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Weaning

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

Original poster

At what age did you start weaning your LO?

56 replies

Marne · 16/06/2006 10:14

I know they say not too wean till 6 months but at what age did you wean and if you weaned early has it caused any health problems in your child?

DD2 is only 14 weeks and people (my mum) are already telling me to wean her and how it never did us any harm etc, etc..

So just a poll to see who weaned early and who held off to 6 months?

OP posts:
beansprout · 26/06/2006 20:57

Nearly 7 months and ds was huge so let's not be having any of that big, hungry baby nonsense!!

MrsCurly · 26/06/2006 22:21

Today!
She was five months yeterday. I was trying to hold out until six months, but her sleep has been appalling of late, she is very interested in everyone else's eating habits, and today she grabbed a biscuit out of my hands and tried to put it in her mouth. Case closed!

hunkermunker · 26/06/2006 22:25

DS1 was 6mo but didn't really eat much till closer to eight months.

DS2 is 23 weeks old on Wednesday and I'm not worried about "making it" to 26 weeks with him - I will probably wait a bit longer.

hunkermunker · 26/06/2006 22:26

Bramblina, that sounds like utter tosh to me, I'm afraid. I'll do a bit of research though. Tastebuds at their best?! What for? Baby rice?! LOLOLOL!

hunkermunker · 26/06/2006 22:28

"In the UK, 2% of babies are given solids by 4 weeks of age, 13% by 8 weeks, 56% by 3 months and 91% by 4 months (Foster et al., 1995). Higher birth weight, lower social class of husband or partner and maternal smoking habits are associated with the earlier introduction of solid food (White et al., 1992; Foster et al., 1995). Recent Canadian research has suggested that the age of weaning is increasing, but there is still a significant proportion of babies who receive solid food before 4 months of age (Kwavnick et al., 1999)."

Interesting what you find when you google, isn't it?! WTF is anyone doing giving solid food to a baby fewer than four weeks old?!

clairemow · 26/06/2006 22:29

Started weaning DS at 4 months (17 weeks I think). No health problems at all. No allergies, eats almost anything (asked for olives for "pudding" today - weird?!?!). He was a big baby and started waking earlier and again in the night at about 15 weeks - had slept through since 9 weeks. All that stopped when he started weaning. Maybe it's "big, hungry baby nonsense", but I couldn't produce enough milk to satisfy him. Did only have baby rice, veg and fruit (all cooked, none raw except mashed banana) though until 6 months at least.

Piffle · 26/06/2006 22:29

6 mths with both of mine - did baby led the whole way

hunkermunker · 26/06/2006 22:29

Sorry, this is a bit of a "niche subject" for me I think. And this was meant to be a poll thread. I'll bugger off and start my own.

flutterbee · 26/06/2006 22:30

I weaned DS at 5 months and have had no probs so far, it has only been a few months though

However, my Mum weaned all 7 of her children well before the 6 month guidlines (my eldest brother was totally off milk by 7 months) and we are all fighting fit and the ages range from 35-14.

Do what you are comfortable with.

AllieBongo · 26/06/2006 22:43

ds 14 weeks, dd 16 weeks, and they are both still alive, v healthy and happy.

schneebly · 26/06/2006 22:52

Started both DSs at 22 weeks which is funny - they both weighed exactly the same at birth too. I felt like I held out as long as I could with both of them and it was amazing the amount of people who were saying to me 'oooh - he's not on solids yet?' in a manner! They are both healthy so far!

NotAnOtter · 26/06/2006 23:02

ds1 4
dd 3
ds2 4
ds3 5
ds4 tomorrow (19weeks) virtually biting my hand off - nature and maternal instinct tells me its time!

wherethewildthingsare · 27/06/2006 11:05

Ds1 - 3months (on advice of HV) - lots of lovely green poo for ages! I reckon he was intolerant and that age.
Ds2 and DD - 4 months
Ds3 - now 5 1/2 months and giving him food to play with while the rest of the family eat. Holding out for some allergy testing (we are part of a probiotic study) on Friday before we go any further.

OldieMum · 27/06/2006 11:33

I weaned DD at 5 months. She has chronic constipation. I don't know when I was weaned, but I also had chronic constipation as a young child. I have no idea whether there is a link, but why risk it? With DS (due next week) I shall try to hold out until 6 months.

WHO advice is based on recent research. Lots of advice about babycare has changed since our mothers had us, much of it because of better understanding of how babies develop. I would rely on current WHO advice, rather than what my mother says.

MrsDoolittle · 27/06/2006 11:35

Oh Good luck Oldiemum! That's come around quickly

How are you feeling?

OldieMum · 27/06/2006 11:40

Mrs D - I'm OK, thanks, though very tired. He's another big baby, I understand. I'm booked for a c-section on the 4th. I was due to have it today, but they decided to postpone it to let the baby 'cook' a bit longer. I am pleased, as I understand that it's better to do it at 39 weeks than 38. I'm due to be readmitted for observation tomorrow (baby is in an unstable lie). Hope you and family are all well.

MrsDoolittle · 27/06/2006 11:43

I do hope everything goes well for you Oldiemum.
I'm still on maternity leave. My beautiful ds is asleep, so I'm catching up. We are all well Thank you x x x

Bryne · 16/07/2006 19:02

My 6mth old does not want to eat solids - is this usual? She rejects my lovingly prepared purees on a daily basis and is more than content to continue with her b/f. She also refuses to take to the bottle/cup so I am worried she is not getting enough fluid in the hot weather. Help!

NotQuiteCockney · 16/07/2006 19:46

Have you considered baby-led weaning? You can just offer bits and pieces. There are lots of threads on this.

gegs73 · 16/07/2006 19:59

DS was 4 months when I weaned him on baby rice and pureed fruit. No problems at all. Do it when you think your baby is ready.

NotQuiteCockney · 16/07/2006 20:03

Oh, and I weaned DS1 at 16 weeks to purees, and DS2 at 6 months to finger food.

I was weaned very early (6 weeks?) and have IBS.

archiesmummy · 16/07/2006 21:11

Just started weaning DS at 26 weeks with BLW, still not really eating much.
I think this means he is not ready to eat just yet, and all the poeple who have tried so hard for so many months to get me to wean him have been wrong (ha ).
I agree with NotQuiteCockney about BLW then LO won't eat if not ready, so you don't need to worry.

NotQuiteCockney · 16/07/2006 21:43

It took my DS2 about a month to get the hang of it, but he was pretty good with his hands and so on. I know other people whose kids took a few months, and they don't seem any worse for it.

aitch71 · 17/07/2006 12:44

i was given farex baby rice in a bottle at two weeks old (before my poor mother had even left hospital) because the midwives couldn't be bothered to keep up with my apparently ravenous appetite for milk.
i now have crappy, painful IBS and i hate it.
more seriously, a pal of mine was weaned under similar circumstances and has such bad crohns that her doctors don't expect her to live long (to be fair, though, they did tell her that a decade ago so she will hopefully surprise them again.) she thinks that her early weaning, coupled with another factor (actually a measles jab but that's another story) is what gave her the crohns.
i know no-one would wean that early any more but it is one of the reasons why i stuck it out to 6 months with my daughter.

organicmummy · 17/07/2006 22:23

Started DS at 20 weeks but very slowly even though he was big. I was weaned early ( about 4 months) and never did me any harm. Am now well into adulthood and no problems so far!

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