weaning 1 week before 6 months - is this ok?

[fizzledrizzle]

I keep hearing about the 6 month rule -

1. Does it really matter in the scheme of things if I start solids one week before the 6 month mark?

2. Also any idea about when breastfeeds will drop - I am still feeding 8-10 times a day??

I am getting very tired with regards to how often I bf and my baby keeps trying to grab my food - so I don't want to hold out anymore. I am going to try BLW.

Of course its ok to start one week early. Really. Don't worry.

Breast feeds will drop when your baby starts getting significant amounts of food. This could take a couple of weeks or it could take months. My ds was offered solids from 5 months but didn't eat anything at all until 8 months and carried on wolfing down breast milk. My dd is just 7 months but is already eating almost as much as her 3 year old brother and is now having much less breast milk.

thanks very much neolara. I want to continue bfeeding but the last few weeks I have found very testing - like I can't ever seem to feed my baby enough.

Hi

My DS1 was interested in food from 17 weeks. I went to the GP because I was so worried it was before the 6 month mark - my GP just looked at me and said he had never heard of anyone developing an allergy from carrot puree . I followed the Annabel Karmel recipes which worked for me, but might not be for everyone, and just stuck to the plain purees until DS1 got to 7 months and could move on to more varied tastes. He loved everything and eats really well now, and he is 2.

As for BF - DS1 was on 4 bottles but went up to 6 bottles just before I weaned because he was hungry (which was one of the signs I think that he was ready to wean). The feeding dropped off quite quickly from what I remember as he became full from food and needed less from milk. However, in the AK book and other weaning books I'm sure, it advises you on how much milk babies still need during the weaning process.

Hope that helps.

Can you not last another 7 days? Your breasts will always produce enough you know, they do recommened waiting until at least 24 weeks.

As soon as you introduce solids you should otice a dramatic drop in the number of feeds your baby has. BLW is very good, you'll have a lot of fun!

There are a lot more calories in formula/breastmilk then there is in pureed carrot/fruit/veg.

Of course it's fine. At first baby won't eat much, so breastfeeds won't go down.
6 months is the guideline- one week won't make a difference.
Give the baby some banana and take it from there.

I didn't know it was 'at least' 24 weeks.

Weaning a week early is fine, there isn't a magic switch in their bodies that makes them not ready at 25 weeks 6 days, and ready at 26 weeks. I started DS2 a week early by accident because he was wailing with absolute fury as I prepped some carrot puree for the freezer without offering him any!

Should add that if doing BLW the whole idea is that if they can get it into their mouth then they're ready to eat it. So if your baby can sit upright, pick up food and shove it in their mouth then they're likely ready.

Sorry, I should have been clearer, I'm coming from the BLW perspective martha, they have to be at least 24 weeks and be able to sit up unaided. A baby can get food into their mouths at 5 months and potentially sit up unaided Meg, this doesn't mean that they are ready for solids though.

The guidelines are there for a reason, if it's only a week, then why not wait?

OP has already stated her baby is 25 weeks though, so falls within the guidelines for starting BLW, which was my point, as long as they can sit up and pick up food.

Because there might be babies able to sit up etc by 25 weeks and babies absolutely not ready by 27 weeks.
Baby has to be able to sit up in high-chair well ie not slouch.
A week will not make a difference.
We're not talking about feeding a sausage roll to a 3 month old FGS.

the latest research is 4 -6 months and no later.

bruffin that's incorrect. The advice is to wait until at least 26 weeks. IE 26 weeks is the earliest you should wean but some babies may not be ready until after this. If your baby is not ready at 26 weeks they are not going to come to any harm if they aren't fed solids bang on 26 weeks. Some people think this also applies the other way around so between 17 and 26 weeks but it is a controversial subject.

I nappyaddict you are wrong
the latest research(not I said research not advice} shows that waiting until 6 months increases the risk of allergies and that gut maturation is lead by introduction of solids not vice versa

2008 ESPGHAN medical position paper

eat study

feeding and allergy prevention: a review of current knowledge and recommendations. A EuroPrevall state of the art paper

and as you can see from the link above the AAP has recently changed it's guidelines back to 4-6 months

thanks for those links buffin..

As to the breastfeeding - yes I am aware that BM is calorific -but my baby has been feeding every 2 hours. He has suffered from reflux...and I am just totally exhausted from breastfeeding. I personally can not wait another week.

My baby is 25 weeks and 1 day - he has been sitting up for I don't know how long, sits up with a straight back but still has arms in a tripod positions, he can roll long distances but can not crawl yet.

I mashed up 1/2 a banana and my baby went mad for it. Ate most of it -chewed it and swallowed but it took a long time - he fed some into his ear and hair, threw some of the banana on the floor but was so happy licking and then chewing. I put some on a spoon and he fed himself.

Last night he was fed mushy carrots and a 1/4 of a banana., cue big smiles, quizzical looks - it was lots of fun and he did chew and swallow.

For about a month the baby has been trying to grab my food and eat it - he has a pincer grip.

Anyhow I am off to try lie down, thank you all.

IMO if the advice given by WHO and FSA hasn't changed then there probably hasn't been enough research to warrant it.

I don't think it's desperately important to wait another 7 days - 6 months isn't some magical point. So long as your baby is ready (sitting up, grabbing food, lost tongue thrust reflex) it'll be fine.

I think there's a big difference between having to spoon feed a baby who still has a tongue thrust, and letting a baby self feed.

Breastmilkson me - Why 24 and not 26 weeks though? That's all a bit arbitrary isn't it? What is so special about 24 weeks - that's not even completed months, just a seemingly arbitrary date.

I'd love to see links to research where 24 weeks is now the new cut off date, rather than the (4 months/17 weeks or 6 months/26 weeks that are accepted. Excuse me if I"m a little dubious, but this is the first time I"ve ever heard 24 weeks in the context of these weaning discussions.

FWIW, I agree with missus84.

My DS was sitting completely unaided at 21 weeks, had lost tongue thrust, and was able to navigate food into his mouth when we first threw a bit of banana his way at 22 weeks. It was clear that he was physically ready despite being a few weeks in advance of the advised date, so we went ahead with BLW, despite originally thinking we would wait until 26 weeks. There is a big difference between shoveling food into a baby who is actually pushing it out with their tongue, and allowing a baby to feed themselves. The cautious approach is to wait until 26 weeks, and that is what I shall probably plan for with DC2, but if DC2 shows the proper physical signs earlier then we will give it a go earlier. this is why I love BLW - baby will not do what it is not capable of or ready to do.

My HV told me a little earlier would do no harm, we just had a little baby rice and milk to start off with and then went on.

The FSA is involved in the Eat study and there is obviously enough evidence for the USA to change it's guidelines and many other european countries(france, germany and italy) have the same advice of 4- 6 months.

I would start BLW at any age, but not spoon feeding until I knew that the baby could feed themselves and was eating decent quantities in this way.

One week will make no difference. Does the size of the baby not come into this - at 26 weeks some babies are much bigger and more developped than others.

megonthemoon How old was he when he managed to actually swallow food? I know a few people who have started at about 20 weeks but the DC seemed to just suck and chew on the food for a few weeks before actually being able to bite anything off and swallow it.