Weaning at 3 months - thoughts?

[Peppery123]

Just wondering
Both sets of parents and in-laws have advised me to do this as she is waking up every 2 hours in the night.
Also, the country where my partner is from they wean around 3-4 months. So just wondering if anyone has done it and their experience.

Was also sent this link by dhs sister who has also weaned her dd early -->www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/babies-fed-solids-earlier-sleep-better/

@Ismellphantoms you have literally just mentioned front sleeping without referring to the fact this is no longer advised. That can kill, that is a fact.

People may not follow the rules but we can make sure they understand what the rules are and why they should be applied. My issue is not what other mothers choose to do, it's people misadvising them with their tales of how it used to be. If you are not aware of current advice then don't post on the thread incase someone follows your advice.

I don't know what you job is, or the demographics of the mothers you meet, but most I know follow current advice. I am assuming you are not meeting them to advise them however if you know they are not following advice then you must know your comments are outdated and advised against now.

Absolutely not, far too early. Her little tummy wont handle it and you'll probably give her diahhrea and tummy ache.

Current guidelines are available here for anyone unsure.

Current advice on weaning
www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/ready-or-not/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0fr_BRDaARIsAABw4EvIZP9V7MEmvH_ah9Lg_8tg_qqAKMq6qsrdYcGkqT6HIHS7N-WYhNgaAlE6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sleep advice
www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/

It can never be said too often that anecdata is not data.

No

@CeeceeBloomingdale I pointed out that we all followed advice at the times we had children. I used the past tense when mentioning stomach sleeping. I'm fully up to date with the current advice. I was horrified when it was proved that stomach sleeping, which was advocated as being safer for babies as they couldn't choke on their vomit, was actually a cause of death in infants. We were also advised to use a cot bumper and have their heads at the top of the cot. In the many years I was raising children, I only knew of one case of sudden infant death and it turned out to be a cerebral haemorrhage. I'm calling a stop to this conversation now and I hope you are the perfect mother with perfect, happy children. We all just do our best.

Unless allergies and under the advice of a doctor, no.

It is normal for babies to wake up every 2 hours. It’s never for hunger at that age, it’s due to poor sleep associations. Sleep train first but I can guarantee your baby isn’t hungry (unless you’re withholding milk).

I very much doubt she can sit up enough at 12 weeks for weaning. Added to the fact that her gut just won't be developed enough yet. I'd suggest contacting your GP/health visitor and asking if you should wean now.

Follow the recommended NHS advice and wait until she is at least 20 weeks (ideally 24). It's there for a reason.

@CeeceeBloomingdale thanks for the links; on here it can be worrying unclear as someone pregnant with my first when people talk about their anecdata from the past...do they mean last year or 20 years ago etc

You sound like you've made your mind up!! Why don't you ask the health visitor their advice it's there profession after all!! I'm pretty sure what the answer will be! But it's your child so do what you want

The Gill Rapley Baby Led Weaning book gad a really excellent and well researched section on the age appropriate age to wean. z
I'd really recommend it

Physically damaging and stupid, however I assume you are looking for the one person who will tell you otherwise

I don't agree that early weaning makes a difference to allergies either way- people have allergies whenever they are weaned and there are many factors contributing to digestive issues. But, the advice is there based on evidence and changes because more information is available so the 'it didn't do me/my kids any harm' is equally pointless.

However, at 3 months a baby will still have the tongue thrust reflex and is unlikely to be able to sit well enough to eat properly. Baby rice is awful stuff, nutritionally pointless and can stop the baby taking in enough calories from milk. Forcing purées into a baby's mouth when they aren't ready is messy and unpleasant, they also don't need a 'taste'.

That said, if a baby is ready slightly earlier than 6 months (but no younger than 17 weeks) then the parents can make the informed decision to try, and stop/try again later if it doesn't work. What extended family think is irrelevant.

Weaning doesn't make a baby sleep longer or better, early on you could even find sleeping is worse as their tummy adjusts. Babies are supposed to wake in the night, it's completely normal and we have a really harmful idea thrust on us that a 'good' baby sleeps all night without stirring and it's used to make parents feel like they are doing something wrong so we end up with companies selling shitty baby rice and poor babies being left to cry because comforting them is wrong.

I would just add that the UK recommends weaning at 6 months, but in France it is 4 months. The paediatrician was shocked when I suggested waiting. Apparently there are studies that starting later increases the risk of allergies. Anyway pretty much every child in France is weaned at 4 months and I'm not aware of there being a massive difference at a population level of digestive issues in France compared to the UK. So 4 months is probably OK - 3 months is definitely too early.

@Ismellphantoms You did not make it clear initially, especially about about front sleeping no longer being advised. My children are in double figures now and as I said earlier advice changed between them. I never post about outdated advice as it can be misunderstood, only my experience with current advice. I appreciate you wish
to step away from this conversation, however I will make my own judgement about when I should post or not.

@Flittingaboutagain
Good luck, it's a mine field. My theory was always if I followed the government guidance I would have nothing to feel guilty about later as I made the best choices I could.

My first baby took over 6 months to stop waking for feeding at night. He was born 10 lb , on the 97 percentile, always hungry, still waking two hourly at night at 3 months, except for a bit of a stretch after 10 pm. He took time to settle at night, and couldn’t tell day from night with his waking for feeding . I think he may have had reflux but never diagnosed. It does settle down as they grow He is 21 now, 6 foot 1 and an absolutely gorgeous, intelligent, fun, loyal, kind young man who loves life.
I hope you can share the caring role with your partner and catch up on sleep