Weaning 4 month old

[04hollie]

So I've started to wean my 4 month old.
She is a big baby & a hungry baby, currently on 8 ounce!
Sometimes she's cries for more food as this could only be the reason, she is clean, fed & comfortable. She will suck the bottle but spit out the milk hence why I started weaning.

I am a first time mum, I have started to give her porridge with a bit of purée mixed in in the morning & also evening bottle around tea time as this is when she seems most hungry.
So far she seems pretty satisfied and has taken to the purées very well. She doesn't cry for more and is very happy in herself. She is a machine, no spitting out & no upset stomach or green nappies.

Any other mums weaned early & if so how has it affected your child later on down the line ?

Who are the haters? The NHS? The World Health Organisation?

At best, a 12wk old baby doesn't need solids. At worst, you have the potential to do serious harm.

You have made the decision though and if you are being serious, there's nothing people can do to change your mind when researched medical advice isn't sufficient to give you pause.

12 weeks?! Weaning is such a bloody chore, struggling to fathom why someone on their fifth kid wouldn't be putting it off for as long as possible. But hey ho, maybe some parents enjoy it!

I weaned both of mine at 4 months under medical advice and after thoroughly researching the issue myself.

The often quoted WHO guidance actually says that giving your DC anything other than breast milk before six months increases the risk of allergies etc. This includes formula. So formula feeding is as harmful for your baby as weaning early. And yes I formula fed both my children who were both had Cows milk protein allergy which is why we had to wean them. So formula did more harm than weaning.

My advice is do your research and obtain medical advice. Then make an informed decision.

12 weeks old, you can't be serious!
It makes me so sad that babies aren't allowed to be babies for very long. I just hope you don't regret it, DH has severe ibs that cannot be controlled by medication, only by a very restricted diet, that restricted that following it gives him no quality of life so he doesn't follow it. He is poorly every day. We can't just choose to have spontaneous outings as a change of routine makes him worse. Everything has to be planned in advance. It affects him every single day, and in turn affects us as a family. He is under a specialist on the NHS who said judging by the amount of patients he sees with gastro issues who are aged around the same he believes it is caused by early weaning (or at least it has had an impact) - which wasn't early when we were babies as this was the guidance back then. These gastro issues don't materialise until these small babies are adults, DH was 20 when he first had symptoms. So yes you may have 5 children but unless those 5 children are now adults how do you know that early weaning hasn't caused any harm? You don't.

My mum smoked and I was perfectly fine… doesn’t mean I’d recommend it to anyone. Asking strangers on the internet for their experiences doesn’t negate scientific evidence and professional medical advice. Please be more responsible.

And research doesn’t involve looking for answers you want to here to support what you want to do.

Look into the gut lining, how it's formed, and what problems can be caused from adding solid foods before allowing it to full form.

I could go on and on with my advice but I find people don't enjoy that.

The gut is so important to immunity and mental health and this is the reason I was very cautious about weaning mine. I only introduced solids at 7 months and she still remained on breastmilk as her main diet until 18 months.

She is 6 now and very healthy and resilient, a good eater, and has no chronic health issues thus far.

There is no rush and if you do rush you could damage the gut beyond repair. Just keep feeding milk for now?

@tashx

Oh well The haters are gonna love me My baby is 12 weeks and just started solids My fifth baby so I know what I'm doing *@04hollie* Your baby your decision Take no notice of negative people

It's your child's gut that will do the hating, via inflammation.

@mummyh2016

12 weeks old, you can't be serious! It makes me so sad that babies aren't allowed to be babies for very long. I just hope you don't regret it, DH has severe ibs that cannot be controlled by medication, only by a very restricted diet, that restricted that following it gives him no quality of life so he doesn't follow it. He is poorly every day. We can't just choose to have spontaneous outings as a change of routine makes him worse. Everything has to be planned in advance. It affects him every single day, and in turn affects us as a family. He is under a specialist on the NHS who said judging by the amount of patients he sees with gastro issues who are aged around the same he believes it is caused by early weaning (or at least it has had an impact) - which wasn't early when we were babies as this was the guidance back then. These gastro issues don't materialise until these small babies are adults, DH was 20 when he first had symptoms. So yes you may have 5 children but unless those 5 children are now adults how do you know that early weaning hasn't caused any harm? You don't.

This is so common now people just think it's normal. I think people enjoy the medical attention a certain degree.

Haters / responsible mums....... what's the difference, hey?

No HV would advise weaning at 4 months. I have a HV mother, sister and friends. It's more then their jobs worth!!!

I will make a statement and then shut up
My children are 27 25 22 and 16

All perfectly fine and healthy adults

So yes @mummyh2016 I know 100%
I have done them NO harm

And the rest of you
Come back once you been a mum for 27 years

@lookingforjobinspiration
I have been a mum for 27 years
I don't need a HV to tell me what to do
My baby my choice

All my children have no health issues
And yes
They are adults

Neither GP or Hv are qualified to advice weaning before 6 months.

And the rest of you
Come back once you been a mum for 27 years

Posts like the OP cause fainting fits in the average MN. Weaning at 4 months is actually standard advice in many other countries and there is consistent evidence that it reduces the risk of allergies later on in life. It is possible that in the future, weaning advice will change in the UK as well.

Most MNs don't want to hear this though because it deprives them of something to feel superior about.

Weaning at 4 months is actually standard advice in many other countries and there is consistent evidence that it reduces the risk of allergies later on in life. It is possible that in the future, weaning advice will change in the UK as well.

In which countries? I’d find it quite interesting to know how the advice varies.

@HistoricMoment
Thankyou
Someone with brains

"Mumsnetters follow official guidelines and refer to said guidelines when asked about a topic"... What monsters!

It's appropriate that guidance changes over time. Guidance is based on benefits versus risks, and if new research changes either of those, it's entirely appropriate the guidance changes accordingly. The best thing we can all do is follow the guidance at the time. If there are specific factors at play that change those risks and benefits for the individual then that's entirely different and only OP knows if that's the case.

@tashx actually you know 3 out of 5 children should be okay (I say should as the older 3 could still have gastro issues at a later age). You don't know about the younger two though do you? 16 isn't an adult.

@ShowOfHands

Who are the haters? The NHS? The World Health Organisation?

At best, a 12wk old baby doesn't need solids. At worst, you have the potential to do serious harm.

You have made the decision though and if you are being serious, there's nothing people can do to change your mind when researched medical advice isn't sufficient to give you pause.

First sentence made me laugh so much hahaha

[quote tashx]@HistoricMoment
Thankyou
Someone with brains [/quote]
4 months isn't 12 weeks though is it?

"You know your baby best" is a ridiculous thing to say. Pretty sure the NHS and WHO know more about nutrition and weaning than the average "other mum".

Both NHS and WHO recommend weaning from 6 months.

As an "other mum" I had 2 frankly massive babies. 1 was nearly 11lb. He was a "hungry baby" (all babies are hungry, they're constantly growing and developing) I weaned him at 6 months

When I had ds who is now 21 the guidance was 4 months when I had ds now 15 is was 6 months. Unless advised by a health professional I would stick to the guidance.

@HistoricMoment

Posts like the OP cause fainting fits in the average MN. Weaning at 4 months is actually standard advice in many other countries and there is consistent evidence that it reduces the risk of allergies later on in life. It is possible that in the future, weaning advice will change in the UK as well.

Most MNs don't want to hear this though because it deprives them of something to feel superior about.

Exactly this!!! I’m in Canada. When I had DC1 5 years who, the advice was still to wean at 6 months but my GP gave me a heads up that the advice was about to change and she suggested weaning at 5 months.

By the time I had DC2 & 3, the advice was to wean “between 4 and 6 months” for exactly the reason PP stated - latest research showing that babies exposed to allergens before 6 months have fewer allergies later in life. Also - breastfed babies have iron stores from birth, but they start to dip around 6 months, so having a baby that BY 6 months is competent at eating leafy greens and meats and fortified cereals is now thought to be important for preventing anemia and promoting good brain development.

My GP printed off a sheet for me with a checklist for meat, green veg, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, shellfish etc and encouraged me to work through it before our 6-month visit.

www.bmel.de/DE/themen/ernaehrung/gesunde-ernaehrung/schwangerschaft-und-baby/stillen.html

Sorry, I don't know how to do clicky links.
This is the advice in Germany. It explicitly says that the National Breastfeeding Committee does not follow the advice given by the WHO. Instead, the advice is that weaning can be begun from 4 months onwards and no later than 6 months.
I don't know anyone in Germany who did not receive the advice from their paediatrician to start before the 6 month mark.