Should I start weaning yet?

[fairysnuff]

DD has decided to start waking up at 5.30-7ish every morning for a feed. This is not norm for her. I was happy to go with it, thinking it wouldn't be for long, but it has been a while now (a week or so).
Is she ready to wean?
Should I start giving her some food between her last night feeds (second to last feed at 7ish and last at 8.30ish)
Most books say to give lunchtime feeds first, but she needs to get through the night, will a lunchtime feed help??
So confused by it all and totally feel that it is too early! She is just 20 weeks, 21 on Tuesday.
Help!

Actually chillout there are wrong ways of doing it - eg feeding your child a burger at 2 months. To suggest that you should just follow your own instincts is, in my opinion, not good advice - instincts can, and often are wrong. Of course we mothers know our children best, but we most certainly do not know enough about medicine etc to ignore professional advice simply because it goes against our instincts.

whoops - can be and often are...

You ever been told by a dr that there's nothing wrong when there is? P'raps I just have finely honed instincts. Take on board what you say about the burger...I'm taking ds to PizzaHut for lunch instead

DoH weaning leaflat...which mentions weaning is adviced at 6 month

christy you still there?

I am going to barge right into this thread because this debate seems to crop up time and time again...why do people find it so hard to accept that the guidelines on weaning have changed??

Using SIDS as an example (although I am in no way saying that the consequences of not following the guidelines for weaning are as serious as those for SIDs but I am just using it as a comparison) - 30 years ago according to my mum, the guidelines stated that babies should sleep on their front to stop them choking on vomit - now, how many parents ignore the current guidelines to put babies on their backs and put their babies to sleep on their front?? My guess is very few - most follow the new guidelines without questioning even though it has changed, through research, over the last 30 years.

So, as research now shows that early weaning is not recommended, why oh why do most parents choose to ignore it?? I just don't understand why it is so hard for them to accept the new guidelines re weaning just cos babies were weaned at 10 weeks 30 years ago, 4 months 5 years ago or whatever.

Of course you're right Chillout, that a mother's instincts can be better than a doctor's when something is wrong - but weaning isn't really the same.

My point really is that as mothers we like to be reassured that we're doing it right - and often (on Mumsnet, and elsewhere) this leads to the exhortation to follow your instincts, as if we're always going to be right just because we're mothers. I have gained so much from the wise advice of other mothers, as well as from 'experts' and professionals. In my opinion, setting such advice aside because of my instincts would be extremely arrogant and foolish.

Guidelines are precisely that...a guide. Because there is no exact right or wrong answer everyone has their own view, and it's an emotive subject. A happy mum makes for a happy baby, and overt worrying is helpful to no-one. Don't lose sight of the issue here - a happy, healty baby is the goal and do whatever leads to that result for you.
Thus endeth the sermon.

so why would you wean early then chillout?

Because I feel it's right.

Yes chillout, am genuinely confused as to why you would deliberately go against medical/health professional advice and wean early with no certainty that it will result in a healthier or happier baby?

There is no exact right or wrong. Further, if I had taken every bit of medical advice ever given I wouldn't even have my baby to be thinking about.

Havent bothered reading the other replies...

But no, you shouldnt start yet. If you want to increase her calorie intake then milk is the best thing to do that - weaning wont help her sleep longer/better.

The current recommendations state 26 week in order to ensure that the baby's gut has matured properly.

On balance - with no guarantees that weaning will help with sleep - I'd hold off on weaning and increase milk feeds.

hm....thing is instincts aren't always realiable...I mean, especially us in our westernised civilsations, we tend to not really have great instincts, do we?
I find I like to know all the available information and then make an informed decision, rather then being told, oh dear, yeah go ahead just do as you think?

Well hopefully this thread has given a good selection of reasons for, against and on-the-fence-not-too-sure ideas. Like I say, ultimately you make your own mind up.

Furthermore - the guidelines state 26 weeks for many good reasons. The research that has been carried out on many thousands of babies around the world shows that babies weaned early are more at risk/likely to suffer digestive problems amongst many other things when they are older. Google for WHO research - it will state the evidence quite categorically Chillout.

Therefore, as a parenting website, where thousands of mums come for advice, it is important to give people the most current up to date advice, rather than anecdotal evidence, or personal preferences with regard to such an important topic.

Don't people go against medical advice all the time for things other than weaning? (Though from what I've read in the past weaning is actually advised from 4-6 months not just 6).

What about MMR jabs? Not all parents send their baby for this, though the government recommends it and I can bet lots of those are the very same who would not wean until at least 6 months because of guidelines.

I'm sorry Chillout, sounds like you have very good reasons to be suspicious of the medical profession. I still disagree with you though - as I've said before I think it's best to do my own research and take on board professional advice - I'd certainly have to have a very good reason for disregarding the current guidelines.

There are very limited reasons for weaning early - none of those are listed in the OP.

Its not so much about choice as it is about making a sensible decision based on evidence presented.

Its irresponsible for people to suggest that its about personal preference.

gegs read the links I have posted...even doh say 6 month, saying that, tehy do say if for whatever reason you want to wean earlier do NOt tsart before 4 month, but this is hardly that tehy advice feeding from 4 month, just that they realise that many people will not want to wait for 6 month, and I suppose they see that weaning at 4 month is less harmfull then weaning earlier then that?
But that is just my personal interpretation of course.

pp- good, that's what works for you. And, to be fair to the medical profession, some are right and others are wrong. We're all human and all fallible.

I would still like to murder the doctor that told me all my problems would be cured by evening primrose oil though....4 ops and £10k later I didn't have the energy to say 'told you so...'

sorry was typing to fast...alwas get loads of typos that way...must slow down!
Still wondering why christy has disappeared...but of course she might just be busy!

The WHO have been recommended 6 months for at least 10 years gegs.

vvvqv - i love being irresponsible. it cheers my day.

The thing is Chillout, by weaning early you don't know whether waiting till 6 months would work for you or not.

I don't want it to seem like I'm picking on you - but as QV has said, I think it's irresponsible to advise mothers to follow their instincts, especially on a public forum such as mumsnet where people come for help.