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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

3 Month old showing interest in food...

22 replies

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 20:54

Or so it seems. My DD will look at the food we eat, move her mouth around and grin and coo as she watches us chew it.
Correct me if i'm wrong but this is a clear interest in food already...
Or am I just imagining it?? And am I 'allowed' to introduce some first food yet?
I'm a first time mum so can't go by any other babies but according to my mum we were all eating at around 3 months.

I just wanted to know what you all thought and what ages did your DC's start showing an interest/eating?

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Original poster

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 20:57

P.S. Was planning on leaving it another few months but she may be ready sooner than I thought

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Pavlovthecat · 30/05/2011 20:58

showing an interest is a start of the process of becoming ready for weaning, but it is not a sign in itself of readiness. 3months imo is too young to start weaning, but not too long before you can think about it. My mum started to wean me when I was 6wks I think, but that was a long time ago, different times, expectations and lack of understanding about baby's digestive systems.

With both children we started weaning at 5months, with DS, he actually had his first bit of food at about 4 months courtesy of DD feeding him a bit of chicken he had no clue what to do with it, but it made it clear he was close to ready as he clearly enjoyed the taste!

TragicallyHip · 30/05/2011 20:59

Babies that age are interested in everything they see. 3 months is way too young, I would wait till 6 months.

Iggly · 30/05/2011 21:00

Can she sit up unaided? Lost her tongue thrust reflex? Can grab and put stuff in her mouth? These are the signs - showing annibterest in you eating is just her interested in the world around her.

RitaMorgan · 30/05/2011 21:01

You aren't "allowed" to introduce food until 6 months, certainly not before 17 weeks, so it is too early.

At 3 months babies are interested in food, clouds, lights, dogs, the washing machine etc etc - it's not a sign their digestive systems can cope with anything other than milk.

BooBooGlass · 30/05/2011 21:01

Please don't wean her now. SHe has no comprehension of what she's seeing. You could be eating dog poo and she'd still grin and coo

sweetuphoria · 30/05/2011 21:07

Some babies are ready earlier than others. But I really wouldn't even consider starting to wean before 17wks at the very least.
My DD is 21wks and has been watching us eat for a while now but I want to wait for at least a few more weeks because the guidelines say around 6mo for a reason.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.:)

Original poster

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 21:07

Ha ha oh bless

Yes, I think 3 months is a bit young, I was so surprised when my mum told me she started weaning us at that age but still, it's all quite confusing as some people say 'absolutely no food until 6 months' and others say 4.. Have a friend who started giving her 3month old baby cereal to 'help him sleep better' ...
So I have found myself questioning when the right time is

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Original poster

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 21:09

Sorry- Thank you everyone for the advice :) I think i'll wait until ALL the signs are apparent :)

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RitaMorgan · 30/05/2011 21:12

Well the guideline is 6 months - it has been 6 months for about 8 years I believe, and before that it was 4-6 months (from the late 70s it was 4 months) so people who weaned their babies more than 8 years ago were probably told 4 months.

If you do choose to wean early though, 17 weeks is the absolute earliest to do it. Before that you can damage your baby's gut and make them more susceptible to infections and intolerances. Little babies need milk - there's more calories and available nutrition in milk than rice and veg.

Pavlovthecat · 30/05/2011 21:12

oh yes the old' feed em to get them to sleep better' argument. MIL told us to put baby rice in a bottle of milk to help get badly sleeping DS to sleep through...at about 2 months. Obviously, he was a bad sleeper because he was breastfed, and what he needed more than anything was a bottle of thick gloopy baby rice to fill him up, followed by being shut at the other end of the house so we could not hear him! I tended to respond to that with 'yes MIL, that is a good idea, we shall try that> nod enthusiastically and carry on as we were

Original poster

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 21:18

Ha ha ha, i've yet to meet a woman who actually agrees with the MIL

Obviously I don't want to cause her any problems at all, and want to wean her when she is absolutely ready. I just thought she might be ready earlier than expected! But no. I'll definitely wait it out as planned :)

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sweetuphoria · 30/05/2011 21:18

I have had a lot of pressure to wean my DD early, most people seem to completely ignore the guidelines, and many are shocked when I tell them that my not even 5mo DD is not on any solids yet.

But all they need up to 6mo is their milk and at 6mo they can eat most things without you having to worry. Having said that I see nothing wrong with starting a bit early (after 5mo) if the baby is showing all the signs of readiness.

Original poster

PukeyRag · 30/05/2011 21:28

And that's exactly what I mean when I say it's confusing - so many people wean very early and I always thought it was after 5months!

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valentinemum10 · 31/05/2011 00:28

my DD is 15 weeks and the last week or so is the same.shes also teething,grabs whatever she can put in her mouth and i spoonfeed her gaviscon/breastmilk sometimes.she loves the spoonfeed! Ive noticed she stares at the food in my hand and me eating it and i almost want to give her a tiny bit!obviously im going to wait till 6 months but she seems very interested everytime im eating. Babies can smell the food but maybe it makes them hungry cos she always cries for a feed when about to have my evening meal!

mejon · 31/05/2011 10:50

My DD2 is 16 weeks today and has been looking at me eating with great interest for some weeks. However I know that what she's interested is 'mami' not the fact that 'mami is putting something into her mouth and I want some'. She is still so tiny and I can't imagine giving her anything but milk for some time. DD1 started on solids at 6 months but wasn't really interested for a good couple of months afterwards.

Original poster

PukeyRag · 31/05/2011 10:51

Yep, my DD is the same, always wakes up when we're eating! She also grabs my clothes and fingers and puts them straight in her mouth - although not quite old enough to do it with everything yet! I'm really looking forward to feeding her :) It's amazing how early they become interested!

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whitechocolatebuttons · 31/05/2011 11:04

when i had DS1 (21yrs ago!) the "rule" was wean at 3 months. With DS2 (10yrs) ago, it was 4months. Now DS3 is 4 months old and the rule is 6months.
I understand that the boffins are discovering more about babies digestion and are hoping that by advising parents to delay weaning til the latest possible age (as breastmilk loses nutrients after 6 months) there will be a decrease in cases of food allergies. BTW, neither of my older two have ever had any allergies or digestive illnesses.
DS3 loves to watch us eat but shows no more interest in foodstuff than in anything he can get in his mouth!

ppeatfruit · 31/05/2011 11:33

Lol at whitechoc. The 'rules" or 'fashions" are always changing! the newest research I heard discussed now thinks that 6 months is too late for western babies and it should be down to the baby and parent.

RitaMorgan · 31/05/2011 13:24

It was 4 months 20+ years ago. The rules haven't changed much - just from 4 months to 6 months.

TickleToe · 22/06/2011 13:55

I agree that guidelines are there for a reason, and that some mums probably are too keen to wean early for the wrong reasons. 3 months probably is too early for almost all babies. However, its not too early to notice the signs and start thinking about how and when you will go about it. In an ideal world all babies would happily survive without solids until 6 months. This isn't right for everyone though. My DS was weaned at 17 weeks, and I really stretched that out (he was virtually begging for it). He was born nearly 2 weeks late, a big baby from birth, and always a hungry baby, and very physically able and develpped fast with sitting up etc. I felt I was really holding out on weaning my son because its 'too early' (and yes there are reasons for it being too early). But I dont regret starting to feed my baby when I did, because he was much more settled when I did. He took everything I offered him, at 19 weeks he sucks and nibbles on biccypegs, has baby porridge for breakfast, steamed veg for lunch and tea and pureed fruit for supper. He loves his food, and I'd challenge anyone who said he wasn't ready. Because I'm his mum. You will do what is right for your own!

Rainbowbubbles · 22/06/2011 16:12

I agree 100% with TickleToe that sounds like my DD, in fact exactly the same. She doesn't have any food allergies and she's 6 now and neither do I and I was weaned at 3 months.

I have heard the guideline change back to 4 months though, there was a huge debate here on MN some time ago.

I would use your instinct, you will know that if by the 5 month mark your baby is trying to bite your arm off then you have your answer

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