Hints and tips for weaning (merged)

daska

JBD wrote: »

OP I started weaning all my children at 3-4 months. It has done them all no harm whatsoever and if I was having another one now I would do exactly the same thing.

Given that all the scientific evidence I hope you can back up that assertion.

Lots of people have said exactly the same about not breast feeding - it's total b*******, as is now being proved in study after study after study!

daska

tandraig wrote: »

if you went by government guidelines (or as i call it - the latest medical fad) you could still be laying babies on tummies or sides or taking thalidomide for morning sickness. government/medical guidelines are only valid until the next 'expert' comes along.
ok - I have 3 children and 6 grandchildren and we started weaning when the baby seemed to want to eat what we were eating or were hungry between feeds and sorry - gov experts- that was in nearly all cases at about 4 to 6 months! last grandson was interested at 3 months! if you ate while holding him he would try to guide your hand to his mouth! so I dont listen to so-called experts - if I had my son would be dead now - as at six months I knew his formula was making him ill - and had to fight HVs, GPs, dieticians, consultants etc who didnt believe me that his formula was causing asthma attacks. took nearly 5 years and I had to go out on a limb and source soya products (which were damn near unknown in this country then), but i was right!
Old wives are often right - so says THIS old wife, mother, grandmother!

I also had to battle GP etc about DS1 and dairy products, it doesn't mean I would never listen to the evidence presented, we'd still believe the earth was flat if we ignored everything that didn't fit with our experience

JBD

I agree here Tandraig .I know my Mum had to start giving my oldest brother Farex when he was 6 weeks old. He was always crying with hunger and it turned out he could not absorb milk ,even breast milk. If she had not given him the cereal he would probably have died. He is now over 50 and very healthy, as we all are.

JBD

daska wrote: »

Given that all the scientific evidence I hope you can back up that assertion.

Lots of people have said exactly the same about not breast feeding - it's total b*******, as is now being proved in study after study after study!

Well they are all perfectly healthy, so yes I guess I can.

skintbutsolvent

My parents began weaning me at 6weeks old because I was 'hungry'. Now in my 30s I have multiple food allergies,as does my brother who was weaned a few weeks later but had been 6wks prem. I am sure my parents did what they 'thought best' but I often wish they had been a bit more patient.

feelinggood_2

I apologise for going off topic. The guidelines are 6 months. I'm sure I read that 48% of babies are weaned before 4 months, and 48% between 4-6 months. I'm amazed that so many babies are exceptions.

I think that it is important to observe the physical signs that a baby is ready for weaning - able to sit unaided, developed pincer grip, loss of tongue thrust reflex. I wouldn't have said that feeding frequently is a reason to wean, nor watching someone eat. My LO watched the rabbit eat his poo, but that didn't mean I was going to let him do it!

Krystaltips

Another in the BLW weaning camp here... I weaned DD1 at 5 months onto purees and baby rice... DD2 was just over 6 months when she had her first butty (and she has no teeth yet!)... She eats what I eat, when I eat... We sit at the dining table together and it is all very civilised... I don't worry that she hasn't eaten her alloted number of spoonfuls, I don't worry that a bit of it has landed on the floor... It's worlds apart from my first weaning experience...

Although to be honest... A baby who's diet is just milk (esp breastmilk) is so much easier to take out and about... Much less faffing about making sure you have food and snacks etc... I'd definitely recommend leaving it as long as possible!

Krystaltips

feelinggood wrote: »

I apologise for going off topic. The guidelines are 6 months. I'm sure I read that 48% of babies are weaned before 4 months, and 48% between 4-6 months. I'm amazed that so many babies are exceptions.

I think that it is important to observe the physical signs that a baby is ready for weaning - able to sit unaided, developed pincer grip, loss of tongue thrust reflex. I wouldn't have said that feeding frequently is a reason to wean, nor watching someone eat. My LO watched the rabbit eat his poo, but that didn't mean I was going to let him do it!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Incidentally, to pre-emp any "your baby is obviously ready to wean, it's watching every mouthfull you take" comments, I pointed out to hubby that the baby was watching us as soon as she could focus... I used to make a joke about it... She often watched me make the food we were eating... Didn't mean she was ready to handle the knives and the pans herself....

emlou2009

one of my cousins was exclusively breastfed until he was 7 months old, but he is allergic to dairy, nuts and mushrooms, early weaning and allergies are not necessarily always linked
as i said, my son was weaned early. so far he has showed no signs of any allergies, even nuts which is lucky as we have family history of athsma in both sides. he eats anything!

tandraig

daska wrote: »

I also had to battle GP etc about DS1 and dairy products, it doesn't mean I would never listen to the evidence presented, we'd still believe the earth was flat if we ignored everything that didn't fit with our experience

Agree with you - but I have learned to listen to what is said then go on - my own research, my own experience, what my mum said, and the reactions of my own baby.

I just meant to point out that the latest gov research or current medical thinking isnt always right!

sometimes you just have to go with gut feeling! oh and the earth was round theory was ridiculed by the establishment for hundreds of years!