confused about what age to start weaning

[memoo]

When my first 2 dc were babies the advice use to be to wean at 4 months, but now I've had my 3rd baby I have read that they shouldn't be weaned until 6 months.

The thing that is confusing me is that all the baby food jars I have seen in the shops say from 4 months.

So which is it!? I'm not sure what I'm surpose to be doing

6 months is the guideline. and by then they don't need puree so no need for jars anyway!

Just been reading about BLW whcih does appeal to me. I wonder why they still have 4 months on the jars!

6 months definitely.

Baby food manufacturers should be shot. But they make more money if you wean too early .

My DS is nearly four months and the health visitor has said to start weaning him on baby rice in the new year, but then at 18 pounds he's quite a big boy so probably wouldn't last till the official six months...
I'm going to make home-made purees.

Your HV should give you a booklet, mine just has,

Good luck,

They are going to have to change the labels on those jars. It's confusing and wrong.

Guidelines are around the middle of their first year.

Signs to watch for are sitting up unaided, development of pincer grasp, loss of tongue thrust reflex, ability to pick up food, put in mouth, chew and swallow.

Yes, jars not necessary at all. The beauty of starting at 6 months is you can hand them a broccoli floret or some carrot or similar and stand well back.

Of course the puree/mash route is fine but there are options which is nice if you are lazy like me

Big baby/small baby makes no difference at all.

Bmilk (or formula) has so many more calories in it than a small amount of solids so if calories is what you're worried about, milk it is.

Size/weight has nothing to do with gut development. You cannot see inside a baby to know that their gut is ready for anything other than milk and you can't use an arbitrary weight guide to do it either.

That's the beauty of BLW too. Theoretically, if they can pick up food, chew and swallow it, they are developmentally ready for it.

Incidentally, dd was 25lbs when she had her first solids at nearly 7 months. Milk alone was perfectly sufficient until she was developmentally ready for more.

yes, doesn't matter about size of the baby. do blw then you just wait til they can feed themselves. probably as this is your 3rd baby you'll probably find that easier anyway!

Crikey, it's tricky when you hear different advice from different sources!

DD is just coming up for 4 months and is a gorgeous big chubby thing but she definately isn't showing any signs of being ready for weaning.

I'm a bit reluctant to ask the HV for advice as its been a bit rubbish in the past.

I love the idea of BLW, it sounds a lot more relaxed and fun for baby. I guess it works with babys natural instinct to pick things up and put them in their mouth

I'm going to read up about BLW before I make a decision but I was a bit put off it because it doesn't sound like the baby would actually get much to eat in the early days. I have to give up breastfeeding so I would like to know DS is getting healthy nutritious food with the formula.

Makipuppy. It is difficult. This is why all hcps should be giving out the same information based on the current research and guidelines. I'm having a general anaesthetic next week and the GP said I'd have to stop bfing afterwards. Now I know from other hcps and the bfn that this is a load of old cobblers but this GP is giving out info that could compromise the bfing relationship between a mother and child and unnecessarily.

It would be interesting to know why you hv believes that a bigger baby needs solids earlier, given the fact that milk has more calories and the guidelines are based upon the virgin gut and its readiness for solids and nothing to do with weight.

And those damn jars with their 4-6 months line. Grr.

Makipuppy, your ds's main calorie intake will still be from milk until he is 12 months. Read up about BLW and take it or leave it. It worked for me as it seemed a natural progression from demand feeding, allowing dd to regulate her intake, her ability to eat developing alongside her need. She ate with us, shared our food and it was just so simple and pleasurable. But it's not for everybody and you may do one or the other or mix and match. It's your decision to make and one based on your child's development and your approach to it, not on weight or height or night waking or watching you eat etc etc.

Thanks for all your input, eating together sounds lovely so I'll definitely read up. Might even try it on DP