To ask what age you weaned your children?

[buncakes]

I have a DS, 19 weeks and am a FTM. I am conflicted about when to wean. NHS says 6 months. But my family and friends think I'm mad for waiting and they think he needs food now. He is FF and does cry for milk a lot more than he used to and I find it hard to fill him. I am not sure if weaning would help this - everything I've read online says no but everyone I know says yes.

Would be interested to hear experiences and opinions. I just want to do what's best for my baby.

There will never be a consistent voice on a topic like this, so I do hope you speak to your health visitor to help inform your decision.

Ds1 six months and did blw. Worked amazingly.
Ds2 is almost 6 months and we just started with the knowledge that not much is eaten in the first few weeks, and indeed he hasn't put a morsel in his mouth yet. I was getting so many comments about solids that I haven't left him with anyone incase they fed him!

Personally I love blw, and compare a 12 month old I know who still eats soft food, spoon fed, when ds1 was on serious meals by then. Learning to chew before swallowing also makes sense to me. I was shocked at the mushiness of baby food when I looked in asda recently, I can't personally imagine them needing such soft food for so long but I expect that's the manufacturers getting their money's worth. These are the things to consider. I do know people who have weaned early and continue to feel it worked for them.

Does hungry baby milk help?
Do what you feel is needed, but consider everything before rushing something you regret.

Actually @LaurieMarlow the website page itself says it was last updated in May 2015.

YABU and could permanently damage your child's bowels and stomach

Highly unlikely at five months. At a couple of months yes. There's no magic switch at six months. Some will be ready at five, some at seven.

The current allergy research is interesting (I'm a scientist) - I wouldn't be surprised if the guidelines change again in the next year or two.

Guidelines are just that - we take the best currently available data and create public health policy using it. As we get more data, public health advice changes. As it should.

If there's a history of severe allergy in your family, op, then talk to your HV (or more usefully your GP) about how to proceed. Otherwise IF he's physically ready then try more milk, and if that doesn't work move on to tastes of food.

As I said above. We started at 16 weeks because we had no other choice and for us it worked well.

My DS will be six months when I wean him (4 months corrected) on advice of his dietician. I weaned by DD at around 4.5 months and it was such a ballache, I'm in absolutely no rush to get started

www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2013/09/13-baby-led-weaning-myths.html?m=1

I like this article, whole thing is great but scroll to point 6 which is about when to start. Just common sense really

My daughter was 5 1/2 months. Milk wasn't satisfying her anymore. You kind of know when they're ready don't stress about it.

Actually @LaurieMarlow the website page itself says it was last updated in May 2015

If I'm interpreting what you mean correctly, the website page was last reviewed in 2015 (which is nothing to do with the policy being implemented, it could be changing a picture fgs).

The UK implemented WHO advice in 2003. Interestingly, 65% of EU member states did not.

DS I started weaning at 4 months and DD was around 4 and a half.

This was on the recommendation of HV as she said milk was just no longer satisfying them. To be honest though I would have kept weaning even if it wasn't HV recommended as you just know what your baby needs.

I don't believe the guidelines of 6 months is accurate to be honest all babies are different you can't raise a baby form reading a book and you have to go with what the baby tells you.

I fed my first at eight weeks (on the fucking stupid advice my mother gave me). He is 21 now and will eat anything and is healthy and no allergies.

I did proper baby led weaning with my twins, so waited until they were old enough to sit unaided and help themselves from finger foods served as part of our family meals (no salt added which was a bore) and that actually meant they didn't eat solids until they were about eleven months old. They were bf on demand and one was off the percentile charts, the other was at the very top end. They are 12 now and have suffered no ill effects, although I was told they might need iron supplements due to not introducing purees at 6 months. It never came to anything. All three are healthy and one twin has had a bit of eczema over the years, but nothing else. I found both ways had there ups and downs, but looking back I feel
Pleased I was able to let the twins self wean, and I feel guilty that I was ignorant and fed my pfb so early!!!

6 months here, for all my 4.

But it doesn't really matter what I did or how old yours is when you start.

What matters that they show the signs of readiness for weaning. Sitting unaided, no tongue thrust reflex, able to pick up food and put it in their mouths.

That is what is important, not the date. Not whether they sleep through. Not whether they 'watch you eat'. Not whether they want milk two hourly or four hourly.

They need to be developmentally ready to eat. If they can sit up, chew and swallow, then they are. If they can't, they're probably not.

12 months

When dd(16) was a baby the guidelines said 4 months. She was ready for it. Started with purées.

6.5 months. She wasn't overly interested until at least 9 months

when baby was ready and showing signs which was 7 months

4 months old, he was constantly trying to grab food. Scoffed his good down from day 1. Any study is based on generic babies not yours. Look for signs of being ready and go with your gut. Babies have survived for millions of years by mothers following their instincts. What matters is what you think. You're biologically designed to know these things

My DD is 6 months old and HV today advised me to start weaning her as she is putting on weight 'too quickly' on formula and weaning would slow that down. From what I've read, the first month or so of weaning is just trying things out, very little food is actually eaten. Plus it's in addition to milk to begin with anyway. So not sure what to make of that advice?

kitty if she's 6mo you should be thinking about weaning her anyway as the iron supply they're born with starts to run out after 6mo so they need to eat food to top it up and also to get used to eating.

DS1 - 20 weeks. Adviced then was wean at 4-6m, he was very hungry and never stopped BF suddenly so HV advised me to wean him onto solids.

DS2 - about 7.5m! I tried from 6m onwards but he just wasn't interested at all at first and would spit every mouthful back out. Wouldn't pick up finger food and eat it. I was desperate to get him on solids as he had terrible reflux and everyone said it would improve a lot once he was on solids. It did, but he'd only do it when he wanted to do it (he's still stubborn ).

Go with the guidelines op.
The guidelines was 4 months for my ds, who is now 22. But the guidelines changed.
just hang on in there.

That's true, disinheriting but it will take a few weeks until she's actually eating enough food to boost iron supply, won't it? I asked HV about vitamin drops and she said she'd get enough nutrition from her bottles for now...

They don't need vitamin drops when they're having formula plus a varied diet after 6mo.

from 4 months