Everyone telling me to wean (4mths)

[Murane]

My DS is 4 months old and everyone is pushing me to feed him solids. My mother has been banging on about it for at least a month. My gran is hassling me about it. My neighbour has been feeding her 5 month old solids for a couple of weeks because "he was hungry". Even strangers keep saying it! Usually they ask if he's sleeping well, and when I say no, they tell me it's because he needs solids and is waking up because he's hungry. My mother uses this as an opportunity to say "I told you so!"

DS is big for his age. Typically he won't sleep till 11pm, wakes up sometimes at 2am and always at 4am to be fed. He was initially on the 90th percentile but dropped fairly quickly to 50th and stayed there. The midwife pressured me repeatedly to supplement with formula because "he's a big baby, too big to be EBF". He can grab but can't sit up in his own yet.

I don't know if I should feed him solids or not? The WHO says 6 months but literally everyone is pressuring me and insinuating that he's hungry.

[Smarshian]

The WHO guidelines are correct, in that they look at limiting issues by ensuring babies are weaned when their digestive systems are ready, however, if you read into the research some babies will be ready to be weaned from around 17 weeks (but definitely not before this point!)

Do what you think is best, do some research etc and wait for your baby to show signs of readiness (watching/grabbing for food, sitting up, etc etc)

I started weaning my DD at 21 weeks as she literally grabbed food out of my hand and ate it. Not all children are made equally. Do not feel under pressure to start early weaning if you don't think it's right. Follow your instincts.

[Murane]

DS watches me eat but doesn't try to grab and can't sit unaided. I'm just worried he's hungry because so many people are telling me he should be eating solids.

[Smarshian]

If you're not sure wait. Or speak to your hv. They will tell you more about the signs to let you know your baby is ready. They will also reiterate the guidelines as that is what they are told to do.

It doesn't sound like you think he is ready yet. Use your instincts and hold off until you are sure.

[Housemover18]

If he is hungry then milk (yours or formula) will fill him up - puréed fruit/veg or baby rice don’t contain anywhere near as many calories per spoonful as milk. When he does wean he will still need milk for calories for a good while yet, being hungry isn’t a reason to wean! You sound like you are on top of matters, I definitely wouldn’t wean till he is sitting well (it’s ok if he still needs some support but should be fully upright).

[whymewhyme]

Didn't feel persured, do what's is right for you and baby! If my MIL had her way mine would of had baby rice at 6weeks old at 4 months I introduced one formular a day to see if he would go longer between BF, he didn't, I stoped it. I did wean at 5.5 months as he was sooo ready!

[curlyrebel]

I know how you must feel. I was in the same boat myself with my DD. Mainly the pressure came from my MIL who used to say to my DD at our dinner time 'poor baby, your mummy and daddy aren't feeding you!'. My DM also couldn't wait to start feeding her! Their generation started feeding their babies solids much earlier and have no time for official guidance.

I followed the guidance and my DD was over 6 months when I weaned her onto solids. She took to it so quickly I wondered if I should have started earlier. I think it's a fallacy about them sleeping through the night though. This didn't happen for months after, once I stopped bf. Waking up twice a night at your DS's age actually sounds good to me! Just go with the guidance and don't give in to pressure.

[Spam88]

If he's hungry he needs more milk 🤷‍♀️ there are more calories in his milk than what he'd consume in solids at this stage anyway, plus he has no idea that food can take away his hunger so he'd be upset if you tried to give him solids rather than milk. People seem convinced food will help them sleep through but I've heard more people saying their baby has woken more with wind etc once they've started solids. Don't forget there's a sleep regression at 4 months as well - my DD wouldn't go down longer than 40 minutes, it was a fucking nightmare.

I really don't have time for people insisting you should wean early because that's what they did in their day and it didn't do any harm. They also used to put babies to sleep on their front but no one seems to be advocating that.

[OhHolyJesus]

God I hate post like this - bloody interfering busy bodies! If he can't sit unaided he is not ready to wean, Christ what's the rush? Your milk will fill him, he's an average weight. I doubt he's hungry if he's feeding at night and milk should be the main part of their diets until 1yo.

Please hold your ground OP and trust your instincts. They are not the ones waking in the night to BF, nor will they be cleaning up mess from puréed food or baby led weaning.

[arbrighton]

What absolute bullshit about 'too big to bf'

FWIW, DS and I were called a 'good advert for breastfeeding'. He was born 75th but went up to 98th and has more or less stayed there.

He has one or two bottles a week if I'm out but still mostly BF at 11 mo

Didn't start weaning til 6mo.

[arbrighton]

And FFS, formula and solids don't make any difference to sleep
PS
that's actually not bad at all, I'd kill for that as a norm

[moreismore]

If people can exclusively bf twins then there’s no way you’re not providing enough milk for your child no matter what centile he’s on!

I think people find others making different choices threatening as it makes them question their own. Stick to your guns, you know your instincts are not only right but backed up by official advice.

[TillyTheTiger]

I had the same from about 4 months, being told my 98th percentile DS needed food because there's no way breast milk would keep him satisfied. I did have to ask how they thought he had grown that big if breast milk wasn't filling him?! Muppets.
I went to see the HV, she said not to wean until 6mo so to every comment after that I said 'I've discussed this with professionals and they've said no solids until 6mo so I'll stick with their advice'

[YorkieDorkie]

Too big to EBF is utter nonsense and advice like this is probably one of the reasons why the UK is the world's worst at breastfeeding!!

You will know when you're ready to wean your baby. Trust your instincts and FACTUAL guidance. Your busy body relatives do not qualify

[ilovejammiedogers]

Agree with everyone else you do what feels right. I started to wean DD one week before she was 6 months. She was ebf and I got similar comments from family members. I just ignored I did not even feel she was over hungry. I think 4 months a lot of babies have a growth spurt and sleep regression. I just seem to bf her more. It was actually when we started to wean she woke up more during the night. She still doesn't sleep through now and she is 13 months and has 3 meals a day.
If you wean before 6 months you are suppose to stick to fruit/veg (not very filling) or baby rice (not exactly nutritional to be replacing milk feeds with).
I don't understand this push with formula what did we do before it was available