Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Weaning

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

Original poster

Anyone else weaning at 14 wks?

270 replies

sleepfinder · 13/12/2006 17:08

My DS has been taking milk only during daytime hours since week 9 - and recently he has been guzzling so much I think that he's going to explode with so much fluid.

So going on the advice of my mother, I tried a little mashed banana after his morning bottle and he absolutely shrieked with joy. After a few days of this, he is now opening his mouth to accept the spoon and swiping at the spoon with his fist (he's not getting it yet though).

No adverse effects poop wise, sleep wise, mood wise etc. Sleeping well through the nights, napping normally and not guzzling huge quantities of milk before bed.

Anyone else on a similar route?

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 14/12/2006 17:22

What could be down to late weaning?

CarolinePhillips · 14/12/2006 17:23

i think she was referring to the sky-rocketing Crohns figures.

merrylissiemas · 14/12/2006 17:24

i am not trying to belittle your opinions, i just took offence at the implication that you are better parents than those who choose to wean earlier. taking a child out in a car increases the risk of them being in an accident but you take necessary precautions to minimize that risk with weaning, if you do it earlier it's your choice, but there are foods to avoid and ways of minimizing any possible damage. i have treated your opinions with respect, and i feel that i deserve the same courtesy

VeniVidiVickiQV · 14/12/2006 17:27

There's been no implication of that from me.

TwinkleInSantasEye · 14/12/2006 17:30

HIJACK ALERT

VeniVidiVickiQV - Re my thread on returning to work, I've been trying to find a document that states that they should have acknowledged my letter within 14 days. Do you remember where you got that from?

END OF HIJACK

merrylissiemas · 14/12/2006 17:34

i know, i probably over-reacted i just felt i was being attacked for decisions i made as a 1st time mum, which i'd said i would have changed if i could

happybiggirl · 14/12/2006 17:35

Message withdrawn

thebecster · 14/12/2006 17:35

I was weaned very early. No ill-effects at the time - slept through, normal nappies, normal weight gain. It wasn't until I was 25 and had spent time in hospital (repeated pneumonia, rapid weight loss, fainting spells, allergies that led to anaphylactic shock (terrifying...) that I was diagnosed with coeliac disease.

The coeliac has already led to one cancer which was luckily caught very early so I just needed surgery & radiotherapy - very lucky... (I'm now 34, was 28 when I got the cancer)

Coeliac is linked with early weaning (also very strong genetic link which can't be dismissed. But early weaning is definitely a risk factor). Like OPs Mum, my Mum kept telling me I should give DS some solids 'That baby is hungry', 'He needs a dinner' 'Try giving him some banana, I used to give you a banana and it never did you any harm'. I held back on telling her that early weaning might have given me coeliac until I could bear it no longer. She was so upset when I told her, but she stopped pressuring me to wean DS straight away. Which is good because I wouldn't wish coeliac, or my other scarey life-threatening conditions, on anyone. DS is now 6 months and starting solids, but no gluten, meat, dairy or nuts. The other posters are right that you won?t actually know whether early weaning has harmed your baby for 10 -15 years, or in the case of my Mum, 34 years!

VeniVidiVickiQV · 14/12/2006 17:37

Seen it and replied twinkle.

DumbledoresFairy · 14/12/2006 17:59

OK, I am leaving this argument but would welcome any useful responses to a food thread I am about to start....

DumbledoresFairy · 14/12/2006 18:08

Here, if anyone would like to offer advice

DingDongDraculaOnHigh · 15/12/2006 11:16

oh in my day they said 4 months

and it wasn't that long ago!

xmasstocking · 15/12/2006 17:48

I realise this thread is now probably dead but have just realised that my friend (who has nut and cows milk allergy) was recommended, by a HV, to wean her DS at 13 weeks!! Am very and worried now for my friend's DS.

I don't think she (or I when we discussed it) realised how serious the implications would be and it wasn't as if he was particularly ready as he wasn't drinking huge volumes of milk - no more than my DS who is 1 month older. I think she was recommended to do it as he would never sleep through the night, he is quite an unsettled baby and he was a big baby (10lb 4 at birth).

He has since been diagnosed with silent reflux - which explained the struggle to settle at night - but she had already started weaning him by then so I guess it is now too late to stop (he is now 17 weeks-ish)

am that a HP would recommend this.

Not sure if I shold mention any of this to my friend as I don't want to worry her and as I said, too late to do anything about it now but [sad[ that it could have implications for him later on.

merrylissiemas · 15/12/2006 18:04

at the risk of being bombarded again, all of the evidence that has been posted and all ofthe comments should be taken with a pinch of salt. as i said earlier until a few years ago pg women were advised to eat liver for iron. things change so much and i don't see any reason to worry her unnecessarily. the recommendation was to wean between 4 and 6 months, leave it as late as poss obviously but the guidelines are just that. most allergies are hereditary anyway and certain foods should not be introduced before a certain stage so as long as she's sensible and doesn't rush......

please don't shout at me again

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 15/12/2006 18:13

xamasstocking - earlier weaning is sometimes recommended for reflux babies.

flutturkey · 15/12/2006 18:59

"if you don't want the best possible future for your children its your decision"

When I saw that comment right at the begining of the thread I knew that this would turn into another ridiculous, I'm right your wrong, how superior am I thread.

I don't give a stuff how you feed your children to be honest, you can do it at 4 weeks or 4 years for all I care. I do what I feel is best for my child, do what you think is best for your please.

I can guarantee that not 1 single person on this thread does everything they can to make their childrens futures the best they can, people just pick and choose what to be passionate about on this website to fit in with the decisions they make/made.

merrylissiemas · 15/12/2006 19:01

flutturkey, i think that's the most sensible thing anyone has said in a long time as i tried saying, i know i'm not a perfect mother and i don't pretend to be. but we all try our best and do what we think is right at the time

moondog · 15/12/2006 19:04

I don'tthink that most people do do their best actually (not referring to you Merry).

I think most people do what's easiest.

It's bollocks this I'm a parent and therefore do everything to the best of my ability guff.

Why do we kid ourselves??

Most people are slothful feckers.

Walnutshell · 15/12/2006 19:11

Eek, haven't time to read all this very interesting thread right now, but having mild panic as starting weaning (fairly gradually) at 16 weeks, partly as HV suggested that it might be worth trying a little baby rice at this stage, although she did not push it.
Oh no, I feel a bit anxious now - ds is nearly 14 months but I'm still new to this! Still breastfeeding, don't know if that makes a diff.

I don't think I'm an over-worrier, but now I really wish I'd waited until 6mo...

Walnutshell · 15/12/2006 19:12

I love your posts, Moondog!

moondog · 15/12/2006 19:15

Why thank you.

If you fell pissed off,direct it at your HV not yourself.

And remember you are b/feeding at a time when 95% have given up.

The benefits of this are enormous.

Twiglett · 15/12/2006 19:15

sleepfinder just noticed you said 'and where is the starch in banana' .. there is starch in banana .. there is starch in many foods you would be surprised about

keep iodine (can get from chemist) in your kitchen .. a drop on any food and if it turns black it contains starch ..

I know this because for 2 years DH followed a starch-free diet .. and it was hell

Walnutshell · 15/12/2006 19:23

Thanks... God, it's a learning curve and I thought I was pretty good at the feeding bit if nothing else, but I obviously had a blackout for a moment 10 months ago. Never mind (although I do), I'll keep breastfeeding and just hope I haven't arsed up too much. Will def remember this thread if I have another baby.

(An aside: Moondog, a million years ago think I may have had a brief conversation with you about Politics of Breastfeeding - finally ordered copy from Amazon, what, 2-3 months ago - STILL WAITING! And I could do with a good read...)

merrylissiemas · 15/12/2006 19:23

WHY are you going out of your way to terrify women who are asking for advice? it's not helpful, and its not constructive. i'm sick of this thread now and all of the "holier-than-thou" posts on it, so i'm going off to have a reasonable, conversation with people who are willing to open their minds to the possibility that they might not have all the answers. i respect your opinions and the way that you have decided to raise your dc's and can't figure out why you can't return the courtsey.

merry xmas all

Walnutshell · 15/12/2006 19:26

But that's the great thing about Mumsnet type postings, you get to hear a wide range of opinions without having to slug it out with someone in playgroup or somewhere! Can't believe people are so sensitive when it's all pretty anon really... At least it's information as well as support.

Swipe left for the next trending thread