When did you start weaning your EBF baby?

[ColdTeaAgain]

Well just as I get comfortable with breastfeeding, now I'm worrying about weaning!

NHS advice says 6 months is the best time but I know lots who are starting at 4 months. My baby 15 weeks and I just don't think she's anywhere near being interested in anything but the boob! Should I just smile and nod at all the people telling me "nearly time for baby rice"? It feels like everyone is on my case to get her on solids!

Also, we have let her lead the way so far, so it would make sense to go down the baby led weaning route. Do they naturally start to show interest in food at 6 months or does the age vary a lot?

Need words of wisdom, worrying about it all the time now!

[Jojay]

Smile and ignore.

They are doing what they think is right for their baby, you do what is right for yours.

All four of mine were six months before they had any solids and we by passed baby rice too! Stock to your guns, you're doing great.

[CreatureRetorts]

When they were ready i.e good head control, could sit, grab stuff and put things in mouth and lost the tongue thrust (all of those not some). So that was around 6 months probably a bit before.

I let them grab food themselves and give it a chew. With my first I was too quick to move to three meals which backfired so I dropped down again to less formal meals. With my second I was more relaxed - she ate with us if she was awake then moved her slowly onto three meals with her brother at around 9 months.

[happydaze77]

The fact that they are suggesting baby rice as a first food reveals how little they know about weaning.

Don't rush, they're tummies are so delicate. We tried at 4 1/2 months (stupidly, because of 'peer pressure') and poor dd ended up constipated. We then restarted at 5 1/2 months, with simple fruit and veg purees, then brought in some finger foods, and built up to three meals by 9 months. It was so easy and fun!

[happydaze77]

'Their' tummies. Sorry

[gruber]

28 weeks 6+ months. There was no way I was weaning before 6 months, and we were away the week DS turned 6 months (on holiday, impractical to wean straight away there on hols) so he had to wait! Plus side, I was confident he was ready, gave me time to get stuff ready (highchair etc). I find he has taken to food better than my friends DS who she started at 4.5 months, I just skipped all the hassle & 2 months of purees & went straight into finger food!

Ignore ignore ignore anyone else. Your baby your way. DS is thriving and loving food!

[HadALittleFaith]

Baby rice looks like wallpaper paste to me! I'm mix feeding DD (mostly BF with one FF in the evening). She's 5 1/2 months and just started grabbing at food and shoving it in her mouth! At 15 weeks I'd just enjoy the BF for some time to come, you've probably got another 10 weeks or so before you're ready for weaning! Have a look at the Gill Rapley BLW weaning book - I've found it really interesting and relates well to BF babies.

[FadBook]

Here are some good reads:

Starting solids

BLW myths

This one in particular will put you off baby rice!

Wait till 6 months/baby ready, and don't explain yourself - your baby, your rules!

[Victoria2002]

Yes 6m also but he really had no interest till about 8/9m. Remember if you are doing ebm for the first. 6 m that's really really good for your baby because of hmmm...some theory about their gut flora...am sketchy on the details! Meant to lower their risk of cancer and all sorts, so if ebf is working for you then try to stick to it with no formula for 6. M.

[sleepyhead]

Ds2 is 24 weeks and I tried him with bits of banana and carrot those week, mainly because I'm going back to work in a few weeks and wanted to get him established on solids before that.

Anyway, best laid plans etc, he was pretty underwhelmed both with finger food and mush, so I'm going to leave it for a bit and maybe just give him a couple of bits to play with and have a bit of a sook on.

Ds1 was 26 weeks when I started weaning and got it pretty much straight away but both were ebf up to that point and perfectly happy and thriving on just milk.

[gwenniebee]

Two weeks shy of six months, here, and that was just with "bits" to play with for few weeks. I started spooning a bit of puree into her in the evenings at about six and a half months because it seemed to make her sleep better, but other than that she fed herself with stuff we were having, if she was awake when we were having it.

[girliefriend]

About 20 weeks but dd was ready imo, sitting up, looking interested and able to pick up food and anything else she could get her hands on and put in her mouth.

I wouldn't worry about, trust your instincts - you know your baby best

[catellington]

6 months here.

She just turned 7 months and only just starting to eat more than a tiny bit. I even thought about leaving it a bit longer as she is only just sitting up well unsupported (one of the signs of readiness) but decided to get started although we are taking it nice and slowly.

[DuelingFanjo]

Six months. I wouldn't at four months.

[ColdTeaAgain]

Thank you much for everyones replies, thats what I was hoping to hear! Those links are really interesting, thank you FadBook!

I'm going to stick to my guns but I'm predicting a few awkward moments ahead with the MIL, her other granddaughter (18 months) had been given baby rice by now (under her advice), and I always get the impression she thinks my milk isn't enough anymore and I'm stunting DD's growth!

[ColdTeaAgain]

Thank you so much I mean!

[happydaze77]

What is it about MILs and breastfeeding!? I'm sure there are some very supportive ones out there too, but if I had a pound for every one that wasn't . . .

[mrsmartin1984]

Just smile and ignore. It was my Mum who was funny about it. "Just give her some baby rice and banana". Told me that BLWing was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. Now she cannot believe how well she is eating and the variety as well (7 1/2 months started 2 months ago). Remember they don't need anything other then booby milk for the those first months and even after you start weaning milk will still be the main source of nutrition for a while.

And please don't be in a hurry to start feeding. You don't want to see their nappies afterwards

[ColdTeaAgain]

Definitely a generational thing with breastfeeding I think. I suppose when we were babies the standard advice was to give baby rice and rusks at 4 months, old habits die hard maybe!?

That's great to hear mrsmartin! Really encouraging, I'm quite excited about it now

[ColdTeaAgain]

...apart from the nappies!

[crimsonwitch]

My Ds2 is nearly 5 months and he is boob obsessed and nowhere near ready. I had never heard of blw with ds1 now 5, but ended up from 6 months giving him what was on my plate so he was tucking into chicken legs by 7 months so going to just follow my instincts again. This is very different from my dd (10) I felt pressured by my interfuckingfering passive aggressive helpful mil into giving her baby rice and puree at 4 months. She really struggled with constipation and choked in lumps till she was well over 1. Trust your own intuition, no one knows your baby as well as you do.

[sleepyhead]

My mum's funny with the whole weaning thing. We were rice at 12wks 70s babies and she was very when dsil waited until 20 weeks with her first and positively at me waiting until 26 weeks and going straight on to..... lumps! The horror.

4 grandchildren later, and now she's advising me that ds2s probably still a bit young and I'd be better off waiting and just giving him a bit of whatever we're eating to try

[catellington]

My DM is v opinionated on weaning - can't get giving rice cakes or bits of veg and is ever so particular about temperature of food ( ie not too hot obv but also not straight from fridge ) also didn't understand me just giving homemade veg which I'd mashed but will give purée of the same from jars no questions..? Also can't comprehend not using baby rice... And gave dd farleys rusks although I said no to those....is adamant that once dd on three meals a day she will sleep through and do one neat little poo a day in the morning ....I could go on.
MIL just disapproves of bf after "oh about 9 months is the longest it should go on" - I said why would I give formula when I've got my own great free supply and she just looked
I have really found this all knocked my confidence and probably would have done blw properly if I'd had some support from them - esp DM who looks after DD two days a week...it is sad really. Next baby I hope to stick to my guns !

[Splatt34]

DD2 is 17 weeks. Not even thinking of weaning yet! Did BLW with DD1 & planning the same. Can't be bothered with the mushing & purreing, & my 3 year old eats so well it worked a treat last time.

[Bloodsocks]

Dd was 5 and a bit months. We've been at it 3 weeks now and she's doing well. Mostly still playing but is extremely capable of getting a loaded spoon into her mouth or a stick of pepper or cucumber. I started early as I'm very aware of me going back to work in 2 months time and dd will not drink formula, will not drink from a bottle and just chews on the sippy cup before spitting out whatever liquid she's managed to get in her mouth so I needed to give her the best chance of going without milk throughout the day when she is with the grandparents.