what signs did your babies show to let you know they were reading for weaning?

[zoejeanne]

As my DD gets chubbier and wrigglier weaning is probably next on the agenda. I know the official advice is to wait until 6 months, but I'm also of the opinion that every baby is different (and don't we hear that for all other milestones), so some will be ready sooner and some later.

I'd like to know how you knew it was time to start weaning your LO's (and at what age that was)? Thank you!

Generally it's when they can sit up unaided, have lost the tongue thrust reflex, have a well developed pincer grasp, can pick up food, put it in their mouths, chew it, transfer it to the back of their mouths and swallow.

Guidelines are 'around 6 months' so account for difference. Some earlier, some later, but around the 26 week mark for most healthy children.

Size, watching you eat, waking at night, taking more milk, all red herrings.

DD at 7 months helped herself from our plates, ate some broccoli, carrot and cauliflower. From then on she just ate with us.

Apparently according to Bupa:

"How to know when your baby is ready for weaning
Don't rush into weaning as a result of pressure from parents or friends, but be guided by the following signals from your baby:

being unsatisfied after a full milk feed
demanding increasing and more frequent milk feeds
weight gain slowing or levelling out without a period of illness to explain why
after a period of sleeping through the night, your baby begins waking because he/she is hungry
You may also notice your baby showing interest in your food and attempting to put things in his/her mouth. "

This is all rubbish, ignore and follow what ShowofHands said.

I knew with DS2 (aged 5 months) when he levered himself off my lap onto the table, wriggled across and grabbed a roast potato of his brothers plate!! He ate it well and from then on just ate with the rest of us.

Generally agree with show of hands - re ability to sit, put food in mouth and toungue reflex...

Thanks, all good advice for me here. Should I offer DD bits of food from time to time, to test her toungue thrust and ability to chew? (she's already pretty good at chewing on her toys/fist but obviously not swallowing yet!)

And (not trying to be contentious here, more playing devils advocate), if she isn't satisfied by milk feeds and wants feeding more regularly, why isn't this a sign of needing to start on solids?

Thank you very much

Because it's a sign she's hungry, not a sign her gut is ready for solids. There are so many more calories in milk that if she's hungry, this is the best thing for her. Early weaning is going to be a very small amount of rice and pureed fruit in most cases (from what I read on here) and if your baby is hungry filling them with a fairly calorie and nutrient deficient gloop will not help with the need for extra calories. Food, at first, is not about hunger. Milk is the main source of the diet and you still need to offer more milk first.

That all makes sense, thanks show of hands

showofhands - that's very helpful thank you! I'm another who is feeling the pressure of the world and his wife telling me to wean my exlusively BF baby - she's approaching 5 months and feeds 3 hourly or more often, day and night, and has been a frequent feeder since day 1. I keep being told that if only I would wean her - or at least give her formula milk - then she would sleep through! She's thriving on the 25th percentile and looks so happy and healthy. She has constantly got fingers or toys in her mouth but I'm taking that as a development thing rather than a 'ready to wean' thing.

traceface, it's definitely developmental. They have so many nerves in their mouths, it's fascinating for them. Plus, their teeth are moving round in their gums.

My dd fed every 2hrs day and night until she was 7 months old. I co-slept in order to sleep. It is hard work but I promise you there is no link between weaning and sleep. In fact, it seems that in the short term weaning actually makes their sleep worse in most cases.

You're both doing brilliantly. Look at your babies, thriving on milk alone. Don't doubt yourselves. Your babies will let you know they are ready for more in the ways described.

showofhands you've made me cry and it's only 9.15am!! Thanks for your encouraging words

And I want to kiss you! Looks like you've made both mine and traceface's bank holiday