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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

Weaning later than 6 months

16 replies

CherryChoc · 21/02/2009 11:20

Let me just start by saying I intend to do BLW and therefore am not worried when my baby starts eating solids, knowing that he will when he is ready. But I was discussing this with a few of my NCT friends the other day and they all seemed to have this very strong idea that you shouldn't leave a baby past 6 months without introducing some sort of solid food, and they were confused as to the advice - you mustn't wean before 6 months, or after 6 months - leaving you one day to wean the baby!! I'm sure this can't be right but I found myself unable to explain since I'd never heard the "don't leave it any later" argument before and have no idea where it comes from.

Also a couple of them had been to a weaning talk (I think) where the HV had mentioned this no later than 6 months rule, but that they needed to start on purees first, so using logic they had interpreted that it was better to start weaning as early as possible to ensure a smooth transition from just milk to purees, to lumpy foods, and finally to finger foods.

OP posts:

NoBiggy · 21/02/2009 11:32

It's this tripe about a "window", after which your child will grow up never eating solids, or only eating puree, or some such old bollocks.

There isn't a window. If you're led by your baby you can't go wrong, can you? They want to eat, at some point, lord knows, most things go in their mouths, eventually they get lucky and it's something edible!

HVs, apparently, aren't meant to advise anything not backed up by research. But so many come out with personal philosophy/old wives tales/practise from 20 years ago.

NoBiggy · 21/02/2009 11:34

Oh yes, and so many people are just itching to get solids down their babies, because it's the next thing to do with them I think. So there is a tendency to latch on to anything that gives them "permission" to do that. The window thing, the weaning at 6mo is for the third world thing, baby not sleeping, baby too bug, baby too small...just my observation

NoBiggy · 21/02/2009 11:36

Too many bugs on a baby always a bad thing IME. BIG, obviously.

TortillaDeMaiz · 21/02/2009 16:23

i've been reading up on the WHO website and they recommend not to start too late because they estimate that breastmilk doesn't provide all of their iron and energy requirements. however, it doesn't state when would it be too late. As long as you start around 6 months and offer iron rich foods right from the start it shouldn't be a problem.

believer07 · 23/02/2009 21:31

I just weaned my totally BF baby at 9 months. He had a few bit before but nothing major. We started on full time food a week ago, well he is nearly 10 months. I think the iron thing needs more research. My baby is on the 98th centile after nealy 10 months of just BFing, he is taking most foods, not been a prob really. My diet is good and he is healthy and strong (praise God)

believer07 · 23/02/2009 21:32

TBH - go with whats right for your baby, or what you feel is right, with some common sense. You don't have to be a sheeple that just follows every bit of advice churned out by the state.

wastingmyeducation · 23/02/2009 21:38

Why did you decide to leave off weaning til over 9 months believer?

kalo12 · 23/02/2009 21:42

my ds didn't eat solids til about 9.5 mths, my hv said this was in the normal range.

i was offering them from 6 mths but he wasn't having it

scaredoflove · 23/02/2009 21:42

WHO says it should be at 6 months (180 days)

Can i ask... when someone wants to wean early, many people come on here and shout that they must follow guidelines but when the other way around...they are telling them to disregard them? Genuine question

believer07 · 23/02/2009 22:03

My babies are very big and put on alot of weight very quickly. I had trouble as my older DS is a champion eater and ended up at 2 stone aged 11 months. He was BFed till he was 2 and weaned at 4 months. I ended up being preached at that my DS was too fat. So with this DS2 the rules had already changed to 6 months, and a book that I read says 6 months min for weaning up to a year BFing only. I really wanted to go for the full year on BF only as DS2 is also very heavy but he started going two weeks between poos and freaked me out, so I decided to give him some food to make him go more. LOL. Also it took him along time to loose the push reflex with his tongue, he has only just started to open his mouth fully without pushing things out with his tongue, this is a sign they are ready to wean. I don't worry to much about the Iron fear thing as I had low iron all through my pregnancy, and he had an iron test after birth and was fine.

I often wonder why everything is so 'box ticky' and medicalised. With this pregnancy - baby, I have learned to trust my own judgment and instincts and have been alot calmer and more positive. The problem with taking advice for the masses is that it rarely fits the needs and character of the individual child.

wastingmyeducation · 23/02/2009 22:05

Which book was it?

believer07 · 23/02/2009 22:13

its a bit 'radical'

book

believer07 · 23/02/2009 22:14

here

believer07 · 23/02/2009 22:19

Basically he was a well known pediatrician in the US, he was a advisor on the La Leche league, he is all for home births, breast feeding. He also exposes all the things that doctors do and why they do them, also he tells you when you need to go to the doctor and when you dont - he sort of empowers you to take charge of your childrens health, without taking too much charge, ie when to know what serious and whats not, he is very cautious about giving children any over the counter drugs, I dont agree with everything he says but I would say I agree with most of it.

wastingmyeducation · 23/02/2009 22:25

That looks interesting.
We've been doing BLW and DS stuck straight into what we've presented him with, but I was fully prepared to wait it out if he hadn't been ready for it.
Only now at 9.5 months is any quantity going in, and he has started using the pincer grip.

NormaJeanBaker · 23/02/2009 22:42

Mine all started just before 6 months because they were so obsessed with staring at food and grabbing at it, it was like being attacked by zombies. IF they hadn't been so keen I'd have waited until they were but think most babies are pretty curious at least by 6 months-ish just through seeing everyone else eat and wanting to join in. Often dispense with cutlery myself and join in the fray. Next I will do nothing but cleaning and see if DC3 copies that with as much enthusiasm.

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