Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

Floxxie

I've just had my third child and the HV told me nothing had changed since I had my DS2 which was that you could wean from 17 weeks. It was only when I read one of the freebie books that I saw the advice had changed.

However I think that we are experiencing the negatives of early weaning - my DS2 (aged 3) is currently under a consultant for severe constipation - he has been on laxatives and suppositories for over a year and we have had to change his diet to cut out dairy.

When we were questioned about his history it became clear to us that we have added to his problems by bottle feeding him and giving him food at a time when his bowels were not mature enough. We have been warned that it is going to be a long process to get him to a normal position and of course there are potty training issues - in fact until the problem is semi-sorted there won't be any use of the toilet.

The consultant told us that this problem was only second to asthma in children so you do begin to wonder why and if early weaning is causing all these issues.

Floxxie

Katgoddess

My DS is almost 5 months and I will be weaning him as near to six months as I can, as per current guidelines. Despite pressure from both sets of grandparents.

I have read the original WHO publication (Global strategy for infant and young child feeding - 2003) that the guidelines originate from and have based my decision mainly on that.

I post on a lot of parenting forums and age of weaning is a very hotly discussed subject. Second only to breast v formula. I have heard the "early weaning causes allergies/digestive problems" theory a lot but haven't actually come across much info about this yet - just anecdotal stories. If anyone has any info on this I'd be grateful. This is another reason why I am weaning at 6 months though as there are lots of food problems on both sides of the family so at least I know I'm minimising the risk.

If you wait until 6 months you can start baby led weaning and avoid the need for puree altogether and have baby eat what you are eating. Very moneysaving.

Broken_hearted

New users coming to attack parents here now, didn't you cause enough upset on bounty, just before they banned you. Go back to netmums, please and stop hurting people who are doing their best.

annelanc

Broken Hearted, it's not about attacking mums, it is about protecting the health of babies now and in the future. You should not wean before 17 weeks. The guidelines are very clear and are there to protect health which is what other posters are doing. You can't just "support mums" with no common sense - if what they are doing may hurt their baby, you can't just stay silent. Plus there may be other readers of this thread that think that early weaning is ok too.

nadnad

my little one is 19 weeks and for the last 6 weeks he has stared waking up every 2 hours at night for a feed - he used to go down at 7pm and wake at 2am and 5am only. Am I right in thinking this is because he is hungrier and therefore ready for something more than milk? I have agonised over this but I did start giving him baby rice at 17 weeks just once a day to start with and now twice a day and I make it with breast milk. I still feel bad, but he takes it without difficulty and loves it - gets really excited when he sees the bowl coming! He also has teeth (2) and seems to have lost the gag reflex. However I still feel bad like I'm doing something terrible.

jellyhead

Try talking to your health visitor - I know that mine would have supported a decision to wean early and she was quite cross about me not being in any hurry.

I know some BF mums who gave a bottle of hungry baby formula at night, but that's probably frowned upon.

Jo_F

Well I do like being told that I put my babies' lives at risk and that I am an irresponsible parent because both of my children started weaning before 17 weeks.

Who comes up with these figures anyway? Every baby is different and ever mother is different. You have to go with your gut, and that's all that I did, my babies were hungry, so they got fed.

My children are now 13 and 11, they have no allergies, are not obese, can talk properly and are very fit and healthy, so somewhere along the line I must have done something right.

There are no hard and fast rules, you have to make your own up as you go along, and if the choices I made brand me as a bad parent, then so be it.

Opinions were asked for, and I gave mine.

busiscoming2

They are always changing the goal posts. My DD1 was only 6lb 8oz at birth and she started on solids (apple puree) at 10 weeks weighing 10lb, although the HV had said guidlines were 12 weeks or 12lb! She is a slim healthy 21 year old now! and has had no health problems. DS1 was about the same age and so was DS2 who was much bigger at birth 8lb 4oz! He is a bigger child, but then his father is bigger built. I do think parents build has a lot to do with size not how early they are weaned, as all my kids were/are brought up the same way, with same diet.

daphne_descends

Barneysmom wrote: »

My son was only 4 weeks old when I had to give him a bit of rusk in baby milk.
But he was 9lb 13oz when he was born. A big 'un.;)

This is incredibly dangerous and puts babies at risk of choking.

I am shocked at how many people wean so early. (Reflux aside...)

Some babies will be ready for solid food by about 17 weeks but ALL babies will be ready by 26 weeks. No amount of instinct or 'mother knows best' beliefs will tell you when your child is ready. So it is best to wait until 26 weeks. However generally speaking if a baby can sit unaided, hold it's head well, and reach for and put food in it's mouth, and chew and swallow - he/she is probably ready.

It is nothing to do with the size, weight, or appetite of a baby. Hungry babies need more milk.

Early weaning poses risks which may not become apparently until much later in life so ignore anyone who says they weaned early and their 1/5/10 year old is fine - they are fine now but in the future who knows?

I do not understand the rush to get babies on solid food. Milk is full of the right nutrition and calories for babies. I just don't get it, I really don't.

And don't tell me I don't know what it's like to have a hungry baby - I was feeding my DS hourly at one point. But knowing that solids might cause trouble, I waited, and we saw it through and he ahppily started at around 5.5 months.

daphne_descends

Actually the guidelines used to be to wean at 9 months. The trend for weaning early seems to have come about with the popularity of the Truby King style of parenting. The guidelines are now 6 months because it has been proven that some babies stomachs are not physically ready before this - again nothnig to do with size or weight. PErsonally I did not want that risk on my conscience.