weaning 17 weeks

[kiki22]

Ds2 is to be weaned at 17 weeks on consultant advice all fine I'm fully informed about the pros and cons totally happy to do it he's physically ready in her and my opinion, my hv left for a new job and I don't have another yet which I a problem because I cant remember how much they need to start with.

How many oz of formula and how much of a jar/pouch do they have? Ds1 loved food and took to it straight away I've totally forgotten how I started though regarding amounts

To be fair, it doesn't 'just come out of the end' that's the whole point!

In very unscientific terms, the immature gut has tiny holes in it, through which food particles can pass. The body launches an attack on these particles as foreign bodies which leads to allergies.

If you wait until 6 months, these holes will have closed and there is far less risk of allergies.

There is no way to tell from looking at a baby whether the gut has gone through this crucial stage of development, hence my scepticism that a knowledgable HCP would ever recommend early weaning.

People get cross with the 'but my baby's ready' brigade because they are ignorant and ill informed. Early weaning is mistakenly associated with a more settled baby, frankly I think people do it because they think they will get some more sleep, and prioritise that over what is best for their baby.

I would only introduce single foods to make sure there's no reaction to them. Stay away from foods that can cause allergic reactions until 6 months.

So, start with baby rice and milk. Make sure he's ok with it for a couple of days. Then you could add cooked apple purée to the rice and milk mix, again for a couple of days. Then you can do puréed carrot and rice and milk, for a couple of days and so on. After a few weeks you will have a decent repertoire and you can start mixing flavours.

I'd avoid: tomatoes, strawberries, pineapple, fish and meat.

Mashed banana, avocado, soggy cornflakes are all good weaning foods.

Have fun!

Rubbish estate
Plenty of hcp recommend early weaning .

"To be fair, it doesn't 'just come out of the end' that's the whole point!

In very unscientific terms, the immature gut has tiny holes in it, through which food particles can pass. The body launches an attack on these particles as foreign bodies which leads to allergies. @

The majority of 15 year olds don't have allergies. Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months doesn't guarantee that a child will not have allergies.

In my experience early weaning was a pointless exercise. The food I gave Ds before six months came out the other end undigested. It didn't make him sleep better. We just ended up with multi coloured poo.

Estate DD1 had multiple allergies that would transfer through my breast milk so we knew within a few weeks. In my case weaning early couldn't do anything in that regard hence why we went for it.

It's totally pointless using historic medical advice as a reason to do things the same way now because supposedly 'no one died' 🙄

Advice has changed because science has moved on and we now understand things that we didn't before. That's not to say that the advice is now faultless and won't change again in the future of course.

Back in my Grandmothers day it was advised to drink stout as it was good for the baby. Smoking was also considered advantageous as it helpfully made for smaller babies so the birth was easier.

There is more than one way of bringing up a baby. What is right for one baby is not necessarily right for another. Guidelines are a guide rather than law. We have health professionals who know how to interpret guidelines.

Early weaning is a parenting decision. I think that some posters get the risks completely out of proportion. Baby rice at four months is not crack cocaine. I imagine that health professionals are recommending early weaning there is good reason.

Weaning at six months is less work. There is no need to purée food or worry what you feed a baby. (Other then limiting salt) Finger foods at 6 months is fun to watch. Dd refused to eat off a spoon. She will happily feed herself with cutlery now.

Please don't perpetuate the 'your baby, your rules' Hun mantra. It's scary.

Plenty of hcp recommend early weaning

Yes, I know they do. The ignorant and ill-informed ones.

If you read my post, you would see that I actually said knowledgable HCP

...but hey, don't let my actual point get in the way of the one you seem to want to turn it into

You'd really need to give the medical reasons for such early weaning, so that people can qdvise accordingly.

As soon as I read the OP, I knew how this was going to end. I don't know why people get on their high horses as soon as someone mentions early weaning. It's only the current advice which might well be completely different in two years time, and guess what, it already is completely different in other countries. I live in Germany and the advice here is to wean between 16 and 24 weeks - no later because it increases the risk of allergies and coeliac disease.
Of course the advice here may change and recommend later weaning. But as long as there is no scientific consensus, there's no need to feel superior because you weaned late!
There is also research that shows early weaning increases acceptance of different flavours and reduces fussiness.
The advice in Germany is that all foods can be given except honey, foods with a high salt content, cow's milk. You can give all fruit and veg, cereals, even those containing gluten, meat, fish, eggs.
Meat fish and eggs should be cooked through of course.
Some say to give the same every day for a week in a row, then introduce something new.
Increase the number of meals as you see fit - there's no rush to get to three meals a day.

Estate you are the one tjat is ignorant and illinformed from this thread.
The latest allergy research actually introduced foods at 12 weeks

bruffin I'd like to know more about that research, do you have any links? My DS is 24 weeks so well over your 12 weeks suggested age. I wonder whether I've missed the boat? I wasn't planning on starting weaning for another couple of weeks.

We weaned at 21 weeks due to reflux. I followed the annabel karmel book. By 6 months he was on 3 meals a day and eating pretty much everything. There's increasing evidence that waiting until 6 months to wean might not be as great as initially thought as it can actually lead to more allergies. My HV said the advice is likely to change again soon. It seems whatever you do, it's probably wrong! Start slow, single veg/fruit purees, baby porridge etc.

It has always made more sense to me to wean when the baby is developmentally ready.

I.e. they can sit unaided, bring food to their mouth and can coordinate enough to swallow.

For the 3 of mine that are eating, this has occurred at slightly different points, the earliest 22 weeks and the latest around 24 weeks.

I don't think there is any point doggedly holding out until 6 months exactly, if your baby is showing all the genuine signs of being ready. And by genuine, I don't mean the so often trotted out reasons of waking more frequently, watching you eat etc.

These are normal baby things, not ready to wean things.

And as a previous poster mentioned, just because a health professional has given the advice, doesn't mean it's good advice. I have heard plenty of absolute crap from consultants.

I didnt say it was suggested age. But google the EAT study. Part of the research was introducing allergens at 3 months, which would not have happened if they felt there was any basis to what estate says
Estate is just regirgitating nonsense from kellymom.

speaknowords Google "eat study" they are looking into current advice about the best age to wean its interesting.

Who every said its prioritising my sleep over what's best for my baby that's a load of crap ds1 never slept better when weaned its also a pain for me to spoon fed I was planning to blw much easier with the school run and multiple activities but what's best for my baby according to his consultant who has took all the info about him weighed up the risks is to wean early so that's what I will do.

I really should have known better than to post for advice here

But OP, if your consultant advised you to wean earlier than you'd planned, then surely it does matter why if you're looking for advice? There's no point in half of MN coming on here to say "start with yoghurt!" if you're weaning early because of a dairy allergy.

Hi OP, I weaned ds at 16 weeks nearly 16 years ago along with lots of other mothers with advice from HV.

I used the Annabel Karmel book ,and loved it as it literally talks you through it all step by step. Don't cut out any milk feeds yet.

I thought that the EAT study was about introducing small regular amounts of 6 possible allergens before 6 months, alongside breastfeeding, in order to see if allergies were reduced as a result? Specifically for babies with a family history of allergy and therefore a higher risk of developing them. I didn't think it was about generally early weaning for all babies. I'm not sure that general advice is going to change to suggest weaning from 12 weeks for all babies.

Kiki - I weaned early too on medical advice. I didn't change the milk feeds (was still breastfeeding) - did very runny baby rice for a few days, gradually making it thicker. Once they were on puree thickness with the rice, gradually introduced fruit and veg purees, and still offered a milk top up afterwards. Gradually they dropped the top up afterwards and then we very gradually cut down the milk at lunch so they were having a more solid lunch, then repeated the whole milk / puree / milk then milk / puree etc at breakfast and tea. Probably took a good couple of months.

I also thought Annabel Karmel's book was good for recipes and different combinations.

OP - I made a formal complaint about my HV following comments she made when I weaned early - even knowing my babies' medical history and that the advice had been given by a paediatric consultant. She reduced me to tears shouting at me in a clinic that I had permanently damaged my twins by weaning early. Turns out she (and most other HVs in my area) had not had proper training about weaning. Be led by the consultant - they will know far better than any HV (or vocal MNetter). Good luck.

Thanks namechanged its horrible when people accuse you of things when you are trying to do the best.

Fine post on here for advice but don't get snippy and defensive when people try and help or understand your situation better to better help.

If early weaning has been suggested by a legitimate health care provider due to a medical reason, they will have explained why and how.

I do think that your consultant should have given you some better advice. If a baby has health problems which means that their nutritional needs can't be met by breastmilk or standard formula for the first six months, then presumably the standard weaning advice also doesn't apply to them either. The babies I know who had to start solid food early for medical reasons were both advised to eat very high-calorie, fat-rich foods, for example.

If early weaning has been suggested by a legitimate health care provider due to a medical reason, they will have explained why and how

Not necessarily as a previous poster explained.