Weaning at 4 months opinions

[alakhx]

Has anyone weaned there child at 4 months
Before anyone comes at me I just want opinions and if anyone says it's wrong the food I've been looking at is 4-6 months so if you couldn't give at 4 month it wouldn't say

Yes I did, albeit slowly and with baby foods (not blw at that stage). It was a revelation, baby was so much happier. It is recommended by pediatricians in France but there's no rush. If you gave a big baby who is always hungry do it, if baby isn't interested then there's no point forcing it. My second wasn't interested until about 7 months.

The thread title is weaning at 4 month opinions but are you looking for people to agree with your decision to wean at 4 months?

Have not gave, sorry

@loveisanopensore

The thread title is weaning at 4 month opinions but are you looking for people to agree with your decision to wean at 4 months?

No I do genuinely want opinions people don't have to agree with me either way I don't care my child my choice, I just wanna see how others feel on this subject & if they didn't do it fair enough but I know here there will be plenty who have done it

Yep with both mine.
DS1 - was never satisfied and was taking 80oz + a day by 16 weeks (x8 10oz bottles).
DS2 - due to medical reasons weaned early but waited to nearly 5 months to see if things would improve with medication (they didnt).

Both LOVE their food now, no negative side effects and were both better off for it.

My friend has a DS the same age as my eldest and she weaned at 6months. Both boys are strong healthy 3 year olds so personally I see no harm.

Everyone is different though and you just do what you think best for your LO.

The only dc of mine weaned at 4 months as guidance back then has Chrone's disease...
Coincidence or not?

Wish we had done it sooner.

We had silent reflux but covid had just started and couldn't see anyone about it. Managed to speak to a paediatrician through a friend who works at the hospital and basically the advice was if it's silent reflux it would help to do it earlier but if it's not and it's more serious stomach issues it could make it worse.

As soon as we started to wean him a couple of weeks before six months he was like a different child. So much happier, slept better and enjoyed most of the weaning process.

When we have the next one I think I'm going to introduce some food earlier on but only tastes of things and milk thickener type products.

You can physically give solids to a baby at any age but it doesn't mean health wise its the best option. NHS website and La Leche have some good advice on weaning as does Gill Ripley and Anna Karmel. Ultimately your baby your choice but it's worth reading why the guidance has changed from 4 months to 6 months

I personally wouldn’t. DH has IBD (life long illness which can be very life limiting, it’s different to IBS) and it’s this kind of long term digestive issues which are theoretically linked to early weaning. Despite allergies and reflux issues their paediatrician and paediatric dietitian didn’t recommend early weaning.

On the other hand I believe Newcastle uni EAT study has some interesting results on early weaning reducing allergies.

But weaning is a PITA!

Guidance NOW is 6 months but 10/15 years ago it was 4! Go for it if you think she's ready!

Both of mine weaned at 17 weeks under a dietitian. Eldest had severe reflux and bottle aversion, youngest was a milk refuser and dropping centiles rapidly. Both of them took to it very quickly BUT I think it’s because they were barely taking any milk, and also they could sit supported very early.

It’s a faff doing it early though, even if they take to it. DD2 is 6.5 months now and it’s become much easier in the last four or so weeks now she’s able to pick up proper solids and chew them.

FWIW DD1 didn’t sleep through until she started dropping her nap at 18mo. DD2 is still up minimum four times a night. Early weaning did not help their sleep, sadly.

I weaned dd1 at 16 weeks, 4 months was normal then. Dd2 was 6 months

Ok in my opinion, you shouldn't do it unless advised as necessary.
Of course somebaby food says 4months they want to sell you a product theyd say earlier if they could get away with it

You’ve already weaned her by the sounds of it so why are you asking?

My opinion is that weaning is about teaching them to chew, swallow, and manage different textures and flavours rather than just 'fill them up'. If they can sit up reliably, bring food to their mouths themselves and show interest, then go for it. (Mine certainly couldn't at 4 months) it's very clear on the NHS Website.

I weaned my first at 4 months - which was consistent with the advice at the time (she's 24). I was pleased to do it then because I had to go back to work when she was 5 months old and I was keen to get her new eating habits established before I went back. I don't know whether I'd do it as early now that the advice has changed, but that's up to you.

I didn't use rice or porridge. I made fruit or vegetable purées. The fruit ones were usually based on mashed banana, and I'd add a second fruit - for example pear, stewed apple, mango or kiwi.

The vegetable ones were either orange or green! The orange ones were various combinations of carrot, sweet potato and swede. Sometimes butternut squash I think too. The green ones were any combination of broccoli, spinach, courgette, and peas, sometimes along with potato mashed with expressed breast milk.

I introduced small quantities of meat, cheese and fish at 6 months.

My younger one had the same, but not until she was 5 months. I tried her earlier and she wasn't interested.

@IWasFunBeforeMum

Guidance NOW is 6 months but 10/15 years ago it was 4! Go for it if you think she's ready!

15 years ago car seats for babies weren't a legal requirement, but we live and learn you know...

She probably likes the baby porridge/rice because it's sweet and flavoured and designed to be tasty for babies. Bet it you gave her normal porridge she wouldn't be so keen, therefore invalidating your statement that she is desperate for food.

@Beees

I honestly don't get why anyone would want to?

I weaned my son early due to medical advice as he had allergies and a milk intolerance and if I have any more children I sincerely hope I don't have to repeat the process. It's all such a faff in comparison to when they are just having milk. Why anyone wants to start earlier than necessary is beyond me.

Unless adviced by a medical professional then personally I'd wait.

This. DD I started at 6 months but did it half heartedly until 7 months as it was a major faf. And that was blw so I could leave the house, I can only imagine weaning younger will mean you're stuck to staying at home at mealtimes. Besides I already live with an IBS sufferer, it affects DH daily. Considering early weaning can cause gut problems there is no way I would risk my children getting it. There's a massive rush these days to get babies to grow up. Just enjoy them being babies, there will be a time when you will miss the bottle feeds and wonder why you chose to wean so early without any medical need.

I have a 15 year old DS and the guidance then was 6 months and BLW was just starting to be 'a thing'. It was definitely over 15 years ago that they changed the guidance and they must have had good reason to do so and have not changed it back.

I was told the weaning guidance has changed from 4 to 6 months over the years based on scientific studies around the rise of ibs / gut issues / crohns etc. yes babies where fine 15 years ago it’s not going to kill then but it’s the statistics showing a long term negative effect.

Recent research shows it's fine to wean between 4 and 6 months.

www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c5955

Just a quick Google and the guidance in the UK changed in 2003.

Wknds me up when people say early weaning didn't do their kids any harm, they're now healthy 2/3/4 year olds etc. My IBS, which seriously negatively affects my quality of life, didn't rear its head until I was 24.

You've clearly made your mind up OP so not sure there's any point to me adding anything here. I would just advise that you read up on weaning from reputable sources (NHS website is a good starting point and your HV should be able to point you towards other resources). I note someone recommended trying rusks, but I thought the advice was not to give gluten before 6 months - not entirely sure because it wasn't relevant to me, but that's why I suggest doing your own research.

Very odd comment from a PP about it being strange that people don't give their babies water before 6 months. I just feel the need to point out that this can actually be dangerous.

Just to add, the reason baby food is labelled as 4 months + is the same reason companies still sell cot bumpers - it's not illegal and they can make money from it.

My children are now in their twenties. In the nineties, weaning age was 3-4 months. I found that they were all ready for it by then. In the sixties, when I was a baby, many babies were given solids at six weeks onwards. It doesn’t seem to have done us any harm. There are fashions about baby care as in anything else.