Help with weaning

[Mummybear15]

Hi
Iv just started my little boy on baby rice after in morning bottle, he is 15 weeks my hv advised me to start weaning at 16 weeks as he is a big boy, but I thought i would give him a little taste yesterday, I shouldn't have really but I expected him to spit it out if am honest but he really enjoyed it I let him have a couple of spoonfuls, he was crying for more I felt mean then, I was but anxious about starting to wean but a lot of my friends started there baby's at 12 weeks,when do I start to give him a bit more, am confused how to wean him do I gradually increase the amount of food he has over weeks or months can't seen to find an answer from anyone, I would really apriciate any helpful advice
I realise some people don't agree with weaning until 6 months and is a personal choice and every baby is different so please no negotiable comments

thanks xx

Hi Mummybear. I know you don't want to hear this, but weaning before 17 weeks should not be what your HV is advising you (unless your baby has some unusual medical issues, which I'm guessing not?). Your friends who have started to give solids at 12 weeks are not a good example to be following. They are going to be replacing milk feeds with food that their babies will be unable to process and they will therefore be losing out on nutrients to aid their development. Don't feel pressurised to follow the crowd when they are making poor choices.

I don't understand why you want to wean him, tbh. His size is not relevant at all, makes no difference as to when you should wean. His gut will not be developed enough to properly accept solids and you run the risk of causing a variety of digestive issues.

All you can give him before 6 months is plain puréed veg or fruit, and baby rice. None of which contain as much nutrition or calories as formula or breast milk. So I can't see the point to it.

If you are going to continue, then stick to plain purees or baby rice. Only offer a small amount one a day about an hour after a milk feed. Don't try to increase the quantities until beyond 6 months. The NHS advice on weaning is to aim to get to 3 meals a day by 8 to 9 months. So you have a very long time to get to that point.

Hi thanks for your response, wen hv advised me 16 weeks I thought that was strange as I had read myself not to wean before 17 weeks, but why would she tell me to do somethin that can harm my baby I'm really thinking about complaining about her,

I have only give baba couple of spoons for past two days thinking should I just stop this until he's older or continue with the 2 spoonfuls for a while so not confusing him?

Sorry I done it now iv been worried sick. Stupid of me really thanks for being nice to me lol x

Hi OP. It might be worth getting advice of a different HV perhaps? Why has she suggested weaning so young?
To answer your actual question, Annabel Karmel gives good advice on when to introduce which foods & lays out a suggested timetable that looks very helpful. As previously said if you do continue weaning make sure your baby is only having baby rice or fruit & veg purees until 6 months. Don't use it to replace a milk feed but to supplement it & always offer milk first to quench that initial hunger as it's more nutritious.
Good luck with everything & if at all unsure do try & get another medical opinion.

Hi Op,
Don't worry you haven't hurt your baby :) it's really tough sometimes with your first to know what's best.

I wouldn't advise you to go against what a hp has said as they can see your baby and know a lot more, but i would get a second opinion. Do you have a children'sccentre you can drop into? Our children's centre did a morning weaning course which was really good.
With babies sometimes it's hard not to dowhat all yyour friends have done my advice is to pick your role models carefully.
The fact that you are uncomfortable enough with what you are doing to ask on here suggests you have a really good mothering instinct.

mummybear sadly there are a lot of health professionals out there who spout crap to parents, they seem to issue advice based on their own ideas/beliefs rather than guidelines or anything based on research.

For what its worth, DS1 was on the 99th centile for weight from 12 weeks, but survived happily enough on milk alone (and maintained that centile) until he was 6 months, when I started weaning. Most babies who are advised to wean early (in my experience) have reflux or cows milk allergy, if your son is just big and healthy, don't feel under any pressure to feed him now (and you might start querying any other advice that particular HV has given you - she sounds spectacularly 'old skool').

I second pp who suggests you contact another health professional to discuss any concerns you might have.

I'd also be wary of doing what your friends are doing (they are probably just following their mums advice as weaning at 12 weeks used to be advised back in the day, before research showed that it wasn't the best way forward). My friends neighbour used to give her 12 week old weak coffee in a bottle, folk are strange, better to do your own reading on the subject and follow your own instinct.