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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

Losing the fight to make it to 6months

43 replies

Northernbeachbum · 14/11/2018 15:07

5 month and 2 weeks old DS is sitting well unassisted, staring at us eating and getting upset he doesnt get food, wants our food not his milk and copying eating motions constantly.....i cant see how we can make 6 months....i know the guidlines are there for a reason but i cant see every baby magically changing overnight when they hit 6 months?! In other words reassure me about caving in Grin

OP posts:
Verbena87 · 14/11/2018 15:09

We first caved at just over 4 months! He is now 14 and seems unscathed (and is still breastfeeding like it’s going out of fashion as well). I think you’ll be fine!

Verbena87 · 14/11/2018 15:10

14 months, not years. I will not be sharing my boobs once he’s 14!!!! Shock

TeabagTelepathy · 14/11/2018 15:12

Verbena, I was going to say good on you!

TeabagTelepathy · 14/11/2018 15:12

We weaned at 4 months, she’s doing great

NoUnicornsToSeeHere · 14/11/2018 15:13

It’s fine, he’s ready! Nothing magical happens at the 26 week mark. I similarly felt bad and then my son grabbed a bit of beef stew from his dad’s plate and away we went...

Zimbabwebadgers · 14/11/2018 15:13

At that age I'd give something. The guidelines of 6 months is that almost all children's digestive systems are ready at that point.

If he was 12 weeks then I'd give a completely different answer!!

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 14/11/2018 15:13

There isn’t some switch that goes off at six months where it’s suddenly ok to start weaning!

If he’s showing all the signs and you’re comfortable with it, you could start him now. Two weeks isn’t going to make any difference!

ijustwantasofa · 14/11/2018 15:14

5.5 months is fine!

ijustwantasofa · 14/11/2018 15:16

It's meant to be fruit and veg only before 6 months, but these are great to try starting on anyway.

Original poster
Northernbeachbum · 14/11/2018 15:18

Thank you all 😊 its what Ive been telling myself too but i have a friend who looked at me like i was the devil even considering it a day before he is 6 months!!

@Verbena87 that did make me giggle

OP posts:
1sttimeunicorn · 14/11/2018 15:24

I started weaning at 5 months as I felt my son was ready. It worked out fine for us, although he is now 18 months and I think his eating is only now really 'good' - because he's at nursery and that seems to have really helped. My main advice with weaning is to not get frustrated if literally everything you give them ends up on the floor. Even if they seem to want to eat it!

Babdoc · 14/11/2018 15:33

There is recent research showing that delaying solids until six months increases the risk of food allergies in babies. It seems my generation was right all along with our early weaning!
The report I saw was from a consultant immunologist in London, and suggested there is a window of opportunity for introducing new foods to the baby’s gut, after which it is more likely to react badly. The theory is that if the baby contacts allergens on its skin, before the gut has had a chance to okay them as acceptable food substances, the baby will mount an immune response. Hence the huge rise in (for example) peanut allergy.
I weaned my two at 8 weeks and 9 weeks. They’re now in their late twenties, allergy free and healthy weights.
Your baby is more than ready, OP, in fact you’ve almost missed the boat. Go for it!

Original poster
Northernbeachbum · 14/11/2018 15:36

Its a weird one isnt it, especially what youve said babdoc, i think they change the guidlines every so often to see what happens as they actually can't be 100% sure for all babies. They then learn something from the change then see how to adapt it again.

OP posts:
Sweetooth92 · 14/11/2018 15:42

We were early. My son was 4.5 months. He’s now 10 months and still adores his food. He was helping himself so we let him Crack on. In the first month he regained weight back up the two or three lines he dropped and has stayed constant since. He also sleeps so much better so the poor soul must have been hungry. We don’t appear to have done any lasting harm (aside from him adoring his dinners!)

Isadora2007 · 14/11/2018 15:45

I did baby led weaning, which meant when my 5 month old grabbed my toast i let him have it.
Though watching people eat is a stage prior to being actually ready- it doesn’t mean he is necessarily wanting or needing food as yet. But I’d give it a go.

Tinty · 14/11/2018 15:55

When my DS was a baby the guidelines where 4 months, we made it to that but he wouldn't have lasted until 6 months (I don't think) as he was a very hungry BFed baby, grew from 50th centile to 99th in one year!

DD was born with 6 months guidelines, she easily went to 6 months and it was much easier to feed her because she was sitting really well etc by then. But she was tiny, she went from 50th centile to 9th in one year.

Opposite children Grin.

She is still small and DS is average not huge (which we thought he would be).

They are 21 and 13, neither of these weaning ages 4 mths or 6 mths made a huge difference, but it was easy with older baby just for the extra development in sitting etc. But hungry baby number one would have been chewing my hand off by 6 months I reckon. Grin.

widgetbeana · 14/11/2018 15:56

My dd1 stole a piece of pasta off my plate at 5 months.
Dd2 was 5 and half months, she was getting frustrated and sat well.
We stuck to fruit and veg until 6 months (aside from the contraband piece of pasta obviously!)

Just grab some veg and crack on!

AssassinatedBeauty · 14/11/2018 15:59

The guidelines do not say "wait till exactly 6 months". The guidelines say to wait till around 6 months and till your baby is showing the correct signs of being ready.

So, if you start now you will be abiding by those guidelines, 5 months 2 weeks is around 6 months and he can sit up unassisted (the other things you mention are not relevant). Assuming he can bring things to his mouth and doesn't eject all food instantly (tongue thrust reflex) then you're good to go.

Hezz · 14/11/2018 16:22

I've only recently learned about this six month thing.

My DCs are much older and were all weaned at 12 weeks, they were v hungry babies. Not sure how they would have lasted for another three months.

AssassinatedBeauty · 14/11/2018 16:27

Do more feeds or give them more formula.

parchworkpatty · 14/11/2018 18:21

Another oldie here. My three - 23,21 & 17 all weaned at three months.

Cousins x 6 the same. Not a good allergy amongst them. So maybe there is something in Babdocs research guy.

AssassinatedBeauty · 14/11/2018 19:19

The research Babdoc is referring to applies only to babies that have a family history of food allergy and so are at higher risk. The research looked at introducing small tastes of potential allergens to these babies from 4 months alongside breastfeeding. There is no way at all that this research can be used to suggest that weaning from 8, 9 or 12 weeks should be recommended for all babies.

Solids should never be introduced before 17 weeks (apart from in very specific individual circumstances under the guidance of a relevant medical specialist). It's worth repeating that the "it never did me/them any harm" argument is facile.

gilmoregal · 14/11/2018 19:47

I gave in at five months as he was constantly trying to steal our food. He sat unaided etc so didn't see an issue so just started with veg purées. He's 9 months now and has done brilliantly with weaning and absolutely loves his food.

gilmoregal · 14/11/2018 19:50

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/scienceofmom.com/2016/05/03/whats-up-with-the-virgin-gut-do-babies-really-have-an-open-gut-until-6-months-of-age/amp/

I also read this prior to starting weaning earlier than 6 months.

bobstersmum · 14/11/2018 20:08

It's two weeks! Just do it op.