when did you start weaning?

[muslimah28]

if you did it early do you think you did the right thing? and how do you do it early? do you introduce foods more slowly?

yes, honestly, that food window thing is so rubbish it is funny

they wouldn't say get them walking/talking/jumping by X months or you'll miss the window of opportunity. No, it is all "Don't worry, they'll do it in their own time."

DS started at 21 weeks and we did baby led weaning.

Personally I would not wean before 6 months unless you plan to do baby led weaning. I am happy with the decision because it was totally baby-led so I knew he was ready for it. The theory is that nature would not allow babies to develop the muscles necessary to sit up, pick up food and get it to their mouth unless their digestive system was sufficiently developed to handle it. For example, the pincer grip doesn't develop until later, reducing the risk of them eating choking hazards until they are more used to eating in general.

I didn't use any spoons at all until he was about 9 months old (when he started to throw harder, and wouldn't fit in the kitchen sink for a post-dinner bath!) He is 23 months now and uses cutlery (fork and spoon) himself.

I don't see any relevance in stories of "Oh my friend did BLW and her baby is a really picky eater" because you also hear mums saying "I did BLW and my baby tries everything!" I think if a child is going to be picky they will be and there's not much you can do about it. And they can suddenly go off foods they previously liked as well!

Sorry meant to say also the reason for waiting until 9 months to introduce a spoon was because by then he was controlling his own intake and had moved by himself from small tastes to bigger portions.

Weaned from about 5-6 months - can't rememeber exactly as DS is 7. He was on mylap and snatched a roast potato off my plate abd crammed it in his mouth - most of it went on the floor. I think it was BLW and advise it as a HV.

To answer the OPs question about whether anyone who weaned at 6 months regrets not doing it earlier, no I don't. Every day you postpone weaning is a day you don't spend cleaning the kitchen floor, soaking bibs, washing table linen and bibs, washing baby and changing stinkier nappies, peeling and chopping veg / fruit, washing blenders (no need to puree if you leave it), filling ice cube trays (shudder) and a day you get to spend eating your own lunch peacefully. Next time I'm waiting longer...

TondelayoSchwarzkopf do you think we can get away with it till they start school? :o

wow.well it's been an interesting thread,and i think DH and i have now decided to wait a bit longer.and now the post from TondelayoSchwarzkopf makes methink we've made the right choice

If you spent most of the afternoon picking up bits of grated cheese and tuna out of various nooks and crannies in the kitchen because your beloved son decided to fling it everywhere, you would want to delay it for as long as possible! :o

DS1 was 26w to the day. Started with traditional purees and jars, but moved onto 3 meals within a week, and some finger foods. At 8mo he refused the spoon, so we moved to him feeding himself everything.

DS2 was 22-23w, and started on the powdered heinz food. At 25w he moved onto feeding himself, which fitted in with the family well - he just got whatever we were having dumped on his highchair tray.

Both were at the 6month ish mark as I didnt believe they needed anything before then - if they seemed hungry they got more milk. neither were hugely fractious on milk. I also didnt want any of the fuss of weaning, as milk was so much easier!

Now DSs are 4 and 2.5 and eat exactly the same diet, and very well - any kind of veg, they ask for fruit, meals very well, and even the treats such as chocolate (or dairy free buttons in DS2s case as he is dairy intollerant)

I dont regret waiting for 6m at all. Or starting with purees and then moving onto more "solid" food a few weeks later when they were (and me!) more confident.

Thanks Muslimah - no-one has ever taken my advice before! Though leave it til 6 months-ish yes - not 6 years...(tempting though it is)