Born at 34 weeks. When to wean?

[Bells3032]

Finding very conflicting advice with some saying should wean at actual age and others at adjusted age. Those with late prem babies when did you start.

She's formula fed

I started at 6 months from birth because DD caught up pretty quick and wasn't hugely different developmentally to her peers. I did do it quite slowly though, think the health visitor gave me some advice for weaning prem babies but can't remember what she said! My DD was also a 34 weeker.

I'm sure my friend was told 6 months actual age. I seem to remember her being surprised that they were using corrected age for everything else but this.

Go at your baby's pace though. Some take a bit longer to get the hang of it prem or not and that's ok.

I had a 34 weeker. We were advised to wean at six months actual age. She had very little interest at that point though, and no motor skills for baby led weaning.

I did actual age (34 weeker) and he was ok with a mix of purées and feeding himself.

You can always try and if you don’t feel they are ready, wait another couple of weeks

I wouldn’t go by age at all - it’s a bit arbitrary - more by when they’re confident sitting up unaided and can hold things and start showing an interest in parents’ plates etc, but then I did baby-led weaning.

6 months actual age here too, with my 34 weeker. I believe it’s advised to be done on actual age because nutrients received in the womb start running down from birth?

However we did go very slowly and didn’t introduce a few things (like wheat I think, and maybe cows milk, can’t remember now) until 6 months corrected.

She couldn’t sit up of course, or hold food, so we used a Babybjorn bouncer chair and spoon fed purees.

This is not the advice for premmies.

We started 6 months from birth but it was extremely slow going. So don't be disheartened if it also takes you some extra time. I think it was closer to 9 months DC actually got the hang of it and a year when it was great.