Weaning Hollie-advice please!

Im exclusively breastfeeding Hollie at the moment even though we did start weaning we stopped recently.

At 8 weeks she would cluster feed all evening and sleep through from between 9.30/10pm to anywhere between 5 and 7.30. She even did an 8.30 once lol.
That lasted 3 weeks and i really thought that was the end of my sleepless nights. But just before at 11 weeks old she started waking again.
I thought it was a growth spurt as she fed every 1-1.5hours night and day. But after perseveing for 3 weeks i got fed up and gave her some baby rice. She was just 14 weeks old at this point, anyway she loved it had no problems eating it and wolfed it all down.
We kept up with baby rice in the evening for a week then i gave her some apple puree that i made mixed in. She loved that too and ate it with no problems.

But then last week she got earache, doctor thinks it was caused by a virus, and a hugely blocked nose. So she had real difficulty feeding and doctor said to give her some water and keep her fluids up. So i didnt give her any solids because i preferred her to feed from me so she wasnt full on solids and then not taking fluids.

She is now over her cold and feeding better from me and last 3 nights she has only woke once, 2 at 3am and once at 5am.

Do i leave her off solids now? It seemed to be that when she was on solids she was filling up and refusing milk for longer than she is now. She would then mess around when feeding and kept pulling off. Now she feeds every 3 hours or so, except cluster feeding in the evening.

The other problem i have is that she is very distracted by anything going on behind her. If Ian walks into the room she pulls off to see him and it is very frustrating as its a battle getting her to feed some days. And very messy too as she pulls off when my milk tap is full on lol.

Karen xxx

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Hi!I breast fed both my children and I think the most important thing to remember is that a) they all are so different and b) they will change ALL the time! I think that's the beauty of breast feeding as you really get to know your baby! BUT it is also madly worrying and at times infuriating! Tasha may be the one to get in touch with as she has just trained as a breast feeding counsellor.
My daughter was also very nosy so what we did was to get her used to noise throughout her feeds so if someone did walk in, it was just part of the background noise! Music did the trick for us! Hope this helps, Take care x x

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Thanks.

There has always been background noise before and she has been fine. I'm hoping that it may well be a phase she is going through but she always forgets she is supposed to be feeding. It is quite difficult at times to feed her especially when we are out and she exposes me and pours milk everywhere lol.

Karen xxx

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I remember those days well, and really feel for you, but it does sound like she is just going through a phase and has to adjust again after being poorly. I promise that within a few weeks this will all feel like a long time ago! x x x

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Hi Karen. Have you tried feeding in a quiet room, the nursery or your bedroom and let your partner know so he doesn't interrupt? At the age your baby is it is very important that she gets the vast majority of nutrition from milk as there is a good deal less in purees and rice, so anything that stops her from feeding from you / milk is not a good idea. If she is fine without rice and purees, then leave her be until she is ready again. Take your cue from her but ensure she also gets her full amount of milk as well. Glad she's over her cold, it is so difficult when they are ill to ensure they are feeding enough and it just makes you worry! N. xx

Thanks Nicolette.

I have just back from the baby clinic. I spoke to my health visitor today and she has advised that i hold off weaning for another 7-8weeks if possible.

I am going to try that as she seems to be feeding better since she hasnt had any rice so maybe she was just having a very long growth spurt.

She has still put on 9ozs in 2 weeks despite having a cold and feeding very little so i will keep her on the milk instead. I have tried feeding in a different room, but she still pulls off to look around. To be honest she will just use any opportuinty to look around. I really dont know what to do about her nosyness (sp?). She is a very alert baby always watching everything so maybe its just the way she is as health visitor pointed out today.

Thankyou anyway. Your post has made me even more detemined to hold off weaning until 6months. So at least one thing has been sussed.

Karen xxx

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Hi Karen. Glad your HV is supportive, some can be really strict when it comes to weaning and really have a go at you!

I really wouldn't worry too much about the magic six months, many babies are ready earlier and some later. My son was teeny and didn't feed all that well, 4 - 6oz only per feed and six feeds a day, but he needed more at five and a half months when he lost weight which is when I started on rice with him.

You must tell me where you are from, I went to uni at Abersytwyth so I know parts of Wales really well!

N. xx

Sorry just seen this. Hollie was in bed before 9 last night but i couldnt get on because the laptop kept freezing so Ian defragged it. I have just replied to your other message though.

Karen xxx

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I would say if she is not waking very much during the night and she is less than 4 months old she should really be just having milk.

She was waking every hour in the night for food and it lasted from when she was 11 weeksw to when she was 14 weeks. I was absolutely shattered after 3weeks so did give her some rice. She won't take a bottle or formula so couldnt top her up with anything else. But she has gone back to 3 hourly feeds and about 5 hours at night so she is back on just milk. And i am going to avoid weaning her until she is 6months, so we have 7 weeks to get through first.

I have found out this week that she will take a beaker so if need be again i could try expressed milk from a beaker instead. Only found this out because when she was ill, nurse advised giving cooled boiled water as she was off food. And we tried her from a beaker and she loved it lol.

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