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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To start weaning my baby at 4 months old???

107 replies

bubbsy · 02/09/2007 17:52

I started weaning my baby and he will eat a rusk with his milk for breakfast, but wont eat lunch or dinner, but will eat pudding. Can someone tell me why he maybe doing this or if i have maybe started to early.

OP posts:
lissielou · 02/09/2007 18:24

i can see why you would think that he was ready but it sounds like he's an inquisitive baby.

ruddynorah · 02/09/2007 18:26

being interested in what you're eating means nothing at all. he's probably interested in anything you do. your best indication that he's ready to eat food is when he takes something off your plate and eats it himself, that will probably be around 6 months.

smeeinit · 02/09/2007 18:27

bubbsy, you know your baby better than anyone, if you think hes ready to be weaned then continue with it and persevere. weaning isnt always straight forward.
best advise is go and see your h/v but remember hes your baby and you know him best.

Original poster
bubbsy · 02/09/2007 18:32

if i give him my food he will eat it

OP posts:
lulumama · 02/09/2007 18:32

4 months is early

they need to lose the tongue thrust reflex, and should be able to sit and hold heads up ...

he likes rusk and pudding because it is sweet , and milk is sweeter tasting

around 16 weeks, the vast majority of babies have a growth spurt, and filling their small tummies with anything other than milk, is a bit of a waste, IMO, as a good milk feed is more calorific, filling and nutritious than a rusk ( full of sugar) and pudding ( also sugary )

IMO, you have started too early, and should go back to milk

if he is formula fed, then you could try a formula for hungrier babies, that might be more satisfying

you cannot do any harm by delaying weaning, but there is a possibility of causing harm : ie allergies, intolerances, through weaning early

babies watch everything you do, watching you eat does not mean they want to eat, they don;t know anything other than milk exists

Mercy · 02/09/2007 18:33

I started dd on food at 4 months (as per guidelines then) but I have to say I took it very slowly. A tiny bit of mashed banana once a day for example- I think she was about 10/12 months before she was eating 5 mini-meals a day. And not every day iirc.

lulumama · 02/09/2007 18:33

milk should be the main source of nutrition for the first year, so even if you continue weaning, it should not be at the expense of milk, but as a complement, not a replacement

RGPargy · 02/09/2007 18:36

I'm sure i started weaning DS at 3 months old.

I should point out however that this was 17 years ago when you started them at 3 months and then they went on to lumpy foods at 7 months and then finger foods after that.

From what i've learned from MN etc, I think with this LO I will keep her on milk for much longer (til she's 6 months).

How times have changed!!

Mercy · 02/09/2007 18:39

Yes, good point lulumama. Your ds may also not want to eat solids because he is too hungry iyswim. ds (my second) generally had milk first, food 2nd - even at about 8/9 months.

Original poster
bubbsy · 02/09/2007 18:43

i always gave milk first then food

OP posts:
lulumama · 02/09/2007 18:44

if he is draining his bottle, add another ounce, and try a hungry baby formula

truly, milk is the best thing to give a 4 month old baby

tegan · 02/09/2007 18:47

both of my girls were eating solids at 3 months and by 4 months doing 3 meals a day.

You should go with what youre baby wants.

kiskidee · 02/09/2007 18:49

weaning leaflet from NI. It is better than the one from England, imho.

Biglips · 02/09/2007 18:49

i weaned my DD at 4 months too....she was going thru 9 bottles of 7-8oz a DAY!!!.....IT was a perfect timing for me

lulumama · 02/09/2007 18:51

well, your baby does not know there is food to be wanted until you introduce it, if you search the archives here, there is masses of info about why early weaning is not always a good thing

WHO does recommend 6 months, and as i said, there is no harm in waiting,

i don;t get what the hurry is, milk is so much easier, and if you wait until 6 months, then you can do babyled weaning, and not even have to puree

yes, each mother knows their own baby, but no-one can see inside their baby;s gut to see it is mature enough to handle food

Original poster
bubbsy · 02/09/2007 18:54

what is babyled weaning??

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 02/09/2007 19:01

Where you put finger food (steamed carrot sticks, bits of banana etc) on the tray of the highchair and let them get on with it themselves.
Skips the whole puree / spooning in stage (much less effort for you) and lets the child control what / how much they eat (much less stress for you).

lulumama · 02/09/2007 19:02

BLW blog, by Aitch, who is a very respected poster on here...

Wilkie · 02/09/2007 19:03

Haven't read whole post. Although I started weaning my DS at 14.5 weeks on GP/HV suggestions I think you are expecting a bit much to have him eat breakfast/lunch/dinner.

I started with flavoured baby rice at around 11am, he was on two meals at 5 months and then three meals at 6 months.

lulumama · 02/09/2007 19:04

i don;t get why early weaning is recommended....unless for sound medical reasons, rather than the baby seems hungry

the 4 month growth spurt seems anecdotally at least, to happen a lot, and teh best thing for a hungry baby is milk

Wilkie · 02/09/2007 19:09

Lulu - my DS has reflux quite bad and doesn't like milk. That is why early weaning was recommended for us and I have to say, it has worked really well and I am pleased we did it

BandofMothers · 02/09/2007 19:09

only read op and lulumam's last post.

I weaned both my girls at 16 weeks, or there abouts. That is what they recommended when DD1 was little so I did it. I only started with a little bit of rice cereal at tea time tho and then added bfast, then lunch, very gradually. He shouldn't be having very much at all yet really.
I don't think they were having 3 meals a day til about 8 mths . Hard to remember.

lulumama · 02/09/2007 19:10

fair dos, as i said...sound medical reasons are certainly valid, but the whole, hungry/ not sleeping/ starting to wake is a bit of a red herring IMO....

pipsqueeke · 02/09/2007 19:12

lulu my H/'v just last year was telling me at 16 weeks DS was a big baby and I should wean him as there's nothing worng wiht it - same h/v who told me to top up with formula instead of BF to make him sleep at night.

babies do things as and when they're ready rally. that's why I think BLW is really good. also there's less worry they're not eating enough etc (althou I still do! lol) also BLW is jsut so much easier. they get to play and make lots of mess while you get to laugh at them when they have spaghetti sauce all around their faces!

lulumama · 02/09/2007 19:13

I think i had the only health visitor who actually talked about weaning at 6 months, and goes mad about giving babies rusks, says it is the equivalent of giving them chocolate biscuits........!