Early weaning. 15 weeks.

[shreddinghippo]

What will you think if I tell you I am about to start weaning my baby in the next couple of weeks. She will be 15 weeks. She is currently EBF and growing well.

I am taking part in a study by St Thomas' and Guys Hospitals, funded by The Food Standards Agency and The Medical Research Council.

The EAT Study is testing the hypothesis that the introduction of six allergenic foods into the diet of infants from 3 months of age, alongside continued breastfeeding, results in a reduced prevalence of food allergies by 3 years of age.

The Department of Health is fully aware of this study and recognizes this is an experimental study which is testing a scientifically important hypothesis. It is important to note that the study does not change the current general advice to mothers to exclusively breastfeed for around the first 6 months of an infant?s life. For any non-participants we advise adherence to the government?s current breastfeeding recommendations.

EAT Study Website

Anybody else heard of this? I would be interested to hear your honest views

I think there's quite a long thread in the breast and bottlefeeding section, with a few other participants on it.

It is potentially a very interesting study, but personally I felt it wasn't a risk I was comfortable taking with ds.

A relative of mine was offered this study for their son. I was, and still am, very against it.

Its not even like they're trialing the 17w vs 26w thing. Its 15w for gods sake.

and why would you risk your child's health for any reason? For a study? Its not like you're doing something for them, like to help them sleep or to help them with their own health problems. I dont get it.

Do a search for previous threads on this subject. I wasn't interested in weaning my DS so early, I really didn't feel he wanted or needed food other than bm at that age. Also pretty difficult to do BLW with a 15 week old and that is the approach I wanted to try.

I tried my ds with foods from 19 weeks but he wasn't interested even though he had 'the signs'. He is now 6 months and we have just started and he's taking it slow so I'm going at his pace. If your baby us ready at 15 weeks then fair enough but if you try to wean when there not ready and rush them it is not good and I would not do that to my baby and think it is wrong to do so.

i had an appt at st thomas's yesterday and saw an article about this in their hospital magazine! looks interesting. good luck

I've never heard of the study but I started DS on small tastes of food at 15w.

He was showing signs of readiness and wanted more milk than he was physically capable of holding, even feeding him more often wasn't doing it because he would still be semi-full from the previous lot. I talked it over with my GP at 14w because I was weary of starting too early, my GP (who specialises in reproductive health and paediatric care) told me that it would be fine to go ahead and that while there is a set of "golden rules" saying when weaning should ideally begin not all children fit those rules. When we looked at his feeds over the week we picked the one with the shortest gap, which was consistently 7oz around 3pm and then wanting more by 4pm so we started giving him a couple of teaspoons of rice/purée alongside his 3pm feed from 15w. He absolutely loved it and it seemed to top him off and he would go until 5:30/6pm before wanting another milk feed. We went slowly and it wasn't until around five months that we were started offering more than a few teaspoons with the 3pm feed.

He's now 22mo, healthy and robust and a perfectly happy little chap. He still loves food now as much as he did when he had that first taste and tries anything new put in front of him, so we're lucky in that regard.

I think you need to do what works for you and your baby and never mind what anyone else thinks, you know your child better than anyone else. I'm pregnant again and I have no set age in mind for weaning, I'll just do what I did with DS and play it by ear whenever she's ready.

I have heard of this study but wouldn't have risked weaning early just to take part. It's up to you though.

I am enrolled on the study. I have one child that suffers from multiple food allergies and it is only through doing research can we learn and understand why allergies in children are on the increase and what we can do about it. The care and advice I have had from the team has been exceptional and I don't feel we are taking any risks.