weening... at 5 months

[thursdaymurderclub]

I'm a new nana, and i really want to do everything right and help my DD and my SIL as much as i can.

GC is just over 5 months and suffers from quite bad reflux and they have been advised to start trying him on solids.

but its a mine field out there! DD is terrified of whats right and wrong to do. although they have given her this advise, they haven't really said how or what she needs to do.

I'm afraid I'm at a loss, i genuinely cannot remember what i did when mine were babies all those years ago?

Please don't shoot me.. but can anyone (i'm sure lots will) tell me what is the best way to suggest she does this?

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/weaning/

Lots of info on the nhs start for life page.

If it's been suggested she weans early under medical advice then I'd first seek their guidance on the most suitable approach to weaning.

Broadly there is baby led weaning (giving baby the same foods we eat in the same form only chopped or prepared appropriately) or traditional weaning starting on purees and gradually introducing thicker textures and soft gummable/chewable lumps, or a combination of the two approaches.

But before embarking on either, can baby sit in a high chair without slumping? Have they lost their tongue thrust reflex? Can they bring objects to their mouth using their hands? If the answer to any of these questions is no then I'd be asking whether baby is really ready to start weaning yet.

thank you, yes can sit and yes constantly putting everything in their mouth.

The only person qualified to recommend early weaning (pre-6 months) is a paediatric dietician who will be working with your DD to put together a plan for weaning. If it's a HV that's advised this, they are acting outside their remit and DD needs to ask to a referral to a paediatric dietician who can give informed advice.

interesting... they have had the little one to OOH GP, and also normal GP appointment with issues over noisey breathing and lots of 'spitting up'. they have concerns as my Dad had asthma, and my other DD has it and also SIL has it and are obviously worried but everytime they come away from an appointment they are told 'reflux' and to try adding solids!

A few years ago we routinely started weaning at 4 months, 6 months is now advised but 5 months is not exceptional. The main thing really is how much spoon feeding she wants to do. Personally I'd start with a little baby porridge made with baby's usual milk but on Mumsnet that's probably the equivalent of crack.....then try and combine this with soft cooked veg baby can wrangle themselves

Reflux is a symptom though and they need to investigate the cause. Is he on formula or bf, and is he being pace-fed?

i dont know what pace-fed is? he is on formula and bf.

Reflux is sometimes caused by them feeding too quickly or too much, so it's recommended when bottle-feeding to pace-feed which mimics the flow of breastmilk more closely and is less likely to cause reflux.

https://www.birthbabyandyou.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pace-Feeding.pdf

I am trained in breastfeeding support but not a reflux expert or dietician, I really would recommend your daughter pushes for referral as solids could worsen the situation or cause other unforeseen complications. She deserves proper investigation.

thanks.. looking at the info i think he is pace-fed! I'm not convinced its reflux, but she simply can't seem to get anyone to take her seriously. she's even recorded the rattling noise and his breathing and sent it to GP and health visitors who do have a listen to his chest but then affirm 'reflux'.

I don’t know about reflux. But I wouldn’t worry about starting at 5months. Or using puréed baby porridge, puréed veg and fruit. They have plenty time to be given finger foods. She could use purées for a month then add in finger food. I did a mix of both. No issues. I think spooning food into an older baby so they don’t make a mess of their clothes is madness, get proper bibs/aprons and let them
make a mess when they can.

thanks... she has got some baby porridge from 4 months and some puree fruit and veh. she doesn't want to introduce anything else and is only giving him 1 feed a day. she has said its helping, but she's just worried about harming baby and i just want to offer as much support as i can

My daughter was weaned from 4 months. Allergies and reflex. She was losing weight rapidly

Reflux

She won’t be harming her baby. Most adults currently over the age of about 23 will have been weaned at 4-5 months, and it’s fine. They take in very little solid food when they’re just starting out anyway.

Tell her to have a look at Charlotte Stirling-Reed's instagram account - @ sr_nutrition I think. She is an NHS dietician who has written a brilliant weaning book called "how to wean your baby". Filled with loads of great information and she puts lots of info on her website / instagram. Basically baby porridge is really not needed. Start with some veg and go from there. Lots of advice and recipes in the book as well if she wants to go that route.

I weaned both mine at 5 months/21 weeks. Started out with veg and fruit purées, then some porridge (can blitz in a food processor to make it finer initially). Closer to 6 months I started baby lead weaning and gave bits of toast, avocado, banana for baby to chew on. No issues, both kids who eat well now at 2 and 5.

I made sure to introduce allergens early. So both kids had almond butter or peanut butter on toast just before 6 months. And scrambled eggs etc from the start.

I wouldn’t say 5 months is early - where we are in France the advice for all babies is 4-5 months slow introduction of solids. Baby rice and also banana things like that. I’m not personally a fan of baby led weaning and don’t get what the buzz is all about. Your DIL can start with mushy soft foods little by little however she likes really.

Weaned both my ebf children well before 6 months with various fruit and veg purees. Added in pureed cashew nuts and ground oats for added nutrition. Built up to more solid foods as time went on.
They are both good eaters and virtually no illnesses/allergies to date several years later.
Weaning is daunting, but fine when you get into the swing of it.

Weaning may make absolutely no difference to weaning and I'm not sure if early weaning should be used in place of reflux treatment.
We tried to wean my daughter early due to reflux but she was 13 months before she engaged with weaning having started at 24weeks. She had her first taste of food at 27 weeks but was 9+ months before she would reliably have a few spoons of food a day.
She has multiple food allergies and reflux and it was only when her allergies and reflux were well managed that she started to eat. She's 4 now and still stops eating if her reflux or allergies are causing issues.

Weaning might help but it can also make things worse, quite a few of the early weaning foods such as carrots can trigger reflux. Have thickeners or omperazole been tried?