeks, and I held out until 26 weeks making sure to feed whenever he needed it. It was hard work, so can sympathise with what you're going through. You know what is best for her, but weaning brings up even more problems sometimes, so it really should be done on advice of professionals who are up to date on all the evidence backing it up. Noone thinks you are doing it to be lazy hun. Good luck with whatever you decide. Riley also used to chew his hands and mouth along with us eating, and even tried to get my spoon of weetabix! xxx
  • I wouldnt do it quite yet, especially if she was prem, as her system may not be quite developed, i know a few ladies on heres lo's have screamed in pain after a spoon feed. But like the other ladies say its up to you, but she is still very tiny, i didnt wean david till he was 17 weeks and was about 16lb xx
  • All mine were weaned really early as they were always hungry and it seemed that they had a bottle in there mouths almost 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
    Charlie is now 13 weeks old, has 3 solid meals a day and is taking 5, 7oz bottles a day if he wake between 5am and 6am, 4 bottle if he doesn't wake till 7.30am which is what he has been doing the last few days, so i have also been giving him dairy foods to keep up the milk consumption x
  • hi, again image
    i dont know if you have seen this or not, but i've just been looking at the prem baby section and there is a really good post about weaning prem babies
    http://www.babyexpert.com/chatroom/topic/21731
    hope it's helpful...
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