Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

17 week old and baby rice

283 replies

pamelat · 16/05/2008 09:37

Any opinions?

The health visitor has asked me to wait another week as she is still gaining weight well but she is cranky (and has been for 2 weeks or so), waking frequently at night, grabbing my toast (!) and crying when she cant have it.

I believe she is genuinely hungry, especially at night.

Health visitor said to put her in her own room instead as that could be why is waking so frequently but personally I would rather satisfy her hunger and have her near us?

I know that 17 weeks is meant to be the earliest you start it but what are the negatives for starting it at 17 weeks?

OP posts:
andiem · 19/05/2008 22:08

pam no you were definitely not the cause of the row
hope you get a good nights sleep tonight as well

kiskideesameanoldmother · 20/05/2008 06:40

hope you had a good night's sleep pamelat. this topic 'kicks off' on MN from time to time. it is good good in some ways as pertinent information always comes out in them and hopefully they allow many new mums (like BouncingTurtle) to question received 'wisdom' from friends and family.

plus people enjoy the banter debate too. Some of us don't go out much on a Sat nigh anymore you know.

tori32 · 20/05/2008 21:45

Andiem I am still not just calling myself a nurse, Iactually am a nurse. In all my posts I have made it clear that my POV regarding weaning is personal not professional. I specifically said I had read lots of articles about nursing not parenting/breastfeeding. BTW you have to pay annually not reregister every year. My registration is at the moment until 2009. .
PS I think you have a cheek expressing views on my career,which you know nothing about. It is possible to do 2 things at once i.e. bank in operating theatres and childmind.

tori32 · 20/05/2008 21:48

pamelat You certainly aren't to blame because nobody is. Some people have different views from others and will go tooth and nail to challenge the opposition. Don't worry. Do what you feel is the right decision for you.

tori32 · 20/05/2008 21:52

Hunker I have my own views on why I feel babies benefit from early weaning (not below 4mths though ). They are not researched so I will keep my theories and opinions to myself . I would hate someone to get the wrong idea and think I was giving a professional opinion.

tiktok · 20/05/2008 23:37

Tori, you say about your opinions - "They are not researched so I will keep my theories and opinions to myself"

I wish you would, to be honest. But you don't. You post them on here, and then they get a veneer of credibilty because of your nursing qualifications.

TinkerbellesMum · 21/05/2008 10:46

When you post your views and your job in one post you are linking them together, it's called juxtaposition, and you can't expect people not to link them.

KatyH · 21/05/2008 13:09

I've been reading this thread with interest and was just wondering if someone in the know could answer a question for me.

I too have a 17 week old and have been wondering about when to start weaning. With my last DD the guidelines were still between 4-6 months but we were also told to look for certain 'cues' to know when your baby was ready (i.e. showing interest in food, waking more during the night etc). My dd exhibited these signs and I weaned. Fine.

From reading some of the posts above I get the impression that these 'cues' are no longer considered particularly valid signs that a baby needs weaned. If that's the case then when do I start? Do I just do it from 6 months? Or do I get to 6 months and then wait for some other kind of sign?

Sorry, this is a bit garbled but I would really appreciate a bit of guidance

AitchTwoCiao · 21/05/2008 13:24

in all seriousness, the best sign is when they reach forward and grab your banana imo. failing that, offer them something at 6 months and see what happens. the WHO says that food is 'complementary' to milk for the first year, so there's heaps of time.

i think a lot of the signs are valid, at least in terms of 'getting there' iykwim, but i'd wait until the 6 months unless actual thievery had been going on.

tiktok · 21/05/2008 13:26

Aitch - you should have linked to your blog there

AitchTwoCiao · 21/05/2008 13:27

now that you mention it... www.babyledweaning.com

although i don't tend to link to it unless asked, smacks of rampant self-publicising... not v. me.

hunkermunker · 21/05/2008 13:32

What's wrong with rampant self-publicising in the name of being helpful, Aitch? Hmm?

Tori, I do wish you'd quit with your theories - or, alternatively, start a thread - I quite fancy debating them with you.

ChairmumMiaow · 21/05/2008 13:35

We're waiting till 6 months to start weaning DS, and are going with BLW, but as far as I can see if he can grab, chew and swallow without any intervention from me, he's probably ready! He sits in his highchair when we eat and watches everything with interest.

When he really starts grabbing we'll put suitable things on his tray, and I'm sure he'll eat it when he's ready. (He's 4 months now and I'm getting excited in anticipation and having to keep a check on myself!)

tiktok · 21/05/2008 13:35

Yep - I'd be up for a debate on these theories, too. I'd keep it clean and nice.

hunkermunker · 21/05/2008 13:36

Oh, me too, me too.

In fact, I might start a thread anyway - more general - wouldn't like Tori to think we were picking on her!

VictorianSqualor · 21/05/2008 13:39

Can you wait til after 4 when I get back from the school run?
Otherwise everyone says all the good stuff and I'll miss it

hunkermunker · 21/05/2008 13:48

Oh, sorry!

It's here - thought it more appropriate in weaning than here

claireybee · 21/05/2008 13:48

Pam do not feel bad about starting this thread. With ds i have been determined to wait until 6 months to wean and to continue giving as many night feeds as he wants (currently every hour from 2am onwards with a couple earlier on), however because this is so different to the expectations of people in RL I have found myself wavering from time to time. This thread has helped me stick at it and has reinforced my belief that waiting is the right thing to do.

davidtennantsmistress · 21/05/2008 13:53

ahem not read the full thread, but in my views, wean when you feel your baby is ready. my DS was just past 5.5 months I think (or there abouts) deffo wasn't 6 months but he needed the extra - believe me he needed it. I personally wouldn't do ti at 17 weeks but still it's up to you, you knwo your baby best. same as the whole BF/FF debate.

also I know tori personally, she's a lovely lady so back off, she was a nurse but is now childminding (& has also looked after my son) at the end of the day she's saying what she feels is best & right in her exp for her LO's which is her choice, just like it's our choices how/when we wean our children.

VictorianSqualor · 21/05/2008 13:55

dtm did you feel that your babies gut had closed and was physically ready for solids then?
Clever.

UniversallyChallenged · 21/05/2008 14:00

Not read much of the thread sorry - just to say all mine were put on baby rice at 14 and a half weeks. They range between 3 and 15 now and not any feeding problems at all from any of the 5.

davidtennantsmistress · 21/05/2008 14:00

vs - honestly I come here not looking for a fight n already you're being sarcastic. well. as you mention it I FELT ME HIS MOTHER!!!! felt that my child was not settling at all (I was BF on demand as well at the time) plus topping up with hungry baby formula. he was waking every hour wanting more milk, during the day he wouldn't settle for anything was constantly crying. I tried him with 1 jar of food and instantly he settled straight down. you tell me my child wasn't ready for solids.

KatyH · 21/05/2008 14:10

So if she starts grabbing food and trying to eat it before 6 months should I stop her? Would that be in the spirit of BLW? She sits beside us when we are eating and her sister is very keen to give her food (caught her giving her grapes last week!) therefore I'm anticipating she may soon start trying to eat the titbits she's given. I'm just not sure how much to clamp down on it if she does want it.

Or perhaps I should just be a better mother and supervise them more closely

tiktok · 21/05/2008 14:15

Katy - if she manages to lean forward, nick food off a plate by grabbing or grasping or gripping, and then get it into her mouth accurately, and then swallow it....then she is very advanced for 17 weeks. I don't think many (any?) 17 week olds have the skills or co-ordination to do this.

Grapes are not good for her at this stage - they would have to be popped into her mouth and she could easily aspirate them. This could be extremely dangerous Older kids really have to be watched, so they don't feed little ones unsuitable stuff....

BabiesEverywhere · 21/05/2008 14:16

My DD did start trying to steal food from our plates at the 5 month mark, I just removed it from her grasp and distracted her with a toy. She nearly weaned on a piece of pizza !?! but we were quick enough to move it.

We did do BLW at 6 months and 1 day and she ate everything offered without hesitation. She shoveled food in with surprising ease

I hope to do the same with this baby (assuming our DD doesn't fed her sibling raisons at a month old)