When to wean? On holiday at 6mo

[MunsteadWood]

DH and I are going on holiday with friends when DS will be 6mo (26 weeks). We'll only be away a week, so I figured we'd just delay starting weaning until we get back, when we'll be at home in our own kitchen, DS can sit in his high chair etc.

But I saw my MIL this afternoon and she's been on at me about how terrible it is to make him wait, how I simply "have to" start sooner... she thinks the 6m guidelines are bonkers enough and has been gagging to slip him bits of food for weeks as it is (very annoying).

I'm happy to wait until 6mo as I don't buy the argument that DS is "hungry" only having milk (he's not! he's fine, happy and healthy!) but I'm wondering whether delaying further is unwise (not sure why??)... He's my first DC so I've never done this before.

What should I do? Does an extra week matter??

In case not clear from OP--DS is coming on holiday with us (!), and he is EBF.

I took ds to France for a month @6 months. Ebf so waited til we got back before starting weaning . Why add the stress of trying to sterilise abroad to your holiday? Nuts imo!!
Tell mil you will decide yourself!!

He won't know any different and they often don't swallow much the first few goes anyway. Where are you going? At 6 months he can have most foods anyway.

I would wait tbh. Unless you feel super relaxed on holiday and let him eat with you (bits of bread to chew on etc). Are you planning on BLW or purees? Purees would be a total PITA when travelling.

Could you not just give him a bit off your plate as finger food rather than regard it as starting to wean him

Echo where are you going? If it’s clean and you can trust the food (and there are high chairs-very often aren’t in restaurants abroad ime) just plonk a bit of whatever you’re having or perhaps bread crusts/cut up fruit in front of him and see what he does with it. Likely he’ll just smear it around but it doesn’t really matter, you can certainly just wait and start properly when you get home. Or take a couple of ellas pouches and try those out on him if you fancy doing purées.

I think I agree with demented now I've thought about it. There doesn't have to be a strict "now we are on solids" cut-off point. If you think he'd enjoy something, go for it. But it's your choice not your MIL's.

We were on holiday in Uceland when DS was 24-25 weeks. His first food was a bit of bread roll he grabbed off one of our plates in a restaurant! Not ideal but he was showing all the signs and clearly ready so we let him play with bits of finger foods - he didn’t actully consume much of them. We started properly when we got home.

We were staying with the in laws in South Africa when DS was 25 weeks. He was so interested in food & showing all the signs he was ready so we gave him some avocado off our plates and he loved it. The next day he tried some of our toast, the day after yoghurt. We just kept giving him little bits everyday as an extra rather than replacing any milk. Once we got home we started weaning properly. We did BLW which was so easy. We'll be on holiday when DD turns 6 months so will do something similar.

Just do what you feel is right, I don't think babies suddenly turn hungry at exactly 6 months as per txt book. I think 6 months is when they can biologically digest solids (who knows, in the 80's that was 3 months) but seriously, a couple of weeks of milk won't make any difference. Good luck with MIL...

Do it when your back there's no point trying to give food which you're unsure of and stress yourself out, my dd is nearly 8 months and it's only just starting to actually swallow anything

Yes it’s absolutely fine to wait. My understanding of the guidelines, and I could be wrong, is that it’s around 6 months not strictly 6 months and is when LO shows that they are able to sit up, pick up food and put it in their mouth. This may have changed though

Thanks for all the replies. I felt completely fine about it before but then had a look at a few weaning books after talking with MIL and one said there's some evidence that weaning after 26 weeks can be detrimental for baby's immune system... so hard to know what's best! But I agree it seems crazy that both before 6mo and after 6mo can cause problems... like there's only one day on which you can safely wean your baby!!

I'm planning to do BLW weaning but am a bit nervous about it (which I know is silly, but still!) so thought I'd do a week or so of purees first to get my confidence up. Our holiday is in Europe and all perfectly clean etc but I'd really rather not spend the week faffing around with blending/mashing, spooning etc (with no high chair and in unfamiliar kitchen) if it's fine to wait.

I like the suggestion of taking a more relaxed approach though. He turns 6mo a couple of days before we go so I think I'll give him a bit then and see how we get on. I'm sure I'm overthinking this!

A week after his 6 month 'birthday' isn't going to make a bit of difference. Just see how you go and enjoy your holiday without any added stress!

You don't need to delay etc. It's really no big deal. When you feel like it at 6mths ish, hand him some food here and there. It makes zero difference where you are. And you won't ruin the process by not starting with the exact right foods or by doing things a certain way.

A week won't make any difference, but if you are planning on blw just go straight for it when you do start, the idea is they learn to chew before they swallow, puree may just confuse this.
My DS was ebf too, and we didn't really cut feeds down for a couple of months, just adjusted timings a little of when we ate/he fed so at meal times he hadn't just fed/desperate for a feed.
There are some great websites and Facebook groups for advice. Read up on the difference between gagging (normal) and choking (needs help to clear), and see if any first aid courses around for extra confidence.
My DS loved his food straight away, but others just aren't interested, my friends child didn't have any interest until 9 months. No right or wrong, just follow your child!

I think you are over thinking and you should do what's right for you not MiL. Nothing magically changes the exact day they turn 6 months. And there's always the Q of if it's weeks or months...

If you want to do BLW, then you want to see that DS is ready - sitting well, bringing hand to mouth and interested in food. If he is, that week, or the week before, or the week after, give him a few bits of finger food to try. Some bread, fruit, veg whatever. Then you've started!

It will make absolutely no difference at all. Enjoy your holiday!

Just sit him in a highchaur or in your lap and give him bits of bread/veg/fruit to play with. Chances are him won’t actually eat much to start with.

We started just before the 6 months but as there are allergies in the family we started slow. Mainly veg to begin with then fruit. I certainly felt more confident at home to begin with but with ds2 and ds3 I was much more easygoing. If you are going to try BLW anyway then see how he gets on with a few bits before you go then make a decision.

I think there is more evidence that delaying weaning might cause problems than starting a little before 6 months so I would probably start before you go.
I made sure I had introduced gluten, peanut etc by 6 months.

Wait till you get back!
No rush at all, there are no benefits to early weaning or a baby being on solids at 6 months, especially when ebf. Enjoy your holiday without the added stress.

You are overthinking it. (No judgment though, I am doing the same with my pfb!) if you are doing BLW I wouldn't start with purees, it may be confusing for DC. Either give some finger foods while away (start with vegetables and fruit if you're nervous about other foods) or wait until you are back and in the comfort of your home. Baby led weaning groups on Facebook are very helpful and I found them great for support when I wasn't sure of my approach. They also have tips on handling family who are not on board with your approach.