To consider introducing solids at 4months?

[Azaeli]

He's showing all the signs of being ready (grabs things with both hands and puts them in mouth, watches us eat, is more than double his birth-weight, sits well with support etc).

I know current advice is wait until 6months but don't babies develop at different rates?

Also he suffers with reflux and I've heard introducing solids early can help that. He guzzles milk but rarely seems satisfied (EBF) and has lots of green slimy nappies (8-10 a day).

Anyone else ignored the guidelines and started weaning early?

Yes we started around 4.5 months, as dd was literally grabbing food out of our hands. She was sitting unsupported by then too. I can't say she ate a whole lot, and I tried to stick to foods without loads of ingredients, so plain yogurt, fruit and veg pureed. When she was around 5.5 months we gave her much more proper food, rather than mush, like sticks of cheese. Seemed work her, as she was still having the same amount of feeds per day, and the food was just on top of the milk. It probably didn't start to replace feeds until she was ten months.

My twins ( premature 34 w) had severe reflux. We weaned them at 16 weeks on their consultants advice. It did help with their reflux although they still needed medication.

None of those things are signs of being ready for food.

Seek proper medical advice if you think you need to wean early for medical reasons.

I thought the rule was sitting well without support? And I'm not sure of the relevance of green, slimy nappies.

I wouldn't. Guidance is 6 months for a reason. I understand paediatricians sometimes advise it but unless that happened, I just wouldn't. I assume he's gaining weight nicely?

My DS was weaned at 5 months on a paediatricians advice because of reflux. Speak with your GP or HV.

I do not think weaning early does any harm, babies were weaned at four months for a long time and it is still the current advice in other European countries! However, none of the signs you have mentioned are strong indicators for readiness. Your baby is bound to watch you eat because he watches everything you do. The number of nappies doesn't mean anything at all. Sitting up makes weaning easier, but is not a prerequisite for weaning. I don't know about the reflux, which is also why I would strongly advise you to talk to a medical professional!

I weaned mine at 4 months but those were the guidelines at the time , my ds's are now 20, 18 and 16, all fine; no allergies or digestive disorders of any kind.

You'll be told you are unreasonable to even consider such a thing, I'll give it 10 minutes .

We weaned at 22 weeks and looking back, I wish I'd waited another 4 weeks. He had severe reflux and weaning didn't actually help, it disappeared naturally at 8 months. I weaned early because he was losing weight, wasn't interested in milk and was rapidly dropping centiles. I was so worried he would reject food too. Luckily he didn't, but if I was to have another baby I would wait until 6 months before weaning.

You've listed a lot of things which are nothing to do with being ready. They watch you drive and shave and drink gin. Weight is irrelevant too. The main signs are sitting up, able to pick things up and put them in their mouths with no tongue thrust reflex and then chew and swallow the food.

Yes earlier weaning might be recommended in individual cases because of health issues but this should be recommended by a professional.

Is the reflux causing problems? Has it been treated?

YABU to even consider this. Their gut is not ready to take anything but milk until at least 6 months. People say "oh but previous advice was 4 months" - well they have done medical research to show that 4 months is way too early.

All the "signs" that you mentioned that makes you think your baby is ready for solids are not signs at all. Just because a baby is grabbing your food, doesn't mean they are ready for it - they grab everything you have at that age!

Regarding the green poo, contact a lactation expert - ie consultant or someone from La Leche League to sort that out.

bet he'll grab car keys if in reach. doesn't mean he's ready to drive...

If poos are green, slimey, and frequent have you ruled out allergies?

Many, many years ago (before my time), babies were introduced to solids as early as 6 months. It won't do any harm to try him on solids at 4 months - that was the guideline as recently as 15 years ago.

If it won't do any harm, why did the NHS change their advice? Presumably re-training staff and reprinting leaflets and so and so on has cost a fortune. I doubt they did it for laughs.

15 years is a long time, and people who are professionals in their field say it might well cause harm giving solids at 4 months.

Who would you listen to, professional scientists who have studied it, or internet randoms with an opinion?

Here in Ireland guidelines are between 17-26 weeks so it really does depend on your baby. We started at 22.5 weeks and he is getting on great

Re the nappies have you tried going dairy free? Sorted out my DS' nappy issues fairly quickly ( I think there's about three days latency into your supply)

YABU, it's 6 months for a reason ie - hundreds of thousands of pounds of research has found that weaning too early is harmful to a baby's gut and long term digestive health - despite what Sue down the road did in 1984.

DS weaned from 5 months. He was sitting, no noticeable gag reflex and sucking on things.

He was a huge baby, very strong and sat early (4 months). Did a mix of BLW and purrees. He is fine, no allergies etc.

I wouldn't go earlier than 5 months, unless on advice of doctors.

My kids hd multiple food allergies ( was weaned at 6 months) and my paediatrician/allergist told me to weaned next one at 4 months.
I believe that he advice is changing to 4-5 months from health visitors too. The world health organisation puts it at 6 months to take into account developing countries with poor sanitation where Breast milk is safer than contaminated food.

It's 6 months in Ireland too actually. 17 weeks is the very earliest it should be tried if medically indicated, not just in general.

I don't know why people think something is fine just because its how it used to be done. We used to prescribe tobacco for a cough. We used to do a lot of things differently. Then we learn more and move on, updating as we go.

Yabvu, unless there is very good medical reason, early weaning is pointless and quite frankly dangerous.

The 'signs' you mention are not signs of readiness at all, where did you get that information?

Can sit upright steadily

Hand eye and mouth coordination

Tongue thrust reflex gone so they can actually swallow solid food.

All of the above and being 6 months+ are signs of readiness.

Re the nappies have you tried going dairy free? Sorted out my DS' nappy issues fairly quickly ( I think there's about three days latency into your supply)

What do you think the problem might be to give this advice?

I believe that he advice is changing to 4-5 months from health visitors too. The world health organisation puts it at 6 months to take into account developing countries with poor sanitation

See, this is the problem with the Internet.
ANYONE can just write stuff like this and state it as fact.

WHO guidelines are based on extensive valid research. There are no changes currently planed to advice around weaning age. This is because the science that the current guidelines are based on is SOLID.

Anyone can look it up.

Greeny foamy nappies, indicating cmp intolerance.