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.

At the risk of being yelled at, there was a point mentioned by those suggesting early weaning was ok which I haven't seen refuted by the 'wait til 6m' group.

I understood from some of the recent research, particularly perhaps that paper on gluten intolerance, which was hypothesising that the critical issue on weaning is whether or not breastfeeding is still happening when solids are introduced, and the real benefit is to continue to breastfeed through the weaning process, regardless of whether it happens at 4m or 6m or 8m or whatever.

I also understand the point VictorianSqualor made, and held off til 25w (couldn't bring myself to wait til 26w, bad me) on that basis for my daughter, but interested to see what people think about the 'breastfeed through weaning' advice.

Stefka, stop feeling guilty! We live and learn, right? Your mistake was pretty teeny in the grand scheme of things, and I'm sure your ds will be perfect.

The innate kindness in people is what makes people empathise with you, with "I did this too etc", and there is nothing wrong with that.

But - that kindness oversteps the mark if it attempts to devalue or dismiss what we do know about the risks of early weaning, and gets even worse if it extends to encourage others to make the same mistakes.

Thalia - have you read this? It shows that introducing anything other than bm before 6 months is associated with increased risk of hospitalization for diarrheal and respiratory infection in the United Kingdom.

Oh - and to answer your last point, though, I do believe that continuing to bf through the introduction of solid foods will in time be shown to be hugely influential in avoiding allergies and diseases in later life.

I weaned at 4 months and children have no allergies and are not obese. Other children are different. I think you know your child best. Don't feel guilty.

Been looking at the weaning leaflet the HV gave me yesterday. It says:

"When? 4-6 months is ideal. no sooner, as your baby's gut will be too immature to cope, no later, as delay can lead to future problems with your baby accepting different tastes and textures. some babies are ready at 4 months, others need a bit more time."

Why is my doctor's surgery still giving out these leaflets if the guidelines are to wait until six months? Is it any wonder we're all so flippin' confused???

off message and op - but love your name sanguine

Sanguine - where have they got that leaflet from? It must be very old. Guidance in the UK has been clear from 2003.

sanguine - the weaning leaflet you were given is very out of date.

see the Dept of Health website for latest NHS weaning leaflet

tinyurl.com/2wu936

The weaning leaflet you were given is very out of date and shouldn't be used.
Please complain about this, the staff clearly need updating and perhaps haven't been able to access training.
If the leaflet was in your surgery complain to the practice manager, if your HV gave you the leaflet complain to your PCT, they should have a website with details of the complaints procedure. You would be doing everyone a favour, staff and babies.

It's a photocopied thing, and unfortunately the date on the back has been mangled by the copier. But I think it says "produced by state registered dieticians working in oxfordshire June 1998" So it's 10 years old! The HV I saw wasn't my usual HV (who is fantastic, and I would trust her to the ends of the earth). I'll try to get them to update their info.

Anyway, you've convinced me to hold out and try to put up with the sleepless nights. The thought of trying to plan my day around meal times, and making a freezer full of puree is a bit terrifying as well!

Thank you stuffitllama. I like yours too!

Oh Sanguine I so feel for you. I feel for all mums who are terrified of giving their children mashed carrot before they are 6 months old, I feel for the op whose child was waking up 16 times a night until she "gave in" at 5 months and then beat herself up over it.

Do what you think is best for your child. There are worse things for babies than solid food at 5 months. But y'know, wait if you feel it's right and good luck x