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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

15 WEEKS OLD AND FOOD!

250 replies

loopyredangel · 13/02/2008 22:54

My almost 15 week old has been showing a keen interest in food for a couple of weeks now, putting hands in his mouth when we are eating, leaning forward when we have food, fussing when he sees us eating. So today I tried him with some baby rice pudding and he couldn't get enough he was pushing the spoon to his mouth, and was excited everytime the spoon was approaching his mouth. He now weighs 15lb and has been breastfed to this point and Iwill carry on breasfeeding, but is it okay to carry on feeding him, he woofed down a full tin of the small Heinz Rice Pudding. I fear the health visitors won't be happy, but DS seemed so relieved, content and a happy little boy after he got his food!

OP posts:

pelafina · 14/02/2008 09:33

Message withdrawn

smartiejake · 14/02/2008 09:36

But what is this knowledge? What is the reason for delaying weaning till 6 months. Not being awkward- just interested to know . Asked this question on another post a few days ago and no one seems to be able to actually answer the question.

pelafina · 14/02/2008 09:48

Message withdrawn

MicrowaveOnly · 14/02/2008 09:57

I'm with Scanner...9 years ago we were told to wean at 3 months..I did and my big 'baby' boy loves his food and has no allergies.

Go with your instinct, our bodies are much more resillient than worrying mums realise!!

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 10:12

Thanks everyone, this seems to have caused a healthy debate between mumsnetters, which is a good thing.
I have no plans to replace his milk for food, I am all for breastfeeding, it's funny how different babies can be. Like I said earlier, I did everything by the book with DS1, I didn't stray from the guidelines at all, and I ended up and still am battling with food. I am going to give little one a couple of days to see how he goes, then just give him little tastes until he is bang on 4 months. It does make me wonder why all baby food says from 4months onwards though? Any thoughts on why that is?

OP posts:

Lulumama · 14/02/2008 10:16

yes, becasue they want to sell you baby food ! exclusive breastfeeding is recommended by WHO and DoH and NHS for the first 6 months... but if you say a jar of food is suitable from 4 months, you get an extra two months worth of sales , don;t you?

there is often a growth spurt at 4 months, which is why parents can think that their baby needs food

they don't

lots and lots and lots more milk is all that is required

you cannot see inside your baby's gut to see if it is mature enough at 15 weeks to handle rice pudding

and if you read the ingredients list, i bet there is a lot of water in there!

just give more milk, volume wise, it is more filling and nutritious than a jar of food

seeker · 14/02/2008 11:13

loopyredangel - why are you so determined to go against professiona advice? It's 6 months, not 4!

And this is really NOT something you can go with your instincts about, unless you've got x ray eyes and an see how developed a baby's gut is. Even if there is only a tiny risk, why take it? The chances are that a baby put on the back seat of a car surrounded by cushions (as my parents did) will come to no harm (I'm still here!) but nobody would say it was a good idea!

JodieG1 · 14/02/2008 11:18

I can't stand this attitude. It's not about instinct it's about medical advise and scientific research. If you're willing to risk your child developing allergies then good for you for following your instincts.

The signs a baby is ready for food is the ability to get the food into his own mouth with his bands, losing the tongue thrust reflex and being able to sit unaided among others. My ds2 was a huge boy and we bf for 6 months with no food.

Why would anyone even take the risk over something so serious? It really isn't necessary to give a 4 month old baby food so why would you?

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 11:19

I am honestly not determined to go against professional advice, that's why I came on here.

Thanks lulumama x

OP posts:

seeker · 14/02/2008 11:24

I'm sorry to go on, but yes you are! You say that you're going to keep on giving him tastes of food up to 4 months and then wean him! That is going agains the best available professional advice which says milk only til 6 months.

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 11:24

Jodie he genuinely looked and acted hungry. I do sometimes think though if a baby is going to develop allergies later on in life then they will, and sometimes you can't prevent it. Look at the issue over pregnant mums and peanuts, they now say you can eat them whilst pregnant, just a little example of how the professinals move the goal posts.

OP posts:

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 11:25

By tastes I meant rubbing his lips with a taste of the food, I didn't mention weaning at 4 months I will wean at 6 months and continue to breastfeed!!!

OP posts:

pelafina · 14/02/2008 11:32

Message withdrawn

Habbibu · 14/02/2008 11:32

Loopy - the peanuts thing has not yet changed as far as I know. They are undertaking a large scale study at present, and the results are not yet in. And it's not moving the goal posts in some arbitrary fashion - its research. The weaning age has not gone up and down and up etc in the last 50 years - it's gone up. I'd be careful what "tastes" you give him if you want to do that. Yes, research may change in the future, but the guidance we have now is the best we know at present.

Seeker, your car seat example is a good one. In the car my instinct is to hold my daughter and cuddle her - it feels protective. But research has shown that my instinct isn't correct here...

FioFio · 14/02/2008 11:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

pelafina · 14/02/2008 11:34

Message withdrawn

bundle · 14/02/2008 11:35

so - he genuinely looks/acts hungry

none of the foods mentioned - babyrice, rice pudding, pureed fruit or veg, have anything like the calories/nutrients in them as breastmilk does.

so carry on feeding breastmilk

all babies put things in their mouths, it's their way of finding out about the world, not their way of saying I'd like some solid food please

bundle · 14/02/2008 11:35

xpost with pelafina

Brangelina · 14/02/2008 11:37

Your baby will be getting a taste of food from your breast milk. Mine certainly developed her love of curries from my milk. There is no need to rub his lips.

Brangelina · 14/02/2008 11:38

And my DD put her hand in her mouth pretty much from birth, but I don't think she wanted food then.

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 11:43

I am carrying on breastfeeding!!! It just doesn't seem to be satisfying completely, always hungry, so what do I do einsteins?

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 14/02/2008 11:45

more milk!

bundle · 14/02/2008 11:46

feed more often?

Habbibu · 14/02/2008 11:47

Loopy - yes, more milk. It'll seem like a pain, but your supply will increase to match his demands.

Scientific evidence - Cochrane review here - conclusion tells you what you need to know.

Original poster

loopyredangel · 14/02/2008 11:48

For the past week he is waking up more through the night, when before that he would wake only twice through the night!

OP posts:

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