'Early' weaning

[GetTheSprinkles]

FTM and I kind of assumed most would follow the NHS guidelines and start to wean at 6 months.
It seems, however, everyone is keen to get their baby eating solids ASAP and I keep seeing women online giving rusks, purees, Ella's kitchen etc. much earlier than this.
Genuinely curious , why are people starting the weaning process 'early'? I know 6 months is a guideline but surely it should be stuck to unless baby is having issues or on medical advice?
My LO is a very large and healthy 5.5mo and I havent started to wean yet but find myself wondering if I should be...

Anyone want to share what they are doing/have done and why?

I think sometimes people see that others are doing it and their LO May fall behind in some way?

Yes, I guess that's where my concern lies. I feel like in holding my DS back when I see younger babies eating and enjoying it.

The milk is where the vitamins and essential nutrients come from at this stage. Starting before the 6m when the gut bacteria have had chance to develop to break down more solid food is asking for trouble, eczema, allergies and so on. Babies cannot properly digest food, it just passes through with no real value. There is nothing bad about having a smaller baby lick a carrot, a cucumber or similar, but buying processed (and sweet) food for a 4mo, for example, is just not right, or needed. I would't.

Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, no one knows what is good for your baby but you.

But having said that, 5.5m vs 6m is not a big difference, you can try to feed according to what the NHS recommends, but still don't feel peer-pressured. Do it if it feels right for you :)

Thank you for replying, makes a lot of sense :)

I started a thread about weaning before I saw this 🤦🏻‍♀️

I started weaning my eldest (2 next week) at 5 months, he was at nursery and they kept pressuring me saying he was ready (he no longer goes there! 🙌🏻).

My youngest is now 5.5 months and I’ve given her abit of baby porridge and some mashed carrot. She’s has had half of a rusk to suck this morning.
I’m not in a huge rush with weaning this time but she’s reaching out and turning her head in circles for other people’s food.
My main concern is I’m returning to work after lockdown is over and as she’s breastfed I want to have a decent routine with milk and food in place first. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I started with bits of food (mushed carrot from my plate etc) at 5.5 months to see if DD would take it and if she could move food in her mouth and swallow it. She showed interest and started grabbing things off my plate before this so I thought I'd give it a go... She was great so I started with one "meal" a day. 10 month old now and eats like a trooper! :)
As p.p has said, you know your baby, do what feels right for you! :)

People are so eager. I think when they get to the stage where they want to eat it is also really hard to keep them away from food. If they're sitting up by themselves for a minute minimum, lost the tongue thrust ages ago, can pick up all sorts and basically get really upset about not being able to eat your food, then starting a week before they turn 6 months is obviously fine. You start very slowly with one item and see what they do with it. If they don't even put it in their mouth then let them be. If they put it in their mouths immediately, chew and swallow then they're probably alright to start.

I agree that if they're just 5 months it's probably too early even if they can do all those things because of their stomach development. But a week or two early is fine if you know your baby.

You just have to read those baby led weaning Facebook groups to see how people can be the absolute opposite though! They're pretty militant that being one day under 6 months is a massive no no, yet on that date you can give them three meals a day even if they can only just sit for 60 seconds.

Basically follow the guidance as well as you can but also know your baby and what's good for them.

Also information can be pretty conflicting. My gp actually told me off for not starting already at 5 and a half months and said my ds might become anemic if I wait too long.

Also I was so SO certain I wouldn't start before the 6 months birth date. But then ds switched and did all those things about a week before and it was getting so difficult, my gut told me he was desperate to eat. And then the gp told me I should have stared, so I did but very gently and guided by him.