Feel guiity for starting at five months

[Stefka]

I had planned to wait until 6 months then after a couple of weeks of DS waking up around 16 times a night I got desperate and in a sleep deprived haze decided to try a bit of baby rice at tea time. It helped him to sleep and he gobbled it up so I started giving him a few spoons of fruit/veg at breakfast and tea time all of which he seems to have really enjoyed eating.

He's going to be six months on Sunday so I thought I should start to learn more about weaning and looking through the threads on here has made me feel awful for starting early.

I know it is too late now but I feel like crap. I wish I had waited now. If you are tempted to start early then try to ride it out because I feel really bad for doing so.

Why feel bad? I haven't looked through the threads here, but I started weaning both my dds at 5.5 months. I had to go back to work, and I wanted to be the one to wean them, not my childminder. IMO, you do what is right for you and your baby within reason, and do not beat yourself up about it. It's not like you put him onto a full roast dinner straight away

latest research seems to be suggesting it is better to wean before 6 months, especially if you are still breast feeding. Honestly I don't think the doctors know what they are talking about half the time. So I wouldn't worry over a bit of baby rice a couple of weeks early.

Don't feel bad. I have a very good friend who is a health visitor. She says that 4 months is fine for weaning but when they recommended 4 months they found that some mums would cut off a couple of months and start at 2 months!! So now they recommend 6 months knowing that a lot of mums will still cut off a couple of months but that means they're starting at 4 months which is fine.

Hope you understood that rambling explanation

Really, 4 months is NOT fine. Health visitors are often not a good source of information on this as they haven't had access to the research. But the actual advice is 'round the middle of the first year' so plenty of babies are ready at 5.5. And plenty later. There are clear signs of readiness (such as sitting up, losing tongue thrust reflex) So if your baby's fine, I don't htink you should worry. Nothing magic happens at six months.

I'd also heard that the guidelines were being revised back down to 4 months but I haven't seen a source for that. I'm on here this morning looking for the evidence. My son is 4 months old tomorrow and exclusively breastfed. I'd intended to wait to wean him but just had him weighed and his weight gain has fallen on the charts from 25th to 9th percentile (over the last 8 weeks). The GP recommended that I could think about introducing solids. Now I just want to make an informed decision

No need to feel guilty, if it works for you and your baby is happy and healthy then its fine. Its not as if you've started at 3mths is it, 6mths is only there as a guideline some babies may need it earlier. It sounds like your baby 1 of them.
I agree starlight..gp talking rubbish! Babies have growth spurts and sometimes can slow down aswell..is your baby happy, lively, does he seem like hes hungary?

breasstfed babies do tend to slow down with the weight gain and there is more to the health of a baby than how much they weigh, if they are thriving and healthy and alert, then great ! breastmilk is the best thing for the first 6 months, then food at the baby's pace

GPs and HVs are sadly oftenm misinformed about weaning. there is nothing to suggest that the guidelines are going back to 4 months..

WHO , DHO and NHS leaflets etc about weaning all recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months

if you formuala feed then that stil applies, weaning onto food is best around 6 months

www.kellymom.com has some great myth busting info about weaning

if a baby is having a growth spurt, waking more and hungrier, then a big milk feed, whether breast or formula is more filling ,calorific and nutritious than a spoon of puree or baby rice

Don't feel bad about weaning early. Your baby will be fine. However it is crap how people haven't got a clue about these things. I couldn't believe how some friends of mine were practically bullying me into weaning my dd when she was about 12 weeks old and not sleeping well ( and they were GPs!!)! I kept saying that extra milk would be better for her than a bit of pureed carrot, but they wouldn't shut up about it.Deeply annoying!

lulumama..true! My son was slow weight gainer, but slow and steady and was always very alert and lively..so no need to worry!
I agree sebbysmummy i would try an extra milk feed before the need for solids..try and wait a little longer. Really some docs want sacking!

No one should feel bullied by anyone, whether its gp,hv or friends because its you the parent that has to care for your baby and deal with consequencies!
There is a lot to be said for insticts and common sense..take advice and listen to guidelines but question them and im pretty sure most mums will make the right decision.
Dont be bullied by those that think they know better..they dont know your child..you do!

Thanks, I think I'll go with my instinct and hold out a bit before introducing solids. I must say in my GP's defense that she is a fantastic GP and a mother herself. There was no pressure from her to start solids and she suggested we watch DS's weight over the next few weeks.

There is no 'latest research' showing weaning is better before 6 mths and no plans to revise the guidelines....it annoys me when people post misinformtion like this, unreferenced, and with no more status than hearsay or rumour from goodness knows where.

I too wouldn't worry about your situation, Stefka - it's really not worth it!

But tatt - it would be helpful to reference your statement! Sebbysmum, at least you know it's only something you have heard - stop looking for back up 'cos it ain't there!!

Shall we start with this, the one I was thinking about at the time?

The influence of gluten: weaning recommendations for healthy children and children at risk for celiac disease.Guandalini S.
Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Published by Nestle! That puts me right off, even if it is true!

but tatt, that is only about gluten and coeliac, so it's actually quite a limited- scope study.
And in fact what it concludes is that with respect to developing coeliac disease there is no benefit in spooning in Weetabix at 4m over handing them a piece of toast at 6m.
It doesn't support early weaning. At all. In any way whatsoever.

2007, here's the abstract

its available on google book search as well

that would not make me wean or advise anyone to wean earlier, especially if they were suceptible to allergies/ intolerances.

The issue with the papers looking at introduction of allergenic foods after 7 months or so is that they do not control for breastfeeding at the time of food introduction. It may well be (based on a couple of papers I have read) that this is the most important variable, and that introduction to a wide variety of foods at 6 months, whilst continuing to breastfeed until all major foods allergens are introduced, is the best approach.

cmot- that's the conclusion at the end of this paper- certainly early and possibly late introduction of wheat is likely to increase risk of wheat allergy. breastfeeding is likely to reduce the risk, and breastfeeding should be conducted for 2-3 months after the introduction of gluten

books.google.co.uk/books?id=ivcP9HJmOyMC&printsec=titlepage&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1#PPP1,M1