24 or 26 weeks?

[duvetfan]

Hi I would just like some clarification from you knowledge people. I weaned ds 1 at 26 weeks as I thought it was logical given its half of 52 weeks. However at my weaning class they said 24 weeks. Am I right in thinking that would mean 2 weeks of sterilising and no dairy etc? We are waiting on a referral for allergy testing, so unlike ds 1 will will be puree version rather than blw until we know if he has allergies. I am tempted just to wait till 26 weeks to be sure, he is itchy enough.

I don't think it will make the slightest difference. NHS guidance is "around 6 months".

Go with what ur baby is doing
do they look ready? are they looking for food, seem unsatisfied with milk, or amount of milk they are drinking has increased
I tried very hard with ds to keep him going till 6 months, but from around 12 weeks he was asking for food, trying to grab food, got upset if we were eating...so we carried on till 4 1/2 months where he got so distressed one day I gave him some of my mash, never seen a happier child! from then on he was given food and he wolfed everything down bless him

"Looking for food" or milk not seeming to "satisfy" are not signs of being ready for weaning. The NHS has a list of signs of being ready which include being able to sit up (eg not slumping in a high chair), being able to bring things to their mouths and having lost their tongue thrust reflex. These usually happen around 6 months as PP has said. 24, 25 or 26 weeks are all within that time frame of around 6 months, so if you think your baby is ready at 24 weeks then that's not contra to the official advice.

Like others says it's around 6 months. If you look on the nhs website, there are 3 signs showing they are ready
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/solid-foods-weaning.aspx
Fwiw, both my DDs were 26 weeks before they could aim food into their mouths (on the latter part of 26 weeks in fact).

Thank you so much for the replies. sorry for the late reply, I fell asleep due to all out exhaustion. He meets the first 2 of the benchmarks but I haven't tried food so not sure about the 3rd. He has loved watching us eat since he was tiny so that's not much help and he did grab my husbands beer much to his horror. I think with ds 1 I was not worried about allergies so I didn't over think this. He is currently eating a plastic toy so at least food would be a bit more nutritious.

I think I am also over thinking this as he is a big baby but there hasn't been an increase in feeding, if anything there are bigger gaps between feeds but I am not sure if that's just because the first 22 weeks have been a constant growth spurt (he is just going into 9-12 month clothes because he is so long with weight in proportion). I thought second time I would worry less.

My HV and my breastfeeding support lady both phrased it "not before 24 weeks, usually before 28" ... which translates as about 6 months!

I love it squizita I should stop being so pedantic. I remember you I think from one of the pregnancy boards. how old is your lo?

6 months 2 weeks. Teeny little thing but strong as an ox! Been on solids 3 weeks - loves avocado, porridge and yoghurt.

Sorry I popped out hence my late reply. Ds 2 is 23 weeks and a 91st centile baby. I can't get over how long he is. I only lurked on the October board as I didn't want to jinx myself (totally irrational) as I joined the July one then had a mc, I do remember your posts though. I think you may also be roughly the same neck of the woods but I could be wrong.

so if not being satisfied and looking for food is not a sign then what is?
what do u do when they are doing this....just keep giving milk? I did this with my first and he gained weight at a very fast pace, health visitor became concerned about weight gain and has a couple of allergies
dc 2/3 weaned when they started showing an interest in food, just gave them food on a plate and let them pick up and chew, both within normal range of weight, no allergies
In my honest opinion all this '4 month sleep regression' is rubbish, ur child is hungry....give them some food

Little babies don't know that food can satisfy hunger, so they can't "look for food". They are interested in what you're doing, like they are all the time. They are curious, nothing more.

Personally, at 4 months, I let my baby feed on demand so he was satisfied. I don't understand why you can't offer more breastfeeds (or bottles) if they don't seem satisfied. Just like you would when they are younger and don't seem satisfied.

YY Culture. They breastfeed more powerfully and/or the formula recommended feeds get bigger for a reason ... The reason being they just need more milk.

Thanks for all the replies. I just wanted to clarify that I do brestfeed on demand and have never held with the x number of hours between feeds notion. I am not convinced that he is hungrier than an average baby in any way. Putting ds 1 onto solids at 26 weeks made no difference to his waking overnight and I didn't think it would. I have never been under any pressure to wean early in fact I have always advocated waiting. I just got mixed messages from health care professionals with regards 24 or 26 weeks. Thanks you

He tries to grab anything not just food. He tried to eat a letter a baby nail file earlier so he isn't fussy. He knows his big brother does interesting things with stuff on a plate that vanishes but that's about it.