how did you decide to start weaning?

[gunting]

My son is approaching 4m and I was planning on waiting until he's 6m and stating weaning.

Everyone else in my antenatal group are giving their babies purees at 16 weeks already and saying they are showing the 'signs'

I'm just wondering how everyone else decided and if I'm wrong in waiting.

[Wardrobespierre]

I followed the signs of being ready. The dc were sitting up, no tongue thrust reflex and able to pick up food, put in their mouths, chew and swallow. These signs happen around 26 weeks. DD was 27 weeks, DS was 25 weeks.

[eatsleephockeyrepeat]

I was determined to wait until 26 weeks but ended up starting at 23. As pp said he could do all the things the NHS list as signs of readiness.

Even so we still would have waited except he was forever stealing our food. I found myself fishing things out of his mouth or uncurling his fingers from my dinner so often I was worried he'd get negative associations with food, and I wanted him to eat food, just not for a few weeks! So we caved :)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Dd picked up a sandwich at 23 weeks and scoffed it. Weaning done

[FreeButtonBee]

Ditto. He wrenched a bit of toast out of my hand and devoured it. Was 24 weeks. Sitting up wth minimal support, no tongue thrust reflex, can pick food up and get it into his mouth.

[NoCapes]

What is 'tongue thrust reflex'? I've seen it mentioned on the signs before but don't know what it actually means
My son is just 3 months and I'm already being told that he'll be ready to wean soon as he's a big boy or I could just give him more milk?! You know, at least till he can hold his own head up!

[Wardrobespierre]

As you probably know, weight is irrelevant. Just shows they're thriving. Why would they need mushed veg which has fewer calories and nutrients than milk? Solids are about the gut being ready, not size or sleep or watching you eat. My eldest was 23lbs at 26wks. On milk alone. Relatives come out with some funny stuff. I suppose it's because milk is a drink to us. It's hard to see it as a complete food. Which it is.

Anyway, the tongue thrust reflex is a clever thing designed to stop choking. If you put something against the lips or into the mouth of a baby, they push it out with their tongues. The reflex moves back across the tongue with age until they're ready to have solids and move them round their mouth without the reflex kicking in. You will have seen it. Lots of vids on YouTube which show it. Think of a baby pushing puree out and a mother scraping it off the chin and putting it back in. Tongue thrust reflex in action.

[ICJump]

.DS 2 grabbed a piece if lettuce out of OHs hand.

[CheersBigEars1]

I waited until 6 months as per the nhs guidance, but mainly because it have his digestive system time to mature and therefore we didn't have to be constrained in what we gave him.

[NoCapes]

Thanks Wardrobe I have had a little look around the Internet and done a few experiments with DS and he doesn't appear to have this reflex
Does this mean he is ready?

[ThatsNotEvenAWord]

He grabbed some broccoli off my plate. Think he was about 24 weeks. I didn't want to purée so had to wait until he could feed himself. He was probably about 8 months when he really 'got' eating though

[VeryPunny]

DD swiped a banana off me at 25 weeks. DS wasn't so fussed, and our house was a building site so waited until he was a bit over 6 months. Besides, he was the second child so mostly weaned through flooraging

[LaurieMarlow]

I started a bit earlier than most, about 20 weeks and went slowly, following DS's lead. He responded well and was on 2 meals a day by 26 weeks.

[unimaginativename13]

My DS is 17 and was happy to wait still 6 months (never understood why you would want to make more work for yourself!)

But the last few days he's been guzzling milk like no tomorrow, I've just done 3 X 7oz bottles in 4 hours. Usually 4/5 X 7oz bottles in 24 hours.

He's also sticking his fingers down this throat.

Any advice?

[Wardrobespierre]

nocapes, sorry for the delay but it's extremely unlikely that your 3 month old baby needs solids. Unless he's sitting up and can pick up food, put it in his mouth and chew and swallow. I suspect he still has the reflex, you just aren't seeing it. Advice is 6 months. Certainly not before 17 weeks unless on strict medical advice.

unimaginative, have you had him checked over? He might have a sore throat (often evidenced by sucking/drinking for comfort and sticking fingers down the throat). If it's hunger, have you tried giving smaller feeds more regularly? How long has the increased feeding been happening? Is it a growth spurt? Is he otherwise well?

[unimaginativename13]

I didn't think of a sore throat, he's otherwise we'll just fighting his sleep today!

[Wardrobespierre]

Sounds like a growth spurt. Also might be teething too.