Am I being mean not weaning dd2 (nearly 20 weeks)?

[Skyler]

I really wanted to wait until the 26 week recommendation but dd2 who is breastfed has just upped her feeding to every 2 hours day and night. I am exhausted (particularly as dh is away on a course for three weeks and I have dd1 (2.7) to look after too), and she seems really hungry. She is over 16lbs and has two teeth already so I know that she is thriving on my milk but is it still enough?
I asked at a baby group I go to and was very shocked as they all weaned between 3 and 4.5 months. I weaned dd1 at 17 weeks (the recommendation was from 16 then) and feel this was too early as she wasn't bothered, but is it fair to make dd2 wait when she seems hungry. I know this topic has probably been done to death so sorry but I could do with some opinions/help/advice/support. TIA

Glad your dh is on side too. I am confident we are doing the right thing.

thanks Skyler, I'm sure you're right, just had a little wobble there. I've had a quick re-run of the thread and very much enjoyed this comment:

"Also, just think f**k off - it's my child - or if it gets really bad scream it out."

LOL!

Even my mum mentioned she is more active than before and I don't think she's ever seen anyone wean so 'late'! I am quite concerned about the HV attitude but it seems from reading MN that this is fairly normal. I am definitely not going back for a while unless I really need to!

My HV gave me grief when I said I was not starting solids till 6 months with DD. That was 12 years ago and I had read about the importance of delayed weaning within breastfeeding literature so it is not a 'new idea'.

DD's weight did drop off but that is probably totally normal. I still stuck to my guns and just wished I hadn't got her weighed!

I was told that she would have problems taking food from a spoon. Crap - she was very good at it from the start.

Don't be undermined by uneducated professionals - advise her to update her knowledge.

Mears, you're fab

Yes, you are - thanks

Skyler, how are you getting on with this?

DD has been unsettled (= very grouchy!) for well over a week and I'm certain it is hunger now not just teething. I have offered extra bfs and given ebm also and it has helped a bit but she stll gets hungry more quickly. She is 24wks this weekend so we have pretty much decided to start weaning her then. I'm not sure another week like this - or two weeks - is a good idea, though we had wanted to get to 26wks if possble. I've followed DD and my instincts so far so I suppose I should trust them now?!

I've never fancied using baby rice a lot but thought we might start with it as we have some free samples and it gets a little more milk into her. I also have loads of pureed veg in the freezer. I guess I can also try her with some soft finger foods soon? I feel we are entering a more complicated era! I'm so glad I held out this long - life has been simple

My ds was 20 weeks when I weaned him (the reccommendation was 4 months at the time) he weighed 20 pounds by this time

By my post I meant she proably is getting enough from your breast milk, not that I weaned at 20 weeks so you should

blimey! dd is around 14lbs 14oz but she's never been a big baby

she's 24wks - i just tagged onto skyler's 20wk query from a while back. sorry for the confusion!

Whoops sorry

I think that you should just go with your instincts - she is only a couple of weeks away from 26 weeks anyway.

Ds started off quite small - he was only 6 lb 11 when he was born, but he grew like a mushroom!

No probs - thanks!

i'm really shocked that so many hv's seem to push weaning despite the new government guidelines. my hv, on the other hand, has not pushed me at all with ds. he's 25wks and is showing no interest in solids yet and she says to wait until he's ready. in fact, i went to a weaning talk a few weeks ago, and one of the hv's there said she'd been to a seminar and they want to push weaning back again to nearer 9mths, basically, misses out all the pureed side of things and goes straight to finger foods.

i also know people who've weaned really early, most are first time mums, i'm a second timer who also had dd when the advice was 4mths, but this time i'm going to follow ds's lead.

skyler, have you seen the threads about baby-led weaning on here?, i've not read them yet but someone else pointed me in that direction on another thread about weaning.

Thanks for the link groovychick, it made interesting reading. I was a bit irked with my (otherwise fab) HV who said, when I questioned whether ds should still be needing a night feed, that if I really wanted to stop the night feed I should begin weaning. I was shaking my head before she even got to the end of her sentence! In her defence, she knows I want to wait until 6 months and is happy for me to do so, but I was still surprised by what she said.

I've been trying to wean this month (was 26 weeks last Sat) - no success, not remotely interested. So telling people to wean before 6 months is surely going to cause more stress for the mother.

Tinker, that link from groovychick is the Dept of Health's weaning recommendations - it says very strongly in there that weaning should be done at the baby's pace, and never forced if they are not interested. Quote it to anyone who objects - I'm certainly going to!

Cheers Miaou. Have simply avoided HVs this time round (although have never had a duff one and have had some excellent ones)

I haven't avoided them up till now, but I'm expecting some raised eyebrows when I take ds for his second jags next week and I tell them he is not weaned!