Not quite 5 mo ready for solids?

[lonelytigger]

DS is 5months in May and I think he's ready to be started on solids.

I know the official advice is to not wean until 6mo but he's showing a big interest in food, he will try and snatch food out of my hand if I'm eating be it toast or fruit and tries to put it in his mouth. He watches me like a hawk when I eat and if I'm doing it holding him he tries to put his mouth in the food on the plate.
I've given him little tasters, I've dipped his dummy in my soup a few times etc and he's absolutely loving it and looking for more and gets irritable if he doesn't get it.

Also I don't know if it's unrelated but he's also become more unsettled at night but won't take the breast as much.

He's a big baby, born at 8lb 10oz and doubled in weight within 2 weeks. He's in size 4 nappies already and EBF so far. HV happy with his weight etc

Does it sound about right? And how do I wean him if so?

AssaninatedBeauty, you'd think, wouldn't you?

That’s more than half a pound a day! I had porkers, and they managed about that in week....

BF DS2 had gained 1lb at 10 days and had doubled his birthweight at 6 week check, I thought that was rapid (so did HV!)

OP not coming back....has prob checked her records and now feels a bit awkward about getting cross! It's ok, OP, anyone can make a mistake. I think it's clear that your baby is fine to start solids if that's something you want to do. Seems no evidence he actually needs them, but your choice, your judgment :)

Just don't quote an eight pound weight gain in the first two post natal weeks at us 😀😀😀

A very good weight gain is 1lb a week, not 4lb a week lol. Op probably meant 2 months. That would be just right.

Of course, bobster.....but she doesn't want to say it! :)

Bloody hell, DD hasn't put on 8lbs I 6 months, forget 2 weeks. I know she's small but that's outrageous.

It’s not added salt that’s the problem it’s salt in normal stock cubes in homemade soup - makes soup v salty without anything further considering what babies kidneys can cope with. You can make your own stock or buy v v low ones but have a look at ingredients for glucose etc. My baby had very quick weight gain after an initial loss, also ebf and although it was MUCH less than yours both HV and separately GP said at 6 week check needed to keep an eye on it in case indicative of underlying problem. I agree it sounds very improbable gain over that period. Nb if you do decide to wean earlier there are foods to avoid until 6 months in any event ie gluten etc

This is a good resource for this, based on the latest research scienceofmom.com/2015/05/14/starting-solids-4-months-6-months-or-somewhere-in-between/

I was all for waiting until 6 months until I read this, now I will be starting between 4 and 6 months, when my baby shows the signs for being ready (sitting upright, taking things to his mouth, and has lost the tongue thrust reflex) as I really want to reduce the risks of allergies and coeliac disease as he is at a higher risk for them already.