to wonder why some people can't wait to wean?

[NobbedaBuilder]

I have a fb friend whose little boy is 12 weeks old today. She posted a status saying she was thinking of weaning him last week because he had been looking at her while she was eating. She got a load of comments saying - 'you know best', 'I weaned my baby at 5 days and they're fine' and 'don't speak the the evil hv they will just tell you to wait' and lo and behold yesterday there were pictures up of him looking 'cute' with baby rice all round his mouth.
Now I quite understand that some babies are ready before 6 months and that some medical conditions may necessitate very early weaning but why the hell would you choose to wean against advice, at 3 months, because your baby was looking at you while you ate?
I weaned both dd and ds at around 6 months. For quite a while before that they had been looking at food (amongst other things) and probably would have tried to put some in their mouths had I let them (as that's what babies do with everything). DS was also sitting up at 4 months - I could have interpreted these as 'signs' they were ready. As it turned out ds wasn't even that bothered about food until about 7 months or so.
I realise that some people have to wean early but if you don't have to why would you take the risk? I know the advice used to be 3 months then 4 and then 6 but 4-6 months is the most up to date advice based on all the research we have at present. Most people seem to take medical advice at face value in other areas. You would take a painkiller for a headache, for example, without speculating that in a few years research might conclude that painkillers are ineffective for headaches.
If the baby is perfectly contented just having milk the only reason I can see that parents would start weaning is because they are either ignorant of the risks (not the case with fb friend as she discussed the risks on there and went ahead anyway) or over-excited about their baby entering the next stage of their development.
Sorry for the rant it just made me really cross that this childs health is being put at risk due to his parents impatience.

well, if that didn't bother you, why does this?

DS1 I really hated weaning, I had to go from absolutely no food preparation time to cooking things. I've always been pretty bad for skipping lunch and having too many ready meals but I wanted DS to have proper food so found the whole thing a trial - I did BLW because I was way too lazy to do the pureeing as well. I wouldn't have started til much later than 6 months if I'd thought I could get away with it!

DS2 I found waiting a bit of a struggle, he's been sitting in his highchair eating his toys and staring at me and DS1 having lunch with hungry eyes. I caved at 24 weeks after he nearly grabbed DS1's lunch and it seemed to be better to give him his own. My mum is a recently diagnosed coeliac (since DS1 was weaned) though so I am very wary of weaning too early and will be taking it very slowly. I thought he'd take to it much quicker as he's a lot more physically advanced than DS1 but nothing much has gone in yet!

This is only an observation (I don't want to be flamed or start a bunfight, it's just something I've noticed amongst my acquaintances and I realise they may not be representative) but I found the only people I know who weaned very early were FF, I was wondering if it's got anything to do with it, having a complicated food preparation schedule already or worry about how many oz they're having or something?

Not to me. I FF from about 8 weeks and weaned at nearly 6 calendar months. But my preparation schedule consisted of opening a carton: not that complicated really.

I weaned my DD at 4.5 months. There was a definite change in her behaviour and her sleep was terrible at night and day. After introducing solids she began sleeping through the night for the first time and was a very happy baby again. I asked the HV first and she agreed introducing solids was right for her at that time. I know some argue that the sleep disturbances could be down to other things etc I really believe in her case she was ready, and I really couldn't imagine leaving it til 6 months with her. I don't see why people are in a rush to do it, and 12 weeks is way too early, but I also can't see why people are so dogmatic about waiting til 6 months. There is nothing magic that happens the day they turn 6 months that means they are suddenly ready! I fully intended to wait til 6 months but when it came to it, my dd just seemed ready at 4.5 months, and it was obvious something needed to change, and it definitely benefitted her without doubt. I started her on very simple foods like baby rice and homemade fruit/veg purees and watched closely. Now she is just over 6 months and eating a wide variety of foods and has never rejected anything. She eats finger foods and has no problems with different textures either. It also means that when I go back to uni in September I have a good idea what she likes/dislikes (although actually there isn't anything she dislikes) so I can inform the childminder who will be looking after her. Weaning a bit early worked for me. I personally don't understand why people get so judgey about it.

And FWIW, I EBF my dd and still breastfeed her now, and have no intention of stopping soon. The fact they my dd is now well-established on solids means that my supply has dropped enough that I'll probably be able to go back to uni without getting engorged and will be able to feed her in the morning/at night without expressing during the day.

Think it all depends... I tried to start solids with DS when he was 6 months but he point blank refused anything but my milk (he was EBF) until he was 14 months! I really did try everything including blw but he would have none of it.
He was really thriving though and remained on the 91st centile the whole time and just never got ill.

Then I do hear stories of the opposite so I guess its different every time.

why do people do it?

I think some people do it because they just can't wait for the next stage. I waited until six months and I find it a pain because breastfeeding is just so much easier but I am introducing him to new stuff every day now. I could easily have just carried on EBF, much easier IMO.

I have a FB friend who seems to be doing everything far too early. Weaned her DS4 at 12 weeks (onto CHOCOLATE PUDDING - photo of the poor kid with her feeding him from the tin, Bleurgh) and then she had photos of him on a potty from 10 months old, then moved him from a cot to a bed at 12 months - he's 17 months now, and he can't yet walk, has no idea what a potty is for, is a really REALLY fussy eater (very underweight) and has fallen out of his big boy's bed on at least 4 occasions. :(
I think duelling is right - some people just can't wait!

FFS get over yourself op it's none of your business what people do with their own children. Concentrate on your own PFB and revel in your own smugness you did everything you were told, and never thought for yourself or your PFB

And yes I'm one of those irresponsible parents who used intuition while raising my DS's.

i was reading a book called hospital babylon and they say the guidelines were brought back so people who would wean at two months would wait a little longer, but all it has done is make the parents who take notice of government guidelines wait longer to wean.

i weaned my sons at 12 week and i did look forward to it, shoot me

My DD has started weaning at 19 weeks, because we can't get enough milk into her. She was EBF with great difficulty until 15 weeks, we have seen a great improvement since we have moved to bottles but she still only takes half of the milk she should be (per my GP). She seems to love her food and manages to get through her two meals a day with barely a spot on her bib so I know she is moving the purees to the back of her mouth and swallowing.

I agree with others who have noted that this is none of the OP's business. Since becoming a parent for the first time I've been amazed how interfering people can be.

Weaning dd at 22 weeks on HV advice. She's having homemade purees and guzzling them. Sits up, lost tongue thrust, and was either downing bottle after bottle or refusing her milk.
She's been ff since 3 weeks, but that had nothing to do with it - much easier to open a carton than steam and squish apricots!

At what point are you allowed an opinion then if not when someone is risking their kids health for no reason other than their own impatience?
I notice no-one on here who has taken offence has said they would/have weaned a perfectly contented baby at 3 months just because they looked at food.
And I didn't interfere. Interfering would have been commenting on the status saying what I said here - not starting an anonymous thread wondering why some people are eager to wean their kids early, against medical advice, when they don't have to.

Probably
a) they have other kids they weaned early who have suffered no ill effects
b) many people still wean at 4 months
c) its their baby and they can feed them when they want to

In your opinion she is risking her baby's health but maybe she hasn't told you all the reasons she is weaning what you consider to be early. Maybe as the baby's mother she feels she knows her baby better than you and better than some HCP who change and chop their advice day by day. or maybe she has been give medical advice to wean baby early but doesn't feel the need to share with you and your judgy pants

I weaned all my children when I felt they were ready. Reaching for food, watching people eating, all the reasons you seem to feel are dismissible. So I stick my hand up, mad bad and dangerous mother here, I risked my children's health in your humble opinion. Thank god i had my kids ten years ago when people were still sane and capable of making decisions for themselves and their children.

She was specifically asked by another friend (not a mutual one) if he was showing any other signs and said no. And it's not only my opinion that it is risking her childs health - it's the current medical advice!
Parents do lots of things they are 'allowed' to do - smacking, constant shouting, feeding their kids crap, smoking around them. I have opinions on those things too - as do most people. It's just that on here you have to pretend you don't.

I take all of these things where the advice changes regularly or differs between countries with a pinch of salt frankly. It'll change again next week/month/year. It's best to trust your instincts. We managed to parent children and look after ourselves for many years without any official advice, relying on our instincts.

So you and another friend have been bitching behind her back, nice

God I hate all this "trust your instinct" "mummy knows best" shite. It's so bloody Netmums. Guidelines exist because people claiming they are "trusting their instincts" are shoving baby rice in their baby's bottle at 2 weeks old, and weaning ridiculously early.

How can your average parent know better than healthcare professionals?

No not been bitching. Never met the other friend in my life. The other friend commented on her status so not behind her back at all.

Apologises for the use of the word sane I am not for one moment saying people who follow every guideline, cant think for themselves or use their intuition are insane

Years ago it was thought it was best to sleep babies on their front in case they vommitted. Now we know better. I know a few parents who sleep babies on their tummies but it is usually because they won't sleep on their backs not because one day it might change again. The current health advice is the best health advice we have. Does anyone making that argument think we should take up smoking 'in case' cigarettes turn out to be healthy?

Of course HCP never get it wrong how very stupid of me. So when I was told there was something wrong with my ds because he wouldn't sit up at five months. I should have listened instead if thinking silly HCP he is cruising along the furniture there isn't anything wrong with him. Maybe I should have used and wasted the very expensive and valuable occupational therapy session we were offered shouldn't have listened to my intuition then

Realistically who the frigging hell weans their baby at 2 weeks olds. Erm no one i know, maybe 4 months

And following safety guidelines when possible is being sensible and putting your child first - not being unable to think for yourself. I don't think that looking at research which suggests on thing to reduce your childs risk of illness and completely ignoring it is a sign of intelligence.
Does it make you incapable of thinking if you use a carseat for your kids? After all people didn't use them in the past and most were fine.