Thoughts from those who weaned early...

[jennyh]

Hi

Not wanting to get into a debate about whether it is right or not but I'm interested in hearing from anyone who weaned early, what age did you start and what were the reasons?

Thanks

Jenny

[Ruth_Baldock]

We did at 4 1/2 mo under terrible advice from the HV who had concerns about baby's weight and sleep. Didn't make one bit of difference to either and was a massive massive hassle. We stopped and re-started at 6 1/2-7mo BLW instead of purees, which he took to well. Honestly unless there is a medical need, I'd save yourself the hassle until as late as possible!!

[Fuschia]

When child no 1 was a baby 4m was recommended so I did

Huge amount of work and he turned out fussy

It should be clear a baby is too young if they can't even sit almost unaided

Twins waited till 6m, easier all round

Latest baby is 7m and still just starting really

Doing blw and he is loving it

Easy and fun

[Fuschia]

I think if you make it easy for yourself everyone is happier and baby can only benefit from the relaxed approach

IME spoon feeding is never a huge success .. Can't say I would like it much myself!

[jennyh]

Thanks. Baby is 4 & 1/2 months and has been fussing hugely with her milk feeds during the day so takes very very little milk. She then catches up in the evening and has huge bedtime feeds and night feeds but it still falling short of her target and spends the day fussy, getting tired very easily etc.

She started watching everything we were doing a while ago but I didn't take any notice really until someone said that she might be rejecting the milk feeds because she is ready to have some solids...anyway I tried a bit of baby rice out of interest and she was crazy about it, she just kept on going until I got a bit freaked out that she was having too much and I hadn't read into it enough but I have never seen her so interested in anything feeding related. I was surprised at how much she was into the rice but then it may have been because she was quite hungry when I tried but it seemed very natural, she just kept opening her mouth constantly and didn't spit any out.

Her hand to mouth action is very good but still inaccurate but by no means can she sit unaided and is rather wobbly. I suppose I always thought that solids were needed when milk wasn't enough but she is rejecting her daytime feeds so not sure where we are now!

[Pickle]

There are loads of reasons why a baby of that age is fussing over milk - could be teeth, overstimulation in the daytime while you're trying to feed etc. I wouldn't rush into weaning, the stage where babies just need milk flies by, and it's sooooo much easier than when they move to food! Enjoy it while you can.

[Fuschia]

The rice is much lower in calories than milk but filling so milk consumption would probably droP even more ...

[Fuschia]

Sounds like she is reverse cycling with the milk at night

I think that cZn be normal mammal behaviour

[jennyh]

Yeah I dont want her milk intake to drop and that was my worry. Im not in an hurry to wean her at all, just interested in opinions really. She is distracted during the day as she is so stimulated at the moment, sh makes signs that she is hungry but then gets bored of feeding and clamps her mouth shut. Ive tried changing rooms, facing the wall, feeding out etc but she just strains her neck constantly looking for something else. I thought maybe she just wasnt hungry enough to take a big feed in the morning so was considering reducing her dreamfeed, otherwise not sure what else to do to give her what she needs. She will wake up early and suggest she is hungry but then only take 70ml of milk and not feed again for 4 hours! Has been like this for a while now, maybe I'll wait another week or so and see if it continues and go from there.

[Fuschia]

Google wonder week 19 too...

Weight gain slows naturally in babies from about 4m

I think if she seems well and fairly content I wouldn't worry too much

[jennyh]

Yeah thanks Fushcia, I looked at that the last time i was asking about her a couple of weeks ago! I should add that she is 16lb 5oz at 19 weeks so is a good weight already and is very long. Will do some research and go from there.

[Moos]

I weaned Twosling (now 8 months) a bit early at 5 1/2 months. I wasn't intending to at all, and agree with all the comments about not rushing into it. He was a 25th percentile baby so I thought he'd be a later weaner than his hefty older brother. But at 5 months his sleeping got (even) worse, he started to grab at food and generally seemed hungrier and after a couple of weeks I gave it a whirl. To my amazement he immediately loved solid food, quickly moved onto 3 meals a day and started to gain weight. I am a fan of combining spoonfeeding (which both my boys liked) with self feeding. BLW doesn't appeal to me, and I think the pur?e / mash approach can suit some mothers and babies better.

I also think if you do start too early and realise your mistake you shouldn't be afraid to put the brakes on, make sure the milk feeding stays strong and either drop te solids altogether or keep to a few tasters.

[mima08]

My LO has been like this for a fair few weeks now and what i found helped was a) giving infacol again (I think with all the fussing he gets more windy) and b) moving to variflow teats - that way I can change how fast he takes his food in mid-feed: sometimes he guzzles at size 3, sometimes back to size 1. Although he is eyeing up food and grabbing for it, I don't think he is ready for weaning yet (22 weeks), but I am very keen on BWL, so will wait till 6months anyway.

Regarding babies "needing" more than they can get from milk, the BWL book says that milk feeds are much more densely packed with nutrients than solids, hence babies are getting the nutrients they need at this stage (and for some months to come) from that. I am no nutritionist, it just sounds good to me - maybe someone else on here knows more on that subject.

[LouieM]

I weaned my son on the DAY he turned four months purely because he was enormous (99th percentile) and was demanding milk every hour, I couldn't even defrost the frozen expressed stuff fast enough! HV wasn't too supportive but said to trust my judgement. It wasn't about sleep - he was sleeping through already by then - and he loved solids right from the start. We've never had any problems with any allergies and he eats everything. Hope that helps

[mettelw]

I weaned my daughter at 5 months with great success. She was giving off all the text-book signals that she was ready to be weaned - she could sit up, she was very interested in my food, she was taking a lot of milk, she had a number of teeth coming through etc etc. She loved her food from the off and we've never had any problems whatsoever with her being fussy or not eating enough or not liking to be spoonfed (in fact she would practically bite my hand off she was so eager to get to the food!). I used the Anabel Karmel books for inspiration for different puree combinations etc and when she was 6 months we moved to quite chunky purees and then on to more solid food. Trust your own instincts, you'll know best when your baby is ready.

[EDmummy]

I've posted before about this, and admit I am an "old timer". When child No. 1 was born the advice was to wean at 4 months. We actually weaned a few weeks before because his weight had dropped from 90th centile to 25th centile. He is now a strapping, healthy 10 year old who loves his food (although mainly only likes to eat fish). Child No. 2 was born after the changes in views that children should be weaned from 6 months but we ended up weaning at 4 months because again, there was significant weight loss even though he was feeding much more. He is also a strapping, healthy 5 year old who adores his food.

I might add, even though I have extensive allergies, neither of my children suffer from allergies or asthma.

By all means, listen to current advice, but also remember that advice changes over time and you should just respond to your intuition.

Best of luck for whatever you decide.

[zeban]

My Mum weaned all 5 of us at around 4 months. My brother is still fairly young- 14- so this wasn't ages and ages ago although of course she was part of the old school! None of us have ever had any problems. I'd think again just trust your instincts and don't worry too much about what others have done.

[Fuschia]

Advice changes usually because of improved research

Part Of the reason fog recommending later weaning now is because of a link to reduced diabetes, heart disease and obesity in adults

I don't know whether there is just a correlation between early weaning/ lower socioeconomic groups/unhealthy diet after weaning or whether there would still bs an increased risk even if the weaning is on to a healthy diet, but I prefer not to tSke risks so I have stuck to the 6m since it wS recommended

Child no 1 is happy and healthy but I would hate to think that something I did or didn't do had an effect on the adult health of my children

Or I mean to sat, I suppose, I am very aware that so much I do will affect their health and wellbeing lifelong, that its scary

I just do my best to make informed decisions with the best and latest information available to me ... All any of us can do, really

[zeban]

No diabetes, no heart disease and no obesity amongst either my Mum, her sister, my grandparents or any of us 5 kids. I guess in a way it makes sense but I would think only if you're not weaning well and introducing the wrong type of foods. I'd think if it was all healthy food you'ld be fine.

[Fuschia]

There we differ zeban

I don't have a mum, but if I did although I am sure she would have much to share with me, i would still listen to the research/ evidence

Guess I am a bit geeky!

Think we have had thus discussion before about instinct vs scientific evidence!

[zeban]

To be fair though Fuschia you do seem to be inadvertently putting peoples choices to wean early down in your posts, almost suggesting they're being too frivolous in not following the new 'best' advice as you put it.

[sophiechristophy]

Early weaning can mean the displacement of nutrient dense milk with less nutrient dense foods. So essentially, your baby may not be getting as many nutritional benefits from what it is consuming.

[Fuschia]

I must admit I don't understand why people dismiss actual evidence. But it's very common in the world of mothers I have found! I don't think I would call it frivolous

I find it very puzzling, tbh

I suppose we all have our mindsets and it can be hard to understand why others act as they do

I don't have a problem with what other peoPle do, but I dont like to see misinformation because peoPle are vulnerable to peer pressure

[zeban]

Edited because realised the original poster said that she didn't want to get into a debate about whether it was right or wrong, just wanted to know what other people had done.

[DonkyOne]

Yes, Fuschia I know what you mean everything is fine but some people go to the extremes and I think

morally is not a good thing to do, can be a nerve racking for others; If they are not use too.

Some things we have to understand as everyone is different and respect their own opinions.