Should low (but healthy) percentile baby be weaned later?

[Rooandtwo]

My DD is coming up to 6 months and was 9th percentile (6lb 10) at birth at 39 weeks. She has since tracked the weight line perfectly though she hasn’t been weighed for a while as there were never any concerns about this. She looks plump and healthy but is also still diddy, people comment on this. I’m trying to decide if it’s my anxiety about weaning which is making me hesitate due to her size. Did anyone else with a smaller child wait longer? Doctors haven’t told us we should do anything different and I can’t find anything reputable research wise (or actually anything) about this online.

Get on with weaning she will be fine.

Both of my babies were smaller than yours, we started baby led weaning around 6 months old. They both loved food from the start. I kept on breastfeeding alongside solid food for a long time.

No need to delay weaning, but carry on with breastfeeding/formula in the same way. Don't reduce her milk feeds and there will be no issue. Or if she ends up eating loads and not being hungry for milk then that's fine to drop a feed if it feels natural.

I was in a similar situation with my eldest (5lb5 at birth). Very low centile but was following the curve well. I was told by health professionals to wean at 6 months and advised to feed from the start if possible with avocado, cooked egg yolk mixed with breast/formula milk and regular fine porridge oats cooked with milk (not baby porridge/rice, I don't remember why this was). Very quickly other things were added. Always a good eater thankfully, and healthy, but at almost 7 still wears smaller size clothes, which is not really a big deal.
Enjoy the weaning fun- and mess!

My baby was 5lb 2 at birth and tracked along the 2nd percentile in the early months. Once we started weaning, baby shot up to 40th percentile. Clearly he just wanted solid food all this time!

Go for it. Just introduce a small bit of mushed banana or carrots on a spoon to begin to introduce different flavours and after a few weeks, begin to make it more like a meal. Once they get the hang of it, make it two meals a day etc.

Good luck x

Thank you so much all. This is exactly what I needed, just to hear others have done the same. There are other very little (though fully grown) people in the family so no idea if she will suddenly shoot up as I’ve heard some do. We will see, but roll on tasty mess making I guess ☺️

To clarify my anxiety was that as she is smaller she may be more likely to choke but I guess the same logic applies no matter what size the baby. I’d be interested to hear if people also did baby led weaning or went with purées. I think we will go for a mix definitely starting with blended food.

I’ve had two 2nd centile babies. First weaning was different as she was 8 weeks early and I had to week at actual age of 6 months not corrected (to do with gut development which starts as soon as they are born). Purée etc needed as she couldn’t sit up. 2nd was 36 weeks and I weaned at 6 months with no issues. Was easier as she could sit up and was interested in food so we just got on with it.

child will be fine. Puree or not just follow their lead.

My little one was 6lb 7oz at birth, 9th centile like yours. Started weaning at 4 months as he was ready. He's now 1yr and at 50th centile for weight. Guidance is start at 6mo but if you're comfortable and he seems ready slightly earlier it's your choice

Sorry forgot to say he started on purées

My twins were 3lb each when they were born at 36 weeks.

I did BLW weaning at 6 months, the same as with my eldest, but they really weren't that interested in eating it until 7 months! They both have fabulous appetites, and my ds is a proper gourmand! The motto was foods for fun until they're one (not sure if they still advise this ) but by BLW we went at their pace, and they ate as much or little as they wanted.

Mine is 6 months this week, born at 29 weeks and weighed 2 lb 8. I’ve not weaned her yet as she’s definitely not ready for it and consultant said wait until at least 6 months. We go to a baby massage class at hospital as part of neonatal and they class her still as a 2-3 month old due to when she was born. I’m not rushing to wean due to this.

First dd was 6lb at 36+6. I weaned her at just over 4 months and she was ready for it.

28 weeker born at 2lb 13oz and she was weaned at 6 months as per guidelines. I think their iron and maybe other vitamins start to deplete and they need proper food rather than formula by 6 months.

She couldn’t sit and we had to use purées but she’s been a fantastic eater and particularly likes fruit and veg and I put it down to the amount of purée she had. I think she got used to the flavours far quicker than my term baby who was BLW.

I've had small babies, and understand the worry about when to wean.

I took the approach of giving them a small portion of what I was eating, whilst still breastfeeding on demand. They are stuff when they were ready, and they continued to breastfeed all bloody night for another year+.

By adding in food alongside milk, they controlled the rate of weaning.

DS was on the 1st centile and we started at 5.5 months as he was ready and had some allergy concerns. He loved his food from the start and have had no issues

Weight isn't an issue if it's not connected to any specific medical issue. If your baby is around 26wks, can sit up with support, put things in their mouth, chew and swallow without pushing it out again with their tongue, then they're likely ready.

Purees and similar aren't necessary either. I gave what we were having (no added salt, nuts or honey).