DD is 18 nearly 19 weeks should I start weaning.

[Louboo2245]

Up until a week ago she was sleeping through no problems, she has now started waking twice a night. She constantly watches others eat DS got a bit defensive when she was staring at his fish fingers and chips.
She has other indicators but because of those wonderful government guidelines should I wait until she is a bit older.

Things have been thrown a bit as I was in hospital on tues for an operation, but I don' think that has made a big difference to her routine.

Advice please.

Why do the same posters always come up on these threads to berate anyone who even thinks of weaning before that magic 26 week mark when babies guts seem to transform overnight! The advice is to wait until 26 weeks, and not before 17 weeks and some babies just need weaning before that upper limit for various reasons. I dont know why some people have to be so pious about it! It will probably have changed again by the time our babies are teenagers (and I say this as someone who BLW at 26 weeks).

However, I also dont know why people bother coming on here to ask if they are just going to ignore any advice and start anyway, just do it! Although I dont think that a baby looking at their sibling eating is a sure sign they are ready for solid food......!

Her showing an interest in food is not the only thing I have based my decision on.
There have been lots of 'signs' of her wanting more than just milk.
Just want to think people for there support and not shooting me down. Very much appreciated.
I look to other mums for their opinion about this and other things such as I did when I went against the guidelines at 8 weeks and started letting DD sleep on her stomach.
I am looking for reassurance that if I go with my instinct I am not somehow going to scar my child in the long run. And experience of others is the best indicator and advice you can get.