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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

HELP ME! I DON'T WANT TO WEAN BEFORE 6 MONTHS!!!

22 replies

Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 10:07

Ds is 23 and a half weeks old, I know all the very valid reasons to wait until 26 weeks(only 2 and a half weeks time) to wean but this last week i'm finding the temptation to start weaning very strong, like a big weaning magnet pulling me towards it because i'm just so excited (I do know how weird that sounded, no, i'm not on drugs ). Plus the il's keep innocently asking when we're gonna try him with some food and it makes me want to just so I can say I have.
Anyway... I need your help to stop me doing it, I need you to give me a serious talking to!

OP posts:
lulumama · 12/04/2008 10:12

well, you could do the following:

sit him in the high chair with some (gluten free) finger food in front of him
if he can pick up the food, get it to his mouth, and chew, then he is ready

can he sit? has he lost his tongue thrust reflex?

if not, then he is probably not ready

[[www.kellymom.com] has really good weaning advice

trust me, it is not as exciting as you think ! you will spend a lot of time picking food up off hte floor, wiping it off the highchair, out of your hair etc.. milk much simpler!

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 10:27

He can sit but not completly by himself, eg on your knee whilst you lightly support him. He's very good at holding things and putting them to his mouth, not sure about the tongue thrust reflex as the last time I saw it in action was when he had some calpol (sticky pink mess)and that was ages ago... I'll check Kellymom out. I know it sounds silly but i'm worried we'll get to 6 months and he won't be ready, he's vever been a big milk drinker like some babies and is just a little man, was born 2 weeks od but only weihed 6lb 5oz, was only 12lb 7oz at 22 weeks!

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 12/04/2008 10:45

I gave my DS the opportunity to eat finger food a couple of days after 23 weeks - veg sticks only.

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 10:57

Is it right that before 4 months tha danger is their gut is too immature then from 4 - 6 it's the risk of allergies? I can't decide between BLW and purees, think i'd be most comforable doing a mixture... I've made and frozen quite a few purees so don't want them to go to waste iyswim. Do you think he sounds ready? Could yours sit unaided?

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 12/04/2008 10:59

well, you can always use the purees on toast or ricecakes, in yohurt or on pasta...
jury[s a bit out on the 4-6 months thing, but no harm in waiting deffo.

lulumama · 12/04/2008 10:59

why are you worried if he does not seem ready at 6 months?

food is not meant to replace milk anyway , at least not yet !

food is for fun until they are one

milk first, then food, as milk is still the main source of nutrition and calories

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 11:04

Yeah I know, it's just his feeding causes me to feel stressed cause as I say he's never taken a lot of milk and has had slow weight gain and I guess I just want him to be a 'good eater' so I don't feel as worried about him... Know it's silly and I just need to chill out really.

OP posts:
lulumama · 12/04/2008 11:05

i would forget about weaning as a way to make him bigger, IFYSWIM, a baby who is not a huge milk feeder is IME< less likely to suddenly eat huge amounts of food.

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 13:12

Oh I know it won't make him bigger, cause the milk has more calories etc... Thats another of my worries actually, that when I wean him he'll go off his milk and get too full with the food. I just worry too much I think!

OP posts:
lulumama · 12/04/2008 13:13

if you give milk before food, and don;t worry too much about 3 meals a day, he will find his own way. don;t stress, it is not meant to be a chore.!

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 13:27

yeah true, got a bit confused last week as the nursery nurse who helps the hv out at weigh in was telling somone it's best to give food first then milk to make sure they eat enough but I was thinking at the time this wasn't right cause her baby was only 7 months?

OP posts:
Stais86 · 12/04/2008 13:34

I started giving my DS 4-5 spoons of puree a day when he was 5months old. Milk is the main food for a baby under 1 but he enjoyed just getting little tastes of things. Baby rice is a good starter as it is quite bland and you make it with baby milk so it's just like creamy version of whatthey eat then introduce littl tastes like appe and pearpuree into it. I didn't bother with a high chair until he was 7 months as I just usd his Fisher Price Rocker chair he seemed more comfortable.

ItsNotYouItsMe · 12/04/2008 13:39

I gave my 24 week old a bit of mango yesterday as I was having some. He gummed and sucked it to death. I didn't think he ate any until he bought some milk up later with a bit of mango in it

He is teething so I think it felt nice for his gums.

Give him a try, he will show you if he is ready.

lulumama · 12/04/2008 13:40

no, definitely milk before food.

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 14:08

well I feel a bit more clear about it all now, milk before the food, thats what I thought . I'll discuss it with dh, see what he thinks, might try him with something to see how ready he is and go from there, hmm, can't decide between baby rice and carrot stick though

OP posts:
lulumama · 12/04/2008 14:09

baby rice is gross, taste some !! carrot stick... g'waaaaan !

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 14:17

ok carrot stick it is, should I steam it till it's quite soft?

OP posts:
lulumama · 12/04/2008 14:18

yep, not too small or thin a piece

have a look at www.babyledweaning.com for more ideas on first foods for BLW

no bread or things with gluten until 6 months though

claraquitetirednow · 12/04/2008 20:22

Well we've just started weaning our 17 week old, she has had some baby rice and now some carrot, pureed. She seems really happy to have it, she is holding a spoon herself and puts it into her mouth (I have to feed her with another spoon!) and is even trying to put the spoon into the dish.

I'm sure this is all very un-MN pc but I am happy with my decision. We did the same with dd1 and she is an excellent eater (at 2.6). We didn't do "BLW" but did give her chunkier food from quite an early age.

Anyway to sum up! If you want to wean, go for it. If the baby is ready it'll let you know.

Sorry that wasn't much of a talking to was it?

Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 21:17

yeah know about the gluten... thanks for all your help

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 12/04/2008 21:22

Yeah not much of a talking to, infact even though I told everyone to stop me you've all told me to try him with something, now thats made me even worse!
Have discused with dh, might try him with something tomorrow...

OP posts:
ItsNotYouItsMe · 12/04/2008 21:28

You may be disappointed!

DS really stepped up his 'food-watching' whenever I was eating and I thought to myself 'he wants some, he really wants some' so lately I've had him on my lap while eating, say, a bit of toast. I was sure if I casually held it within reach he might grab a bit of try to eat it.

But no, just kept on staring. When he finally did brave grabbing a piece he was just interested in staring intently at it, crushing it and dropping it - much to my toast-loving cat's delight

But I figure that food is not just about swallowing so I'm happy with that for now.

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