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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

help! peer group weaning pressure driving me nuts!

32 replies

charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 10:21

All my contemporaries seem to be weaning their 4 month -ish babies and my mum and sister weaned babies at 3 months. I seem to spend every day fending off Q's about why I haven't started ds on solids yet. He's exclusively breast fed and a big boy who has been sleeping 7.30pm to 7am. I reckon he must be doing ok. BUT he's been a monkey in the night two nights running and now dh is putting on some pressure. I would rather feed him in the night again and more often in the day but is that bad for a growing tummy if it wants proper food???

OP posts:
JessaJam · 31/08/2006 10:25

I would up the ammount of feeds he gets. But ds was formula fed, so no advice on how to increase bfs...
Plenty of people will be along with advice soon, early weaning is such a favourite on MN!

Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 10:27

I guess boobs would respond accordingly! He's already on 3 hourly in order to get five feeds in before he goes to bed at night, was hungry after 2 1/2 hours this morning though so might try that.

OP posts:
lechatnoir · 31/08/2006 10:27

You wean your baby when YOU think he's ready not when everyone else thinks you should. If you LO is waking in the night it could be a growth spurt so I would hold off a bit longer - my DS woke for 4 nights in a row around 4 months but then went back to sleeping through & didn't need weaning until just before he was 6 months.
Good luck whatever you decide.
LCN

tiktok · 31/08/2006 10:28

The research that's been done on ay link between waking in the night and solids shows they make no difference at all - plenty of individual babies may start to sleep through at about the time they get solids in the day, but that's sheer coincidence. Waking is very common at this age - hunger for solids is the very last reason a baby of this age would be waking.
Stick to your guns

VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2006 10:31

You are doing absolutely the right thing. You know you are.

It is hard, there is ALOT of peer pressure. Stick with it, try and ignore the comments. Remember that there are more calories in milk and that there is no harm in delaying weaning/but proven risks if weaning too early.

Tell DH that since it is you that gets up in the night to feed DS, then he should respect your decision to do so, because you dont take the choice to take lack of sleep lightly!

Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 10:34

That's good to hear. I would much prefer to wait it out. I was certain he wasn't hungry last night so didn't feed him and just waited for him to settle - an hour though, grr. I think part of it is his odd digestive system which makes him sometimes poo in the night. Both nights he did a big green (think it was a curry I had three nights ago!) poo after grizzling for a while. So difficult with first baby when everyone wants to give unwanted advice.

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2006 10:39

It sure is. You clearly know what you are doing though. Remember that people that havent got babies anymore have jaded memories.

Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 10:41

Too true and neither mum nor sis breast fed and both tried to discourage me before he was born, so I proved them wrong about that. I also think I'm going to spend the next 18 years (and beyond probably) providing meals for him so I'm in no hurry to start now.

OP posts:
aitch71 · 31/08/2006 13:37

too right, charlieropersmum, why give yourself the hassle? you stick to your guns.

hunkermunker · 31/08/2006 13:40

You're doing the right thing.

DS2 still not that interested in food. Hasn't had any today. Will give him a bit of tea, I think. He's nearly 8mo and is thriving on bmilk, a fair bit of finger food (which goes on the floor) and the occasional jar. I much prefer the "food" thing after they're one - so much less hassle.

ocd · 31/08/2006 17:15

this is my mate iw ant GOOD advice

VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2006 17:36

oooh! I hope you're not the "peer pressure" mrs roper is talking about

ocd · 31/08/2006 18:48

as if

VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2006 18:53
Wink
lemonaid · 31/08/2006 18:55

Also, you should see what happens to his poo when you start weaning. You do not want to expose yourself to that one moment before you have to...

ocd · 31/08/2006 19:35

oh but she is blingin vEGGIE isnt she ffs

threebob · 31/08/2006 19:54

breast milk is a proper food and is the best thing for his tummy.

Tatties · 31/08/2006 20:26

I cracked under peer pressure and started ds on a bit of solids at 5mths. I had comments about him being 'starving' and showing signs he was 'ready' and other such rubbish. Deep down I think I knew he was fine on bmilk alone, but I was lacking in confidence and upset at the thought I might be depriving him of something. Turned out he wasn't interested at all and didn't really develop any appetite for solid food until he was closer to 1yr old!

You are with him 24hrs a day, you know what he needs. The only reason other mums try to get you to wean early is to make themselves feel better about the choice they have made. Trust your instincts and you won't regret the choices you make

Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 20:34

I think you are so right tatties. Some have started their babies as young as 12 weeks and are doing a lot of excited chat about different recipes etc. I'd rather stick to my boobs and trust them! ocd you do make me laugh.

OP posts:
Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 20:36

veggie issue is another tale - had veggie curry the other night and he's done bright green poo since! Mum did her famous disapproving "thin lips" when I told her!

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2006 20:36

Excited chat about mashing advocadoes? They sound really dull! Meet up with some nice people from MN

Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 20:52

(grin)

OP posts:
Original poster
charlieropersmum · 31/08/2006 20:53

oops smiley didn't work - am new to this lark!!!

OP posts:
theoldlady · 31/08/2006 20:54

It is so encouraging to read of so many other people out there who stick to their guns! It is a tough world out there. Well done charlieropersmum!

SoupDragon · 31/08/2006 20:57

I really can't be ar$ed to wean BabyDragon. It's too much faff. She's 7 months and over 20lbs so I dont think she's doing bad for just breastmilk. I've tried weaning but she;s not interested much and I'm not either.

Let them chat about advocado if they like. Bless them.

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