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Original poster

Is it possible not to wean until 26 weeks?

34 replies

Amelily · 30/01/2006 14:19

I started giving dd1 solids at 17 weeks in desperate attempt to get her to sleep - it didn't work! dd2 is much bigger and feeds twice in the night. Official advice is to wait until 6 months before weaning and i thought i would try to do that this time, trouble is no one else I know has managed it! Anyone out there succeeded or doesn't anyone really bother?

OP posts:
Millie1 · 30/01/2006 14:22

I waited til 24w with DS1 and 26w with DS2 - you can do it but I know lots of people who start their little ones on solids at around 16-20w.

Clayhead · 30/01/2006 14:24

Easy peasy! In fact, most of my RL friends have done it with number 2 and all have found it really easy to do.

I found the advantages were that we largely missed out the puree phase and went straight onto family food mashed up.

Good luck!

popsycalindisguise · 30/01/2006 14:26

yep
25.5 weeks here (back to work on 26 weeks)
he was 8lbs 11oz born and stayed big
he is now 11 months and on 91st (ish) centile
still sleeps dreadfully fed 6 times last night

NotQuiteCockney · 30/01/2006 14:32

I gave DS1 solids at 16 weeks as was (sorta) the advice then. I held out with DS2 until 6 months, well, 25.5 weeks, and it was fine. Much less work than giving solids. But I did keep him in our bed until I was ready to stop feeding him in the night, which I did around 9 months.

MissChief · 30/01/2006 14:33

we're trying (only a couple of wks to go!). I am feeling alterntately like a deflated balloon or Dolly P{arton tho'..oh, and brain still completely gone to mush

Millie1 · 30/01/2006 14:35

Oh I forgot about that Clayhead - yep, no purees and cooked hardly any Annabel recipes for DS2 - DS1 was wrapped in cotton wool by comparison!!

motherinferior · 30/01/2006 14:36

Yes, loads of people manage. Think I weaned DD2 at 25 weeks. Weaning is huge faff, and best avoided IMO.

Tinker · 30/01/2006 14:37

Easy peasy. Wish I could go back to just breastfeeding.

motherinferior · 30/01/2006 14:38

In fact I don't understand why on earth you'd want to get into the whole horror of weaning early. All those horrid little packs of mushedup stuff, and sterilising, and the general bother.

MissChief · 30/01/2006 14:38

I don't want to stop bfing - feel quite tearful at thought of dropping feeds in a couple of wks..

choccywoccydoodaa · 30/01/2006 14:39

Due to a mixture of house move and bereavement only weaned at 28 weeks. All was absolutely fine! DS eats well and plenty.

emkana · 30/01/2006 14:39

I found waiting far easier than starting to mess around with puree. Co-slept at night to take care of hungry baby then, fed on demand during the day. Ended up more or less exclusively b/feeding until nearly a year, because dd2 just wasn't interested, but even that wasn't really a problem.

HV looked at me as if I was an alien when I said to her I hadn't given solids before 26 weeks. Maybe something to do with the fact that she gives the wrong advice?

Gem13 · 30/01/2006 14:42

I did it with my second. HV said I was the first person she'd met who had so I guess there aren't many who wait!

Racers · 30/01/2006 14:44

Made it to 24wks and in retrospect another 2 weeks would not have mattered much. DD cheered up a bit once she started taking in more food but this didn't happen overnight anyway. I know a few who made it to this and 26wks, big and small babies but the majority seem to have gone for earlier weaning.
Soooo glad I did it this way though. At 7m DD eats normal, lumpy food (3 meals a day), and I know others who started earlier (around the 17wk mark) who now can't get their babies to take any lumps at all, presumably as they have been so used to the purees for such a long time.

oops · 30/01/2006 14:45

Message withdrawn

foundintranslation · 30/01/2006 14:45

Currently weaning 8mo ds - started at roughly 29 weeks.

Piffle · 30/01/2006 14:47

I did it with both mine
just fed them more and more breastmilk Who needs sleep

Racers · 30/01/2006 14:47

Yes, HVs seem to like telling people they never see babies weaned at 6m. I wonder what my HV says to her newies now?
I didn't tell her I started at 24wks, just smiled when she asked at 32wks if I'd started weaning yet - I said yes, by 32 weeks I had, but not at 22wks, which was when she'd last asked. Cheeky mare!

pesme · 30/01/2006 14:52

yep & dd slept through quite happily before & after (she doesn't now but thats another story)

Original poster
Amelily · 30/01/2006 18:19

Excellent! Glad to hear so many people have managed it. Don't fancy having to wake up more in the night though, afraid i do need sleep. Next question, then: can you really start with finger foods at 6 months as HV has suggested?

OP posts:
Clayhead · 30/01/2006 19:36

I did! But then I know that's unusual.

I started with soggy toast, those baby bread sticks, small pieces of fruit, cheese on toast (no crusts), steamed carrots.

ds (2nd child) honesty never got anything pureed and not an awful lot spoon fed either - no reason other than my laziness finding it was easier to produce something myself, dd and ds could all eat together.

I think it's just a preference thing, if it suits you, fine, if you don't fancy it, don't do it!

Twiglett · 30/01/2006 19:38

yes it is

go for it

its much easier weaning at 26 weeks than earlier (have done both)

expatinscotland · 30/01/2006 19:39

When I had DD1 2.6 years ago, the advise was to wean at 4 months. It's now changed?!

evansmummy · 30/01/2006 19:39

Yes waited til 6 months. had no trouble.

devilJARM · 30/01/2006 19:41

anyone dare me to go to HV on thursday and ask about weaning and see what advice i get? Rebecca is 14 weeks?! (BTW not intending to wean until 6 months if ican help it)

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