weaning, when to ?

[flopflip]

Hello, I am a new member and would like advice on when to start weaning for my bottle fed dd, 4mths or 6mths. Anyone have any tips as a bit confused !

[NotQuiteCockney]

Current best practice is to wait until 6 months. This is what the WHO has been saying for years and years.

Waiting until 6 months is better for your dd, and less work for you, too!

[flopflip]

Thanks for that. Some books say 4mths, some say 6, she seems quite happy with her milk at the mo so i'll stick with that till then. Thanks.

[kibs]

I weaned all mine at 4 months, no problems at all. A few friends wiated until 6 months, and r fussy eaters, or/and allergies. I dont know if the 2 r related though.
If l/o is making chewing actions then go for it, or if interested in food, i.e looking at people eat

[NotQuiteLouisRiel]

They're interested in looking at everything at this age, surely?

I weaned my DS1 at 4 months, as that was the advice at the time (more or less). It was a giant faff and a big waste of time. I weaned my DS2 at 6 months, straight onto finger food. It was much less work, and my DS2 is much better at feeding himself. No allergies. DS2 is currently a bit fussy, but good for a two-year-old.

Here is a webpage with some good information about signs that a baby is ready for weaning.

[JessaFreedomFighter]

wean when your baby (not anyone elses!) is ready, but don't wean them too early.
Current advice is 6months. I started weaning ds (who is nearly one) at aroudn 5 months, because he was making chewing motions, not satisfied with his milk feeds, watching me eat (and opening his mouth!), no longer poked his tongue out when a spoon went in his mouth, could sit up unsupported...(all signs a baby is ready/nearly ready to wean...need more than just one sign though)

[bubblepop]

hiya, i weaned my last baby at 5 1/2 months because she was demanding more bottles, but although i increased her milk she couldn't take it and used to just sick most of it back up. also she started to wake at night after sleeping through,she was sitting up and showing a great interest in our family meals!also she was a big baby and born full term,smaller babies born early should perhaps wait until they are 6 months because they can be a little slower developing i think. years ago i weaned my first at 4 months just because that was what everybody did at the time,i did'nt have any problems but i think the best thing to do is look for the signs that your baby is ready,

[flopflip]

Thanks for all your advice. The dd in question is come to think of it chewing, getting slightly angry with her bottles and intently watching everything you put in your mouth. I am torn but I think as she is manageable, I will wait. Hope the sleeping through the night thing doesn't change as she has done 12hrs since she was 8wks !! Lucky me.

[NotQuiteLouisRiel]

I'm not convinced starting to wake after sleeping through is a real sign - and if they do need more calories, milk is much higher calorie than any of the early foods, anyway.

I really don't think chewing motions are a sign they're ready - they're always doing stuff with their mouths, that's what babies do.

[nuckingfutjob]

Chewing motions not a sign.

Watching you eat is not a sign.

Babies will watch you drive, dry your hair and mow the lawn. None of these is a sign that they are ready for a provisional licence, a subscription to "How To Do Your Hair Monthly" or a hoe.

[geekgrrl]

'tis ok, i've just reported myself. Sorry, just sick and tired of earlier weaners spouting ill-informed crap.

[nuckingfutjob]

Cor, GG, wish I'd seen that!

(I get a bit sick of it too - for a bit read "VERY"! )

[Gerryd]

Also a new mum confused about weaning...

My baby is four months old and has only been sleeping through for about 3 weeks! I have just got used to having a full nights sleep when he has began to wake up for feeds again. I have consulted many a book and have lots of conflicting advice. He doesnt seem satisfied with bottles anymore and is rarely going three hours between feeds... He can not sit up by himself yet though? Should i continue with bottles or try him on something else?

AHHHHHH

[adath]

The thing is that babies go through a huge growth spurt at around four months and that is one of the reasons weanign was done at that age.
A small amount of solid food is not really going to make your baby sleep through as like other have said it is not as high in calories as breast or formula milk so if they need more food then that is the best thing for them.
I tried weaning my DD earlier than 6 months 3 years ago and it was a waste of time so stopped and waited and did BLW it was far easier.
DS only 3.5 months and I know babies younger than him who I guarentee are on or will be before him on solids.

[CorrieDale]

I really am wondering why there is still confusion about weaning! OK, when the guidance was 4-6 months, yes, I can understand that's a bit confusing. But WHO have recommended 6 months for years now, and the UK has finally caught up. And the WHO didn't just pull a number out of the hat. The 6 month guideline is based on research that shows that this is the safest time to wean - the baby's gut will be mature enough to cope with solid food. OK, so it MAY be mature enough at 5 months, but you just can't tell! Why take the risk for the sake of a month or so?

Also, if you leave it until 6 months you can skip all the time-consuming, freezer-consuming purees, adn go straight onto solid food. Now isn't that tempting????

[flopflip]

If I wait until six mths what food do I start with ? and how solid?

[sarahryan]

im confused when to wean my 4 month old so much conflicting advice in books from family and friends. He seems satisfied most times after being breast feed sometimes only goes 1hr 1/2 between feeds during the day.used to sleep 6-7 hours straight now only sleeps 3-4 hours after going to sleep at bedtime. any advice

[CorrieDale]

Well, we started on well-cooked broccoli and carrot sticks. Some of the broccoli got through even on the first day! Aitch has done a brilliant blog about this kind of weaning. This is the link . The idea with BLW is that baby is in control - well, to an extent. You choose what goes in front of her, and she picks up and eats what she likes. It takes a couple of weeks generally for babies to get the hang - chewing and swallowing is a whole new skill for them to learn - and there's usually a lot of gagging at first. But you'll be amazed how fast your DD picks it up. And the best thing is that the baby starts on proper food straight away. Apart from cooking pasta until it was floppy & not adding salt to anything, we didn't do anything differently with DS. Only one meal to prepare at each mealtime. And I eat my dinners hot, because DS doesn't need to be spoonfed first. It's a great way to wean - we have some brill memories of DS's various faces when he encountered new food, and some brill photos too.

[CorrieDale]

Sarah, this is really common. In fact, practically universal! 4 Months is a growth spurt time - not just physically but mentally. Your baby will be taking in loads more, his vision has just improved massively so he can see more. It's a scary world out there! Just up the feeds and he'll settle back down in time (though sometimes it can be a long time). This is an excellent leaflet about weaning (with thanks, I think, to JennyLee who found it first!) Very useful leaflet - waaaaay more informative and accurate than your average relly!

[flopflip]

Corrie dale, thanks for your tips and links. i went onto the blog and the whole thing looks hilarious and I can't wait to try. Looks like we will have to stock up on plastic bibs etc but the dog will be happy and fat from all the droppings. Thanks again for your advice.

[CorrieDale]

You're welcome! Your dog is gonna be soooooo happy. (And your dd is going to adore seeing the dog eating her discards. This BLW lark is just win, win, win!!!)

[aitch71ababe]

nuckingfutjob, corriedale etc i am so in agreement.

you know, i think this 'watching adults eating'/'following food' thing is totally bogus. surely the babies have to learn to eat? might they not just be watching for that reason?

likewise the sleep disturbances... my DD slept worse after weaning than before, which is hardly surprising if you think that her digestive system was being asked to work in a way it never had done before (god knows i only have to eat a curry and my stomach is singing The Hymn to the Battle Republic half the night).

also, there just aren't the calories in broccoli, carrot etc, whether as finger food or puree, that there are in milk. why do people persist in promulgating these completely counter intuitive arguments for weaning?

Now, i know that makes me sound like i am cross with people here, which i amn't really. but every dreadful old biddie in my family was insisting i wean my dd from 3 months because SHE HAD EYES and was watching me. her mother. she watched me if i picked my nose, fgs, it didn't mean that she was ready to eat my bogies. (have i gone too far there? )

my own mother could just tell that dd wanted to eat from 3mths onwards. How? she has never shown the slightest psychic inclination before... and lo, the baby managed just fine til 6 months.

anyway, it gets right on my tits... can you tell?

6 months is advised. it's not the law, no-one will ring social services, do what you think is right etc etc, but if possible try to ignore the advice that just doesn't make sense and embrace the stuff that does...

(P.S. It's me who writes the blog by the way. i am normally much more pleasant than this.)