DS ready for weaning......but

[mower]

Sorry to post another thread on weaning but am unsure what to do. DS 21 weeks and he is ready for weaning, been waking up more times in the night, watching me eat and trying to grab drinks ect, can also hold his head very well. I am ready to start weaning, but am worried that it will trigger off his excema, which is under control at the mo. Does anyone know whether waiting till 26 weeks, will make much difference with allegies?

Thanks

Apparently so! Sufficiently so for it to be not worth taking the risk, if you're worried about allergies, eczema, etc. I think it's one of the reasons WHO recommend 26 weeks - by then the gut is certain to be developed enough to cope with solids - before then, you just can't guarantee it. The signs of readiness include being able to sit up unsupported, having lost the tongue thrust reflex, and being sufficiently interested in food to be reaching out to put it in his mouth. You might want to look at the baby-led weaning threads which explain the signs really well - and I can thoroughly recommend baby-led weaning if you are worried about allergies.

read this excellent website

he's growth spurting and needs more milk

this increased interest in what you do is a developmental phase that starts around 20 weeks

neither of these are signs that he is ready for weaning

physiologically he is not ready until 26 weeks to be safe .. particularly if he already has allergic reactions

it is do do with development of the gut and its ability to cope with solids .. it is nothing to do with size of baby

hold out if you can

When you do start weaning, that's a good time to give probiotics too (ones suitable for children in a powder form) this will help his gut with the transition. We only got ds to start eating well with no reaction when we discovered probiotics when he was 9 months old.