Any reason not to wait until 12 months to wean?

[sealionan]

There's lots of advice about not weaning before 6 months, but I haven't really found much about whether/why you should start then. DS is 6 months and formula fed, he seems happy with it and it's convenient for us - is there anything wrong with carrying on with just formula until 12 months, so long as it seems to be working for everyone?

Thank you for all the answers! It was a genuine question - hoping to learn

Lots of people wrote that milk doesn't have some of the nutrients needed - can you point me to which nutrients it lacks, apart from iron?

Also, could someone point me to the research on allergens?

Really appreciate it.

Advice is to introduce solids at 6 months. I don't think you need to be asking people on MN for 'evidence' that this is correct tbh. If you aren't sure it is right for your baby, then maybe speak to a HCP IRL. Definitely do that before deciding unilaterally (or based on MN) to disregard the guidelines.

This is kinda interesting, in the more distant past weaning was done later than now.

solidstarts.com/baby-led-weaning/history-of-baby-food/

Weaning isn't a trail- it's fun. They discover all sorts of new foods and textures and the like. It is part of their growing independence to be able to feed themselves and choose what they like or not. Babies are meant to grow and experience new things.

There's an article here (with links to medical journals) that suggests weaning at 4 months might help avoiding food allergies.

www.newscientist.com/article/dn28366-should-babies-be-given-solids-earlier-to-prevent-food-allergies/#:~:text=Several%20studies%20now%20suggest%20that,from%204%20months%20of%20age.

Consuming nothing but milk for a year would be pretty dull I'd imagine.

You would also need to be feeding very large quantities of milk day and night to get the calories in.
It then alters natural sleep patterns, baby gets used to waking in night.
All that fluid causes very wet nappies, again alters sleep patterns.

Food is natural at six months! Milk continues to be natural too.
Weaning doesn't have to mean no milk.
Milk feeds are still a very important part of diet.
Chewing is very important and good for the brain! We are programmed to like chewing and investigating with our mouths all sorts of tastes and textures.

O.P some cultures don't wean babies that are breastfed until they're 1 such as Mongolian tribes but.my understanding of that is babies on the whole are treated very differently. They don't wear nappies and spend a vast amount of time in very snug slings attatched to varied family members owing to their nomadic lifestyle.

Unfortunately as formula companies only maintain a passable grade product powdered milk would not be enough to adequately sustain a baby past 6 months.

If you are struggling with anxiety around weaning for whatever reason please do speak to your health visitor.

There are countless reasons why someone may feel utterly unprepared for weaning and they're all perfectly valid, however your baby will need to at least have access to learning about food between 6 and 12 months. Some ideas to help ..

Diced grapes
Kiwi
Diced blueberries
Strawberry
Banana
Warer melon slices
Broccoli
Carrot sticks (raw or cooked)
Boiled potatoes
Sugar snap peas
Toast
Crackers
Cheese
Hard boiled egg
Fish

No blending required just as it is :)

I think with some exceptions most babies are ready for some solid food from 5-7 months. My 4th son's paediatrician said there was a window of time when you need to start, otherwise they are more likely to reject the food. My 4th son struggled with solids until 12 months when I started giving him lumpier foods. My others were all ready at 6 months.

convenient for YOU!

Wow!!!!

Oh come on OP. The guidance is there for a reason. Like a pp said why stop at 12 months? It's not just about nutrients either, it's about getting them used to different textures and flavours. Lots of small babies won't actually end up eating much, it's about learning to eat food.

@Countdowntonothing

I am really struggling to believe this is a genuine question. I would consider it neglect to not feed your child.

I have to say I'm also struggling to believe anyone would think this was an option. Surely even the quickest of google searchers would have given you some idea of why it is important to wean at this age and the skills it helps develop. Otherwise as PPs have said why stop at 12 months?

I would absolutely see it as neglectful if a parent didn't feed their child food because milk was more convenient. Just the same as a parent not allowing a child to progress in other areas of their development because it was more convenient from their parents perspective.

If convenience is your main concern then feed them shop bought baby food pouches to begin with. It would still be better for them than just formula.

Treat it as messy play, which is never convenient but that's what you signed up for when you had a baby really, inconvenient time saps, but it can be fun too!

I think you should speak to your health visitor.

I find it very odd that you want to delay weaning as formula a convenient for you
I understand waiting till your child is ready, eg sitting unaided etc. But to delay for your own convenience, which would leave your child behind.

Weaning isn't just about nutrients. It massively helps with fine motor skills. Developing pincer grip from explain, is linked to speech. Using a spoon and folk etc.

Refusing to feed your child solid food because it’s inconvenient for you is borderline abusive.

@sealionan

Thank you for all the answers! It was a genuine question - hoping to learn

Lots of people wrote that milk doesn't have some of the nutrients needed - can you point me to which nutrients it lacks, apart from iron?

Also, could someone point me to the research on allergens?

Really appreciate it.

Why don't you do some research yourself, rather than asking us to do it for you? Or is that too inconvenient for you as well?

My dd was tube fed (so liquid only) at various points age 0-2 due to illness and has had severe issues around eating since. She's 11 and her doctors think it did permanent damage to her development. I would strongly advise you not to withhold food from your baby!

It's not just purely about nutrition (which formula would probably provide, although it doesn't contain any fibre). Learning to eat is all about learning to chew and swallow, a social experience of enjoying food in a family group, learning about tastes and textures, likes and dislikes. Denying that because of convenience seems cruel and neglectful.

The EAT study is a start regarding allergens and if you go on google scholar and search babies ‘and’ weaning ‘and/or’ allergies the papers will come up.

Its not so much about food but eating and meal times are such a huge part of babies development don’t delay development over convenience.

At 5.5mpnths my child nicked my sandwich from my plate.
Soon your child will just put anything it can get their hands on in their mouth. It's normal.

If it’s convenience you’re after, try some of those Ella’s pouches. They do a wide variety. Gets your baby used to lots of different flavours and you can then try those in “proper” food form and be reasonably confident he’ll like them.

Not feeding your child is neglect.

I’ve attached some information for you.

If it’s a convenience issue, go down the BLW route.. just give baby bits of what you’re having and let them explore. Probably won’t eat much to begin with but it’s great practice for hand eye coordination and learning to chew to build those jaw muscles.

I agree weaning is a faff but it’s great fun watching your baby taste new things and learning to eat. You only need to start small anyway, just offer 1 meal a day.. you don’t need to get to 3 meals until 9/10 months.