To start weaning my twins at 4 months?

[mummybearah]

Everyone I speak to and everything I read says that I should wait until 6 months.

However I feel that they are so ready! Of course I'll still be giving them their milk, but to be honest they aren't that interested in milk anymore.

Found that they would eat more solids than milk (baby porridge, rusks etc.)

I feel so bad- AIBU?

[CeliaFate]

When I had my dd the advice was to wean at 4 months. 3 years later when I had my son it was 6 months.

As long as milk remains the majority of their nourishment, it won't hurt.

[Retropear]

Make

[Retropear]

Hmm Illinois University and the word "may" lead me to wonder if we can quote from all "studies" that naked claims against bfing.

How about the study claiming bf babies are deficient in iron if breast fed beyond a year.Can we stat twist and scaremonger that "research" or are we only allowed to do that the other way?

[SaucyJack]

Why should or would the OP check with her HV first? There isn't some magic secret answer to the weaning question that the NHS only reveals to HVs- they won't know any more than anyone else can find out with 30 secs on Google.

It's up to the OP to decide what's best for her baby. She doesn't need permission from some random who works dahn the Health Centre.

[thebodylovesspring]

When research sounds a tad iffy to me I tend to think it is a tad iffy.

Especially surrounding babies development. There's so much money tied up in parents fears isn't there.

[NoodleOodle]

I added a few spoons of apple puree just after four months for my DD in 2000. The whole household breathed a sigh of relief. Every other bf stayed the same, but that midday couple of spoons of apple seemed to make a world of difference to my baby who had gone from being an easy and happy tot to a screaming, never satiated, non sleeping demon child. If I hadn't done it, the whole household would have suffered miserably. I did phone and check with my HV first, who advised I try it and see what the reaction was. As the reaction was positive, I continued.

Check with your HV OP, don't take pressure from your MIL, and go with what makes you and your baby happy and healthy. I know if I hadn't started to introduce other foods, I would have given up breastfeeding, so I'm glad I didn't feel under pressure to wait another two months - I know I and my boobies would not have been able to handle it. As it is, that first year, and all the milk feeds are still the thing I think I've found most satisfying in my whole life.

[Retropear]

Well there you go.My dd had both and extremely advanced speech.

[Retropear]

You can when numbers are negligible and stat twisting alongside scaremongering is involved.

Would love any doctor to try and tell me that a few months of formula caused my dd's stammer.

[Retropear]

Mad what a load of tosh.Stammers are hardly epidemic in the population as a whole and stammering can be caused by all sorts of things such as genes,time pressures,personality,speech,environment,parental anxiety,speed of talking etc.

What a baby was fed will have buggar all effect on the above.

My dd had a stammer because her twin brothers a year older always cut in and her vocabulary was too advanced for her age Ie she couldn't get her words out quick enough.Funnily enough her speech therapist wasn't the slightest bit interested as to whether she had formula and simply suggested we stop the boys from butting in and give her time to speak.

It worked.

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Just honey - none till 12 months because of botulism risk. And limited salt. I can't think of anything else specifically advised against, as part of a healthy balanced diet

No whole nuts, because of choking. Cut grapes in half for the same reason. They're perfect for getting lodged in the airway.

[thebodylovesspring]

Fled mine started to wake after sleeping through and I couldn't possibly up the bf as I would literally have been a zombie. Adding solids brought back sleep alongside still breastfeeding.

I don't understand your other comment regarding does the baby know if it's more likely to die on it's front

So can't answer that one.

I will say there was a massive campaign at the time by Ann diamond who lost her baby to cot death where research showed the previously held mantra of babies on their fronts was dangerous.

[PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice]

EAT study here

[PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice]

There is research ongoing that indicates early (before 26 weeks even) exposure to allergens like gluten, peanuts etc actually reduces incidence of allergy. I can't remember the name of the study but there were some people on here taking part in it.

[fledermaus]

Before 6 months they're not supposed to have anything containing gluten are they? Or dairy?

[PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice]

"There are also certain foods they can't eat"

Just honey - none till 12 months because of botulism risk. And limited salt. I can't think of anything else specifically advised against, as part of a healthy balanced diet.

[fledermaus]

I'm not really sure what it means though to be led by your baby - how do you know if your baby wants some solids at 3 months, and should you do it even though it's risky for them? Does the baby know if it is more likely to die if it sleeps on its front?

[thebodylovesspring]

My point was always follow your baby and obviously what suits you as a family but sensibly regarding all research along the way. Just not be ruled by advice and loose your babies needs on the way.

[thebodylovesspring]

When I was nursing in the late 80s and had my first babies putting a baby in it's back was tantamount to neglect.babies were woken up to put on their fronts. My dm was very upset by my insistence in following this advice. I threw away a mattress after research showed we needed brand new ones for each baby.

By my third baby in 1999, it was on their back and no cot bumper, and no overheating

My dm wanted to out a risk in my babies bottle from 3 months.

As I said I weaned mine at 4 months.

They are all fine.

You do need to be baby led. Your baby led.

[leedy]

Not to mention the hideous nappies. shudders

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Don't wean with rusks, they're full of sugar.

Weaning is a faff, I waited til almost six months and found it a pain. It's so much easier to just give milk when they're hungry. Especially when you're out and about.