To think weening should be done ASAP

[Ryoko]

I plan to start Weening him when he is 4 months old if he will except baby rice or porridge at that age.

IMO weening as soon as they are able is natures way, thats what all other animals do it sounds unlikely to me that our ape-ish ancestors sat there giving milk alone for over 6 months so I feel that weening at 4 months is probably better for kids.

Why all the hate?

lighten up.

If you can't spell something then you shouldn't be doing it.
Weening?? Ffs.

You want to follow your inner ape, go ahead.

The poo flinging might surprise the HV.

Narkypuffin Can I do some poo flinging sound s like great fun.

PML @ 'your inner ape'

I heartily agree.

When DS was born we left him in a tree trunk for a week. Survival of the fittest. If he lived, he joined the clan. If not - hyena food.

He lived and by 4 months he was ready to chow down on some raw zebra. Garnished with a little parsley of course. We're not animals in our family after all.

I take it you are also going to avoid innoculations, nappies, and Health Visitors, and I do hope to complete the full authentic experience you gave birth on a bed of leaves surrounding by some quietly grazing Wildebeest.

I sometimes wonder if these posts aren't left by comedy writers to gain some material.

Look, the guidelines are there for a reason, not to piss you off, they're there because research has shown that early weaning can damage your child. It's a risk I wouldn't want to take to be honest (oh and the guidelines were different when my children were babies, I weaned my first at 12 weeks and my 2nd at 16 weeks. They're both fine, but had the guidelines been different then? I would have followed them)

The whole ape thing is silly really, and not a decent comparison to make. I went to see some apes at the zoo and the mummy ape was up a tree wanking.

Again, I wonder why you are posting this in AIBU (or in fact, at all), when you have so clearly made up your mind already.

I think the official advice on this must have changed in the last few years. MY DS is 9 and I'm sure I remember being advised that 4 months was about the right time to start weaning. Unless I've remembered wrong, there must be lots and lots of primary school aged children who were weaned from 4 months. Does anyone know whether I'm right to think that official advice has changed over the past 10 years (and if so, why)?

ShirleyKnot

namelss, 2003 I think - could bew wrong

Okay ryoko seriously answering your op, the guidelines are there for a reason, your child your choice if you wanna ignore the experts go ahead.

I wouldn't do it because weaning is hard it means carrying food around and lots of mess, I find bf much easier. If you do it at 6months then the baby moves very quickly onto normal food, there are less food groups that need to be cut out and less risk of allergies.

Why would you want to do it, what benefits are there to early weaning?

haha Tether.

"If you can't spell something then you shouldn't be doing it"

That's a bit harsh. Not everyone is good at spelling.

FWIW I weaned my DS from 4 months (very gradually). That was the advice then - it must have only increased to 6 months in the last few years.

Anyway, I haven't had any children since then so not sure about the rationale for increasing the recommended age to 6 months (not really needed to pay attention IYKWIM). But, my DS was fine with baby rice, banana, etc from 4 months.

OP - Think you should speak with your HV or GP about the reasons why the recommended age is 6 months. That might help you make a (better) informed decision. Really sorry but your ape theory doesn't really stack up.

LIke you Shirley, I weaned at 16 weeks (this being the guidline of the time) Out of interest when and why did the guidlines change?

Right, people want to wait because:

1. it is now very well known to be bad for babies' guts to have non-breastmilk things before they are about 6m old when they are mature enough to cope with digesting other things

2. it's a pain in the arse weaning - continuing to bfeed means you know your baby is getting all the fluid and nutrients and calories it needs. No faffing, or sterilising crap.

Sorry, x-posts with some of you who have already raised a similar point.

hoooo hoooo hoooo hoooooo

hump
hump
hump

hoo ho ho hoho hohoo h

GNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

and babyape nr 2.

hohohohohohoho

etc

The guidelines changed 7 years ago. Before that the guidelines were 'between 4 and 6 months' for about 20yrs I think.

Um, not sure when the guidelines changed - I think it was a few years after my youngest was born.

I'm guessing that the research on weaning had moved on and the results showed that weaning at 6 months is for the best.

2003

They know it's medically safe for all babies at 6 months.

It could be harmful to some babies at 4 months (bowel permeability)

Waiting until 6 months doesn't cause any harm.

Also, saying 6 months means many still start weaning at 4 months. Saying four months would probably mean more pushing of the limits and more babies weaned at eg 12 weeks which is much more risky.

1: We are apes, I find it strange how people who go on about BF being natural seem to find it so hard and so amusing when someone uses animal behaviour in nature as a guide to our own biological development. Perhaps you think a god magically pulled us out of a top hat.

2: If you seriously decide to take the piss out of someone and not engage in an intelligent manner simply because of spelling you are a very shallow and pathetic individual.

For all you know I could have learning difficulties, thankfully for you lot I was never sent to school so such comments are sticks and stones to me. How would you feel correcting and insulting the writing of someone with learning difficulties?, I bet you would feel pretty bad about it wouldn't you, think before you start acting all superior next time.