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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is far too early to start weaning?

77 replies

hestergraysgarden · 19/01/2014 17:15

I met a friend of a friend at a christening party yesterday. Her (very lovely) baby was born at 28 weeks and is now 11 weeks old, so is still a week away from reaching term. They are already giving her pureed vegetables and rusks!

DS is six months old and has only just started on puree. I'm not going to try him on finger foods for another month or so.

I didn't say anything to her as I would never usually criticise a new mum, knowing full well what it feels like to get unsolicited advice from strangers. But I'm a bit worried that she might be unwittingly causing her baby harm as it doesn't seem like they have spoken to their health visitor or midwife - they said she just wasn't satisfied by her formula anymore and had stopped sleeping through (it just sounds like a growth spurt to me).

Is it safe for a premature baby to be weaned so early? I don't know if I should try and raise the issue next time I see her or just leave it.

Sorry. Got myself a bit nattered.

OP posts:
Original poster
hestergraysgarden · 19/01/2014 17:15

Sorry, two weeks away from reaching term - I can't count today!

OP posts:
Joules68 · 19/01/2014 17:17

You don't need permission from either a HV or a midwife.....

Wishfulmakeupping · 19/01/2014 17:18

That seems very early to me

mrsminiverscharlady · 19/01/2014 17:19

It's really nothing to do with you. Unless she lives in a cave I'm sure she's quite well aware that it's not recommended and has chosen to do it anyway, so anything you say will most likely piss her off.

gallicgirl · 19/01/2014 17:21

You might not need permission but it's wise to consider advice from medical experts.
Preemies are usually under paediatric care for quite a while so I'm surprised it's not been discussed. Of course they might just be ignoring advice.
I'd be concerned too but I'm not sure what I'd do about it.

ShadowFall · 19/01/2014 17:22

This does sound very early to be weaning.

DS1 was 6 weeks early, and we were advised to start weaning once he reached 6 (actual) months old.

I personally wouldn't start weaning that early - even if baby was full term - unless I'd been advised to by a doctor, but I don't know if there's any safety issues around weaning this early.

Original poster
hestergraysgarden · 19/01/2014 17:25

I don't mean that she needs permission, I just meant that it doesn't sound like the health visitor or midwife has recommended it, as I know is sometimes the case. I'm not trying to butt in and would never do this - I suppose I was just looking for reassurance that it won't cause the baby any harm as I'd read that the reason you're supposed to wait is that there's a chance their gut / kidneys won't be developed enough to process food, and that it might cause allergies in later life.

OP posts:
DollyHouse · 19/01/2014 17:26

If it's a friend of a friend how do you know they haven't consulted anybody prior to doing it?

Original poster
hestergraysgarden · 19/01/2014 17:27

Posted too soon - considering this, I wondered if being premature put the baby at higher risk.

OP posts:
kinkyfuckery · 19/01/2014 17:28

Oh no, 11 week old baby won't sleep through the night? Let's stuff her stupid and fuck up her insides.

Poor baby Sad

firesidechat · 19/01/2014 17:28

Didn't I read somewhere that early weaning for prem babies is recommended or did I dream that?

Original poster
hestergraysgarden · 19/01/2014 17:29

DollyHouse I don't, it was just the way she worded it that sounded like they hadn't. You're right that they might well have discussed it and that was part of my reason for posting, to see if there were any circumstances in which this would be recommended.

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 19/01/2014 17:33

It's really very early,

Sometimes early weaning is the advice with prem babies (not always) but it would be something that medical professionals would advise on not the sort of thing you randomly decide to do in this day and age,unless you are a bit silly.

IneedAsockamnesty · 19/01/2014 17:37

But this thread will fill up with people saying they did it at that age with no issues,then it will descend into a bun fight about just how often guidelines change and how guidelines are not rules,there will be quite a few her baby her rules blah blah blah

Then a few who did it at 4 weeks and then some shit about fruit shoots

Gileswithachainsaw · 19/01/2014 17:37

Well, it's between her and probably her paediatrician/gp

If you hadn't had a prem baby you can't be sure it wasn't advised and the baby is probably still under a medical professional of some kind.

Iamavapernow · 19/01/2014 17:42

What kinkyfuckery said. ^^

formerbabe · 19/01/2014 17:44

I'm sure I read somewhere that prem babies were weaned earlier?

Gileswithachainsaw · 19/01/2014 17:47

If you already know it's early, then tbh this just seems like a thread to bring out all the smug six monthers.

If you are worried say something.

ShadowFall · 19/01/2014 17:50

Found a link to the Bliss booklet about weaning premature babies:

www.bliss.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Weaning.pdf

They suggest that weaning of healthy premature babies should start between 5 and 8 months after the baby is born, but also say that babies with ongoing medical conditions that affect feeding or growth should follow advice from their local medical team.

So, 11 weeks old does still sound very early to be weaning, but I guess it is possible that they're doing so on the advice of their local medical team.

pianodoodle · 19/01/2014 18:13

If you already know it's early, then tbh this just seems like a thread to bring out all the smug six monthers

I didn't wean until 6 months but I didn't realise it was something to be smug about Grin

I honestly don't know how young is too young from a health point of view. I have friends that weaned from 4 months but don't know anyone who started earlier.

Gileswithachainsaw · 19/01/2014 18:16

Seems to be in mn piano :o

Having a baby that sleeps through is deemed as luck however a baby that holds out til six months is an achievement Confused

DollyHouse · 19/01/2014 18:19

And then there's the reverse of that where all people who've waited til six months get stick from the ones who didn't. I'm not smug about waiting (dd just wasn't ready so no point even trying before then) but I've still had stick and nasty comments.

You can't win with other mothers sometimes even if you keep your gob shut.

PrincessScrumpy · 19/01/2014 18:25

Prem babies are supposed to be weaned early as they miss iron from the mother in the last few Weeks of pg. I learned this when dtds were 5.5 months and my hv was worried I hadn't started yet. Being that prem she's likely to be under a consultant so maybe she's been advise to start.

softlysoftly · 19/01/2014 18:28

We'll it sounds very very early and no it's probably isn't a good idea and it could possibly cause her issues and not sleeping through is not a good reason.

Having said all that do you really think they will say "oh we hadn't realised we will stop now you, oh font of baby knowledge have said so"

Unlikely

And on the flip side I think 7 months before finger food is too late and personally believe it might cause an aversion to different textures and increase allergies but there you go. I have no scientific back up and no bugger would listen anyway!

SoonToBeSix · 19/01/2014 18:32

You are wrong to delay finger foods past six months.

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