When is the earliest anyone has started baby on solids? V hungry baby.

[mummy22gorgeousboys]

I know 4-6 months tends to be the general rule, but has anyone started earlier? And what did you start with?

I have an insatiable 8 week old. He's on hungry Aptimal milk and feeds every 2-3.5 hours with 4oz. He won't drink any more per feed.

At 7 weeks he weighed 15lb 9oz. He hasn't been weighed this week.

Although I'm not necessarily thinking about putting him on solids just yet, any help, advice or thoughts would be hugely appreciated.

Many Thanks.

But since then further scientific study has shown the risks of weaning before 6 months to be higher than previously understood.

Many of us weaned older children before 6 months (hands up from here) but now I understand why there are significant risks with doing so, I wouldn't do that now. And I don't feel guilty about what I did with my older child either as I followed advice I was given at the time.

OP have you offered (cooled, boiled) water instead of milk if you feel he's taking too much milk? Although 4oz every 2 - 3.5 hours sounds perfect to be honest.

My mum swears guidelines in the 1980s were 4 months and was very scathing about her SIL weaning her children at 3 months

I haven't found anything online from before 1994 though - it seems like a big jump from 12 weeks to 4-6 months in that year if that is the case.

:( @ scathing. We all get that from someone don't we!

My DD was born in Feb 1986. I was told to start solids at 12 weeks/ 12lbs, whichever was earlier. By the time I had DS 18 months later it had changed to 4 months and I was told I'd damage his kidneys feeding solids earlier than that (by the same bloody HV who insisted I fed DD solids- when she wasn't ready )

DS2 was born 2 years later and it was still 4 months. DS3 born in 1991 still 4 months. DD2 born in 2007, 6 months.

Rita The reason I'm pretty sure it was 3 months/12 weeks prior to 1994 is because in 1995 I was working as a volunteer with a young parents group run by a Social Work department and the project leader said to me (me having not a scooby about babies at the time!) that they were having a hard time convincing clients not to give solids before 4 months as the guidelines had only recently changed from 3 months.

Despite our best efforts, one of the clients told me she regularly gave her 2 month old spoonfuls of her Rolo puddings because "he must get bored just getting milk"...

And, no I can't find any links to offical DoH advice pre-1994 either, just had a quick look myself.

I wonder if the communication of official guidelines just wasn't so clear before 1994? Seems likely to me that 4 months was "official" and 12lb/12 months was folk knowledge/common sense.

When I had my DC's 1999 and 2001 the advice was wean at 4 months and give 4 hourly feeds right from the birth, I actually remember being scared to feed before the magic four hours were up as I was worried about their routines! That was FF. We actually used to pace the floor for an hour trying to make them last...........madness, just madness!
I am now PG due January and will be alot more flexible this time!!

I had DD in 1992 and we were told from 12 weeks/12 lb (so not necessarily that young but that was the youngest you should start thinking about it) by the MW, HV and the official leaflet. By 1995 when I had DS the advice had changed to 4-6 months.