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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Please explain everything to me!!!

21 replies

plannedshock · 13/08/2013 21:35

Is weaning, baby eating solids or starting on purée? I've got a 19wk dd who sits in a bumbo thing or on my knee with held held strongly up, eats every toy/hands and clothes.
She breastfeeds every 2hrs but that's normal for her (never gone longer) recently started waking every hr at night for food, but I'm not taking that as a sign to eat.
Recently people have said try her with food shes ready, so I tried her on baby rice mixed with breast milk and she ate it really well, tried her with half a spoon of banana which she took well, but always has a normal breast feed straight after.
But I don't really know why I'm doing it, or if I should be, she seems happy, but I have no clue as to the amount she should have. Only doing a teaspoon of baby rice at 7pm.
Any advice or anything really, should I wait?

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 13/08/2013 22:32

Nothing you have said indicates that your baby is hungry or needs solids. Waking more at this age is normal, have a look at this on the 4 month sleep regression

Who is telling you to wean your baby? Weaning in the uk usually means introducing solids, it doesn't have to be purees. By giving baby rice and banana you are already weaning your baby. Is the person up to date with the current guidelines? Is it a doctor or a Paed? If not, I'd just smile and nod and carry on just bfing.

You might find the MN info on weaning useful. It explains weaning, and why its best to wait, better than I ever could . This article is very good too.

As for guidance on how much she should be having, the only thing she should be having is your milk. There are no guidelines on weaning a baby this young because its simply not recommended

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 02:29

Firstly, weaning means moving your baby on to anything other than breast or formula milk. And solids means anything other than milk. So purée, baby rice etc are solids.

Previous poster is right, unless you've had medical advice to do so, your baby is v young to be weaning.

However, if she's holding her head up, can put something in her mouth and is swallowing and passing solids fine, then maybe she is ready.

But, you could do damage by feeding your baby solids too soon. So I'd suggest taking her to your local baby clinic ASAP and get some professional advice.

This might help in the meantime -

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/solid-foods-weaning.aspx#close

Original poster

plannedshock · 14/08/2013 07:52

Thank you for the replies, it was mil that first said about it (I know, I know) I asked a few friends, one who has twins and is scared to give them food at 8mths and one with a 10mth old that eats everything and they both said start now and it will be easier.
I wasn't sure so got a book from the library which said wean between 17-26 wks and when I looked at the baby rice said stage 1, 4-6mths. I felt like baby rice was the less of evils as such made quite runny with breast milk.
I don't really know why I'm doing it I guess I've just been a sheep following other people!

OP posts:

Caitycat · 14/08/2013 08:00

It is so hard when people are telling you to do it! My dm went on and on from when dd was about 3mo. I weaned dd when she was about 6mo and I have to say I wouldn't have wanted to do it before then as by that point she could feed herself while I ate myself. She did have a sleep regression at 4mo too but that improved. I suggest having a chat with your hv about it, mine was great - good advice and support. And don't worry about weaning early to make it easier, it's just that some babies are more interested in eating than others. Dd is embarrassingly obsessed with eating everything she can lay her hands on.

Original poster

plannedshock · 14/08/2013 08:24

So if I waited until 6mths I can just cut food up and let her feed herself? I'm back at work when she is 28wks I guess it just seems so much to get her on formula (expressing isn't really producing enough) and wean all when I will be leaving her (3 days a wk)

OP posts:

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 09:52

If you're not going to work until 28 weeks then you could start weaning on to solids at 24 weeks and you'll have loads of time to get her on to 3 meals a day.

It's not quite as simple as cutting food up. You need to either start with purees or if you want to do 'baby led weaning' you need to give her finger sized soft foods (toast fingers, cheese, banana etc) although I'm in no way a BLW expert.

What I did is start on purée fruit for lunch for the first week. Then if she's taking and digesting it well move on to porridge and mashed banana for breakfast (I always used regular porridge with no fuss). Then week 3 move on to dinner, which were just blended versions of what we ate (cooked with no salt). Week 4 I added in soft finger goods.

How old was this book from the library?

Didn't you get a big 0-5 book from your HV when DD was born? That book will have all the up to date information you need.

Caitycat · 14/08/2013 10:01

Yes if you do baby led weaning you can just give "normal" food in managable pieces. There's loads of info online and here on mumsnet. I didn't go for full blw but gave a selection of finger foods which dd worked her way through while dh and I had our main course, then often spoonfed her a yogurt or some mushier main course food that I didn't fancy scooping off the floor and then she would eat some fruit by herself (blueberries and strawberries were her favs) while we had a pudding and coffee. Kept her quiet and integrated her into our mealtime from the start.

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 10:15

I always thought I didn't 'get' BLW but the more I read on here about it the more I realise I was doing it!! (a little bit)

I totally agree with caitycat sticking a toast finger / breadstick / ripe pear / banana in DCs hand is sometimes the only way you can get to eat yourself!

OP I should think the majority of people give a mixture of finger foods and sp

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 10:16

I always thought I didn't 'get' BLW but the more I read on here about it the more I realise I was doing it!! (a little bit)

I totally agree with caitycat sticking a toast finger / breadstick / ripe pear / banana in DCs hand is sometimes the only way you can get to eat yourself!

OP I should think the majority of people give a mixture of finger foods and spoon foods. You just have to find the right balance for you and your baby.

Original poster

plannedshock · 14/08/2013 13:19

Ok so I'm going to start at 24wks with breakfasts-poridge,25wks finger snacks-peeled grapes/banana bits, 26wks dinners-purees and few finger bits, and feed on demand in between, I spoke to mil today and said I've spoke to health visitor (a.k.a mumsnet) and I'm going to wait!
I know dd will either take it or not but does that sound about right?

OP posts:

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 18:41

That sounds good to me (FYI I'm not a professional!)

Once she's on 3 meals you can start to gradually increase the volume of food. Feed until she starts refusing it, or generally looks uninterested.

I found that once we started solids on demand pretty much went out the window. Once she's having say a dozen spoons in one meal I would breast feed a snack 1-2 hrs after, 2 hrs before the next meal. Or whenever suits.

Don't forget to make sure she's drinking water once on solids. If she won't take it from a cup, add it to her food. And keep an eye on her nappies to make sure she's not getting constipated.

(sorry if this is condescending - but I can remember how nerve wracking it is weaning your first DC!!)

JiltedJohnsJulie · 14/08/2013 21:23

Agree that the information in the book from the library and the information on the baby rice are both wrong. Weaning isn't recommended in this country before 6 months and its been like that for quite a while. Well, it was 6 months when I had DS 9 years ago

If you want to, you can continue bfing when you return to work. Lots of people bf first thing, when they've picked Lo up from childcare and before bed and possibly the odd night feed. You'd have to replace the feeds when you weren't there with formula. Have a read of this on bfing and childcare and call one of the bfing helplines. The BFC will be able to come up with a plan to help you reduce or stop bfing before returning to work, depending on which one you choose . I think the current advice is to drop one feed every 2 weeks. This is to get Lo used to taking the formula and your body time to adjust, so it reduces your risk of mastitis.

I'd seriously stop listening to your friends too. If you want to know anything just ask us

JiltedJohnsJulie · 14/08/2013 21:24

Oh and the current advice is to get them onto 3 meals a day gradually between 8 and 9 months.

countrymummy13 · 14/08/2013 21:57

I think actually current advice is wean not before 4 months and not after 6.

So by my logic if baby can hold head up and swallow at 5 months that the safe bet.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 14/08/2013 22:03

Have you got a link for that country? Would be interested to see it

countrymummy13 · 15/08/2013 00:20

No I don't actually, can't find one. Which is why I didn't mention before. But I thought it was in the news a few months ago. I remember a big hoo-har because up to then it had always been 'never ever before 6 months'

countrymummy13 · 15/08/2013 00:27

Mmm. Maybe I dreamt it.

Either way my DS's pediatric consultant told me to start weaning at 5 months. There wasn't a special reason for that.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 15/08/2013 08:22

There was a flawed report sponsored by Nestlé suggesting 4 to 6 months. Obviously if a mother ebfs until 6 months and then the bab goes obto family food the formula and baby food companies won't make much money from them.

The guidelines weren't changed though. They've remained the same for many years now and are in line with the WHO recommendations.

countrymummy13 · 15/08/2013 08:40

Wow. That is shocking.

Do you agree 24 weeks / 6 months is pretty much one and the same?

ExBrightonBell · 15/08/2013 09:16

I would say 26 weeks is 6 months (52 weeks in a year / 2), although I don't think that starting the weaning process at 24 wks (if baby is ready) is a problem.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 15/08/2013 10:12

Agree with Ex. We started blw at 23 weeks with dd when she took a sandwich and scoffed it before anyone could stop her. Think she was displaying all the signs of readiness quite nicely

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