Anyone who weaned/is weaning early and wants to talk about it without getting their head bit off step this way

[RagingHormone]

Feel free to chat until your heart's content without being judged on this thread.

What made you decide to wean early? (My baby had awful reflux so I had to, and he was ready for it anyway).

What sort of things did/do you feed your baby at 6 months?

Again - with the flavoured water please, please check there isn't Aspartame in it. My ds will drink water now (just, at 22 months!) but wouldn't for ages. I used to give him weak squash (the Rocks Organic cordial is the best I've found and doesn't contain sulphides or other crap) to give myself a break from the constant nursing!

Pitta pockets and hummous works, or toast and cream cheese, or things like carrot sticks and cheese dips (my ds used to LOVE dipping things - still does, actually), breadsticks, dry cereal. My ds also used to love bread soaked in soup - although if you're giving canned soup you might want to check the salt levels!

Also - are you giving water in a bottle? If so, that might be why he's getting frustrated when it's not milk IYSWIM. Will he take a beaker or cup?

I've tried three beakers and realised you have to sort of bite them to get anything out so I think that's why he's crying when I give it to him. It sounds like he's a really hard work baby but he's not.

You offered advice in your post for a form of words which didn't offend against your viewpoint and that you woudn't therefore feel obliged to hijack. Forgive me but I found that quite a confrontational posting! I don't disagree with you position - I read and was dismayed by the postings on the bounty board - where 'early' weaning appeared to mean 12 weeks etc and I think it was really important (and persistent) of you to post regarding that - but when you say "Babies that have already been weaned cannot have anything changed but if people who are unsure about weaning early read the thread then maybe something there can be."
Honestly what do you expect me to take from that other than that I have obviously buggered up my childrens health but better luck for the next lot along? Of course if you'd posted 'it is my mission to make sure people understand the curent weaning advice and the health benefits that may confer' then I would probably feel differently. Can you see what I'm saying? I'm sorry to post so personally and I'm sure it appears i'm picking at your posts - but the whole tenor of this debate - and the effects it has on those who read it - concerns me as much as it does you and I think it's useful to talk about how we say what we say.

The tommee tippee cups were the best that i found. They're not non-spill, but ds seemed to be able to get fluid out of them!

Maybe it does, I was wording my posts carefully, and as I read them they were not offensive or accusatory in anyway. But I could also say that maybe it's the way they are being read, not the way it's being written.

I, personally, would suggest that saying something was my 'mission' would sound worse than what I wrote, but that would be how I was reading it, not how you were writing it.

The babies (including my DD) that were weaned before now are not a part of this equation unless someone was given wrong advice by a Health Professional (that went against the guidelines at the time) and they wish to make a complaint about it.

I think you'll also see I was the first poster against early weaning to acknowledge that in some circumstances it is necessary and the lesser of two evils.

The post where I suggested how the OP could have a thread about early weaning without getting hijacked, by anyone, not just myself, as I'm sure you will see many of the posts that were on this thread were before I suggested this. It was nothing to do with how I would feel reading the thread but how the OP could make sure she and others could get the support they wish for without giving across the wrong impression, which makes peopel hijack the thread.

tommee tippee also do one with a sort of soft spout that my dd liked - it was the first cup I could get her to take.

OOoh yes. Suburban is right. My sister sent me one of these and they are definitely the easiest to start with.

Also agree with previous post. I always put water in a bright tippy cup to start with for DS so he knew it was not milk.

If you have special thick anti-reflux milk or use infant gaviscon which thickens it, it is quite a shock for them when they suck and get so much in one blow because of the change in viscosity (sp?). This can put them off. I started by giving my DS an avent magic cup, but put an old no2 teat on it instead of the spout so he could not get as much out. Then I gradually went up grades with the teats and ended with a spout. Now I have a selection of tippy cups.

The best trick somebody gave me is to offer them water half-way through their meal. They get thirsty with all those solids, but putting more solids on top keeps the water down IYKWIM!

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but if their milk consumption has not gone down much yet, then they really don't need to drink too much water at first - just keep at it. As long as they aren't getting constipated. I really wasn't happy DS drinking anything else and stuck to my guns and am so glad I did. Now DS happily guzzles water, bless him.

I hope he does get into water. My brother would only ever drink water and now he's 16 and will still only drink water. Everyone says it's weird but he doesn't care.

I'll definately keep trying cups until it work.

He's having one bottle in the morning and one bottle at night (so a pint) but he's pooping all the time

LOL - yup, I have a little pooper too.

Have you given him cheese yet?

Only a little cheese- like baby cheese sauce. I'm going to get some organic cheese and give him that. I always worry I'll give him something I'm not meant to, and I wasn't sure about cheese.

How lumpy can his food be when he has no teeth?

vs- I just checked out that BLW site, and it's made me feel much better as DS is definately at that stage and has been for a bit. He loves playing with food in his high chair and everything goes to his mouth now. But he is teething like mad.

DS got his first tooth about 4 wks ago and the only difference it has made is that he can bite the end of his wedge a bit quicker than gumming it!!

The only thing I am aware of with cheese is you have to be careful about salt content but other than that I think its OK. I know what you mean though. I put yoghurt and cheese off for ages because I thought you had to wait until they were 7m. Not sure why I thought it now.

Have you done any lumps yet? Did you say your DS was nearly 6m? I would not be in a rush. I found lumps in purees always took DS by surprise which often meant he was sick and we all know how that one ends. I found it has been much easier to offer finger foods with every meal and gradully just stopped giving him purees. In fact, there are not many left in the freezer and I don't intend to make any more!! Yippeeee. I just use them as sauces for his pasta now.

Just wanted to say how disgusted I am every time I read anything on MN, I am a regular poster on Babycentre & only came on here for the first time last week as someone on the BB I post on told us that our members were being slated big time on here to do with this very subject & after reading some of the comments I was completely taken aback by how rude & insensitive a minority of posters on here are towards a group of mothers they had never communicated with ever!
Anyway I just thought I'd let you all know that if you wanted to come over & post on our boards sometime you would be more than welcome (talking about the civil posters BTW) and I'm sure you would find it a much more positive & suportive experience than on here, the kind of aggressive comments found on here would not be allowed on BC, I know lots of MN members slate us for being fluffy & too nice but I don't know about you, I don't come on these boards for an argument just a little support & lighthearted chat!!
BTW, My 1st DD had severe Reflux so I know what you are going through, sounds like you're doing a great job, well done! x
ps - there is a board dedicated to Reflux on BC lol!

jamandjerusalem, you've obviously not read much of MN then. I've been on babycentre, Bounty, BabyExpert, ivillage, BabyFit, KellyMom... I've got to say this is the nicest, most honest, friendliest and best of any forum I've been on.

RagingHormone he does have teeth though! Just because they're below the gum line doesn't mean they're not working. He'll manage most things given a chance. It was giving that chance that I loved about going down the BLW route.

TinkerBellesMum

"I've been on babycentre, Bounty, BabyExpert, ivillage, BabyFit, KellyMom"
You really need to get out more!!

Well that's over the space of 11 years and considering I'm housebound... well, let's just say I would love to!

Jamandjerusalem - the fact that "aggressive comments" are allowed here is exactly the reason I came here from Bounty and Babycentre. I want to read a forum with educated posters who can string a punctuated sentence together without the use of text speak. At least here you get an honest opinion - I'd rather have that than a board full of "dnt wry hun u r amazin xxxx hugz" interspersed with annoying tickers.

I think it's vitally important that mums have access to support from other mums, but there has to be educated knowledge available as well. You can't have a board where everyone sweetly agrees with each other, people need to do what VictorianSqualor and others do - politely help out with the correct information even if it means disagreeing with the OP.

Sorry if this seems a little harsh, but I feel strongly about this. And Bounty et al really pissed me off!

end of rant

TeenyTinyTorya

Your reasons for coming on here are your business, my point is that I don't understand why some of the posters on here feel they have to hijack every thread about certain subjects just because they have strong feelngs about it, fine if this was a general thread about early weaning where the OP is asking for opinions but this is not the case with this thread, it was quite clearly described as being for people who for whatever reason have already began early weaning and want to discuss the subject without people telling them they are wrong for doing so.
As for your critisism of BC, I can assure you that I am more than capable of stringing a punctuated sentence together & have a very good educational background thank you & I have many times disagreed with the OP on threads I have replied to but am able to give my opinion without being nasty & aggressive, after all everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I don't believe in ramming it down peoples throats especially when they haven't asked for it.

Well said JamAndJerusalem... Mumsnet can be a useful resource but there is an element of "you can't talk about that" around here exactly for the reasons you describe. Sad really. And if those who hijacked this thread can't see that then they're very blinkered indeed... Again I say... YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL US THE GUIDELINES, WE'RE NOT UNEDUCATED MORONS!!

I agree, I use BC and much prefer it just because of the few people here who cannot get their point accross without being rude. It doesnt take much to get your opinion accross nicely or politely at least...people are more likely to listen to it as well. I know if someone just starting quoting guidelines at me and insinuating I was a terrible Mum for thinking guidelines arent strict rules to be followed then I wouldnt take a blind bit of notice of anything they had to say on any thread they posted on.

Oh and the people that are soooo sure they know what your baby needs, although they havent met your baby or seen whatever behavior it is your talking about, really wind me up! Instead of suggesting an idea they just quote guidelines again and again...thats no use to anyone!

I'd much rather have peoples honest yet nice and friendly opinions...whether I agree with them or not!

Makes you wonder if these people talk like that to their friends 'in real life' ????

Makes me wonder if they actually have a life!!

My DTs are 26 weeks old - how much food should they be eating? I am all for BLW but they have not picked up anything I have put in from to them yet and am scared to stop giving purees cos they were cluster feeding like mad just before I started solid food and I don't want to go back to that (exhausting).

eg they have just had 12 ice-cube sized pieces of a mix of lentils,butternut squash and broccoli mixed with 1oz breast milk and 2tbsp baby rice (between the two babies). When that went and they were still not turning their heads away I made up 2tbsp of baby rice with 2oz milk and they polished that off too. Is this too much food/not enough? If they are not turning their heads away shall I keep offering them food? They are both very small (11lb12 and 13lb2 at last weigh-in and under 2nd centile) so maybe have some catching up to do?

They were both exclusively BF until 22 weeks when I introduced solids (fruit/veg/baby rice and introduced lentils yesterday. They have three meals a day (fruit and rice for breakfast, veg/lentils/babyrice for lunch and same for tea. It seems like a lot and they are still having the same amount of BFs.

How much are/were your babies eating at this age?

Neenz - sorry to put a downer on you, but i BLW'd ds and he didn't eat solids until he was 8 months. It's perfectly normal to do this, and although you can start solids at 6 months you don't have to IYSWIM.

Same, we've been doing BLW for the last 5ish weeks. DS2 is only just starting to eat anything of substance.

what is bc?