Weaning

[haylosler91]

Hi all, my son is 10 weeks, he's always hungry and on 6oz bottles now. He's been forward in everything he does, cooing lifting his head trying to roll over onto his tummy ect. I'm just wondering what age would it be ok to start him on baby rice or something. He's always been a hungry baby from birth but now it's just getting bad lol. I know it's not safe to wean him now but has anyone weaned before 6 months?

I weaned at 4.5 months on the advice of my GP, HV, and a paediatrician because of my daughters awful reflux issues. I never would have done it without medical advice and monitoring. And if my daughter didn't have the problems she has, then weaning early never would have crossed my mind.
I did a lot of reading up on early weaning before we started, and asked the doctors lots of questions. They told me that 6 months (talking about a full term baby, preemies are whole other kettle of fish) is the guideline because they know a baby's digestive system will be mature enough for solids by then. Some baby's gut will have matured before 6 months, but there's no way of knowing, so they say 6 months just to be sure their little tummies are able to handle it. Obviously some people still wean early for various reasons, but anything before 17 weeks is downright dangerous according to my DD's paediatrician.

Buttercup I have IBS and was breastfed until I was 2 and not weaned early! There's no proven link! I do suspect food additives might be why IBS is on the rise! Food is so messed about with.

Being hungry is one of the few things young babies do. My friend was convinced her baby needed more and finally gave in at 4 months giving him baby rice in his bottle (do NOT do this, massive choking risk), it made bugger all difference as it just added bulk not calories. I agree milk is all they need until roughly 6mo, and then it's about exploration not calories in the beginning. Some babies will be ready a bit before 6mo, some a little time after. By 6mo research has shown the digestive system to be ready, before then it might be, but who knows? Also by 6mo most have the core strength and motor skills required which makes the whole process much safer.
It's also natural (not trying to sound rude, although it probably does, sorry) for parents to think that their baby is ahead of others IME. as my next paragraph probably proves
I started weaning when my DD was 5.5mo after she reached out, stole food off my plate and jammed it in her gob. An excellent sign she was ready. I had planned on starting a few weeks later but she was determined I checked with HV who said it was fine: she could sit unaided, she had managed to take the food herself, and it was only 2 weeks off. I kept her on fruit and veg only for that first couple of weeks however in case her system wasn't ready for meat/wheat etc. It was a good two months before she was eating any meaningful amount (we blw). She was fine on milk until she figured out the eating malarkey.