When did you start weaning

[Seashells09]

My son is going to be 5 months in a few weeks. I really want to start weaning as I was him to experience other things other than formula milk. I know NHS guidelines suggest 6 months, I'm not sure what's changed. I've spoken to other mums who have said first babies could eat solids at 4 months.

When did you start weaning

The guidance changed from 4 to 6 months 20 years ago. So either they have a big age gap or they were not following current guidelines. What changes is gut readiness.

6 months as per the guidelines

4 months with both of mine there 12 and 5 now started with small spoon of yoghurt,baby rice,rusk. Then at about 5 months started blending up food for them x

@Thatwentbadly

The guidance changed from 4 to 6 months 20 years ago. So either they have a big age gap or they were not following current guidelines. What changes is gut readiness.

Are you sure it was that long ago? I'm pretty sure it was 4 months for DC, was it maybe phased in?

Anyway on a totally unscientific basis all the billions of people born before it changed did fine on the whole. Statistically it's very unlikely that your child will come to any harm.

Maybe I had a rubbish health visitor

5.5 months both times. With DS2 I was putting it off til 6m, but he lurched forward and sucked in the doughnut I was eating.

Don't be in a hurry to wean - it's a terrible ball ache. The mess, the trying to fit it in the schedule around milk and nap times, the constant planning of what and when they're going to eat.

Also, rusks are truly terrible as a weaning food. A reduced sugar one still has the same sugar level as a chocolate digestive.

He’s experiencing plenty without introducing food his gut isn’t ready for. Six months is the best advice right now. Which means you can get Christmas out of the way and start with weaning in the new year.

Weaning is a ballache and very stressful at times so I wasn’t in any rush. Dd was just after 6 months.

I did BLW because I am lazy and I liked just sharing my food with her. V chilled and no having to blend up minuscule amounts of weird purées.

7 months. She wasn’t ready before. We did BLW too.

Gave my DS some baby porridge/rice at 4.5 months old - waste of time, he pushed it out his mouth and didn't know what was going on to be honest so I waited until he was 6 months to introduce foods, some purées and some BLW style foods. Personally, I'd wait until at least 6 months next time, bottles are much easier! I feel like I'm constantly thinking of what DS meals are going to be every day, and thinking of fun combinations - bottles are bottles.
He still has 3 9oz bottles a day along with 2-3 'meals' but I much preferred when he only needed bottles to be satisfied.

Weaning is a ballache and very stressful at times

Is it? It’s my favourite activity, I load up the spoon and DC feeds himself OR I just throw down finger sized bits of what ever I’m having on his tray and we munch together.

Certainly not stressful. Certainly is a welcome change in our house.

@TeddyIsaHe

Weaning is a ballache and very stressful at times so I wasn’t in any rush. Dd was just after 6 months.

I did BLW because I am lazy and I liked just sharing my food with her. V chilled and no having to blend up minuscule amounts of weird purées.

Second this!

6 months on the dot
Agree its better to wait if you can as babys little body will be better developed for food at 6 months and as others have said, its fun but the mess and deciding what to feed is a massive effort which you will be doing for a long time once he starts eating, however your the mummy and mummys know their own babies the best.

5 months but that’s what’s recommended in the country I live in. I agree with pp, it’s a pain trying to fit it into the day so don’t rush it.

6 months for both of mine, even then most of the food just got spat out and smeared everywhere.

No idea why anyone would want to start that early unless the baby has reflux, bottles and BF are way easier!

About 8 weeks both times.

By the time they were 6 months they were eating pretty much the same as us... 🤦🏻‍♀️

Oh how times have changed

About five months from memory.

I think I have her melon.

5 months for us, dad has CMPA plus egg, soy and peanut allergies (via my milk) so our dietician recommended it early. She also said the 6m comes from WHO so is based on worldwide stats, not necessarily relevant to UK.

@aprilshowers2015

5 months for us, dad has CMPA plus egg, soy and peanut allergies (via my milk) so our dietician recommended it early. She also said the 6m comes from WHO so is based on worldwide stats, not necessarily relevant to UK.

DD not Dad 🙈

Thanks for all your responses, I guess I'll wait till 6 months. I'm a FTM so was excited lol

@Seashells09

It seems exciting at first and then becomes a faff and a lot of prep and cleaning up!

If I could i would keep mine on just milk forever!!

I definitely third that weaning is a PITA. I would rather potty train than wean.

Only breastmilk until after 6 months.

Once they eat food they eat food their whole life. No need to rush it.

Follow the guidelines and wait.

Nothing is as nutritious or good for growth per ounce than milk. Food will just fill space milk could be filling.

6 months as per guidelines xxx

Unlike others, I loved weaning - we did baby led weaning and shared the same meals and it was a really great, albeit messy, experience.

We started properly a few days short of 6 months. But if she stole food from our plates before that, we didn’t stop her eating it.