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Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

MNHQ have commented on this thread

1 2

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Weaning

I no it's early but 12 week old

33 replies

Chelsea91 · 13/02/2013 09:46

So my 12 week old son was 9lb born and breast fed till 6 weeks and I couldn't carry on as he was feeding every 2 hours day and night. Switched to bottle and he's on hungry baby and has 7-8 7oz bottles still every 3 hours. So last week I gave him baby rice before bed still no longer between feeds so now he has breakfast lunch and dinner plus all of his bottles and water inbetween. Is my son impossible to fill up? He's already 16lb10

OP posts:

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AlienReflux · 13/02/2013 09:50

It's very early if you ask me, babies can often feed 2 hourly at first, chances are he would have gone that extra hour at the same time if you had stuck to bf.

Are you saying that you're doing all this and he's still waking? Or has it worked, but you're worried?

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HolidayArmadillo · 13/02/2013 09:52

FFS babies are designed to feed frequently. I think you are insane giving a 12 week baby all of that, his poor little gut can't cope with it.

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MrsMarigold · 13/02/2013 09:55

I think you are probably being a bit premature - I waited till six months as recommended by WHO guidelines. Even four months sounds early.

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Chelsea91 · 13/02/2013 09:56

No he's still waking, he only seems happy when he's full then after around 2 hours he starts to grizzle then moan then full on cry till he's fed again. He's so different than what my daughter was who had to woke to feed even from day 1.

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5madthings · 13/02/2013 09:57

He is supposed to feed that often. Baby rice is crap and doesn't have enough calories.

I had babies that were 9lb 3oz, 9lb 5oz and 10lb 13oz. They then put on a lb a week and were huge. Still had milk only for 6mths before weaning.

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Blessyou · 13/02/2013 09:57

Get some advice from your health visitor, what you are feeding him sounds really inappropriate.

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Blessyou · 13/02/2013 09:59

My ds was 9lb 5oz when he was born, and 16lb 5oz when he was 12 weeks, he was ebf, and yes every 2 hours or more day and night.

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HolidayArmadillo · 13/02/2013 10:00

You have a completely unrealistic idea of how babies should behave and I think you need parenting advice.

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Flisspaps · 13/02/2013 10:01

DS was 11lb 7oz born and was BF (every 2 hours) until 6mo.

There's no need for baby rice or hungry baby milk. The earliest you should wean is 17 weeks - the gut isn't mature enough to handle solids (including baby rice) until then. That's why the age changed years ago from 12 weeks.

Babies feed often, and wake up a lot. It's perfectly normal! Please speak to your HV, and don't give him any more solids until he's at least 17 weeks old.

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FannyFifer · 13/02/2013 10:05

You really need to speak to someone, that is an absolutely insane amount to be giving a 12 week old. Should not be on solids.

Both my children breastfed pretty much 2 hourly till started solids at 6 months.

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AlienReflux · 13/02/2013 10:07

Chances are he's now waking with wind, or poorly feeling tummy, go back to basics love, and stick with it, all babies are different, there's no shame in talking to your HV and telling her you're confused/struggling, but I would definitely NOT recommend you carry on with what you're doing

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AlienReflux · 13/02/2013 10:08

Sounds like you're feeding him because he's crying and he'll suck for comfort, but he's probably not hungry, just feeling crappy from the food.

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Flisspaps · 13/02/2013 10:09

I'm sure you have, but when he cries have you tried cuddling, rocking, singing, chatting instead of feeding? Or do you think that he must be hungry as you consider him to be a big chap and so go straight to feeding?

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 13/02/2013 10:14

For goodness sake - babies are supposed to feed every couple of hours.

Poor child, he shouldn't be on hungry baby, or baby rice - all that will do is bung up his system.

Are you getting any advice? Because if you carry on as you are then you are going to do him damage.

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FancyPuffin · 13/02/2013 10:51

Babies cry for more reasons than just hunger.

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KateSMumsnet · 13/02/2013 14:42

Ahem, peace and love everyone.

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SquidgersMummy · 13/02/2013 17:38

Sorry I think that's awful. His poor guts.....he's not physically ready to cope with food. Please see your HV. Please don't be offended and then be stubborn about it - see your GP and HV for their advice about what you need to do. X

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ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 13/02/2013 19:00

this has to be a wind up, no? if not then that poor baby

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halesball · 13/02/2013 19:14

Chelsea i think the 12 weeks or 12lb way of thinking that our parents are so happy to dish out has been proven wrong by researchers. However you do know your baby best so maybe this is the type of thing to discuss with your HV who will be able to give you advice tailored to yours and your LO's individual needs. Hope that you find a solution which fits you both.

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Loislane78 · 13/02/2013 20:15

kellymom.com/images/growth/growthcharts.gif

Looks like your DS has jumped up several centiles from his birth weight (which isn't necessarily bad) but given what you've said about wakings and the introduction of 'solids' I would be seeking advice from a GP or HV.

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Figgygal · 13/02/2013 21:03

OP hopefully you will come back to the thread and not be too put off by the shitty reaction you have had here although i would agree that it is far too early for baby rice and if you are worried you need to go and see your HV for real life advice.

I was in the same boat as you DS born on 91st centile as was yours roughly he took bottles every 2.5 hours until he was 14 weeks old by the time we weaned he was almost off the weight charts having 50+ oz milk a day and was terribly bloated due to the quantity of milk he was having. There were periods when he went to 3 hourly feeds but he hit 20 weeks and we were back to 2.5 hour feeds those days were a blur of bottles and sterilisers now.

I have a lot of sympathy for you in this but at this early stage food is not the answer as others have said he could be crying for other reasons, have you tried a dummy? Could it be comfort sucking? If you feel overwhelmed by this and i know there were times i would cry as couldnt believe he was hungry again and looking back now i can see sometimes he wasnt but he would take it anyway.

Is this need to give him food so you can get sleep is he is a poor sleeper? The food likely will make this worse as he could be in pain due to his undeveloped gut not being able to process the food and I say this half jokingly but what will you do when the sleep regression kicks in at 4 months..give him a steak? Seriously you need to get advice and knock the baby rice on the head asap especially since it is not helping anyway.

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NippyDrips · 13/02/2013 21:13

Just another one to say please speak to your health visitor. My ds is 7 months and still bf 3 hourly and eats very little food. Their main calories should come from milk until they are one.

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nilbyname · 13/02/2013 21:15

goaty

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Iggly · 13/02/2013 21:16

Stop the water and solids.

Try a dummy as he might want to comfort suck? Which can be confused for feeding especially when you're breast feeding.

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nickelbabe · 13/02/2013 21:21

please speak your HV op.
12 weeks is very very young.

when they're that age all they know for sure is how to feed (drink milk of whatever kind).
he wakes and is grizzly every 2 hours because that's how often he needs to eat.
your dd just didn't have such a big appetite.

think about how often you have a drink or something to eat. during the day I bet you don't go 2 hours without something. it's just that babies only drink/eat one thing, so it seems more frequent. and yes, through the night too. babies have such tiny stomachs they can't hold much.
it's also likely that most of what you're giving him (milk) is just going straight through, but the solids will be hurting his gut.
please please ask your hv for advice.