Weaning

greenman09

Hi all. 13 weeks old and phn has advised us to start weaning from 17 weeks old. Some seem to think this is too early. And others have been told to start week 20 what is the ideal time if any? And what would be the best way to move her on

Ocean Blue

greenman09 wrote: »

Hi all. 13 weeks old and phn has advised us to start weaning from 17 weeks old. Some seem to think this is too early. And others have been told to start week 20 what is the ideal time if any? And what would be the best way to move her on

Is there a medical reason for midwife advising such an early start? Severe reflux etc?

Keith C

Weaning as in baby rice & purée or solids?? We have out lad onto baby rice at 16 weeks but not touching solids until at least 6 months

greenman09

Ocean Blue wrote: »

Is there a medical reason for midwife advising such an early start? Severe reflux etc?

No medical reason. Surprised they said so early.

lazygal

We did baby led weaning. No puree food at all. Started at 25/26 weeks. I think 17 weeks is crazy although it's very similar to the crappy advice we got from our phn. Baby rice has zero nutritional value so I wouldn't bother with it and I'd definitely wait until closer to six months. They don't need anything but milk until then.

tinkerbell

Personally I think 17 weeks is crazy. WHO recommends 6 months. Also baby rice is meant to be completely pointless - no nutritional value, causes constipation, is tasteless and the iron in it is difficult for their gut to absorb. All they need til 6 months is milk. Tbh a lot of the "advice" from some PHNs leaves a lot to be desired...

pwurple

Way too young unless there is a medical justification.

Started ours at 6 months, as recommended by WHO. Didn't do baby rice etc, just ordinary food, off our plates.

PHN's are very hit and miss.

ariana`

pwurple wrote: »

Way too young unless there is a medical justification.

Started ours at 6 months, as recommended by WHO. Didn't do baby rice etc, just ordinary food, off our plates.

PHN's are very hit and miss.

Another baby led weaning advocate here, couldn't recommend it more. Did it with my 2nd, started at 26wk.

With my 1st i did traditional weaning (Purees/mush etc.) started 22-23wks.

17wks seems so early :eek:

tinkerbell

I remember reading on here that one poster's health nurse recommended they give their baby solids at 12 weeks. 12 weeks is just shocking and such bloody stupid advice. I also remember seeing on facebook a while back someone had put up a video of them trying to get a just gone 3 month old baby to taste a strawberry. Unbelievable. It's just criminal. I was so disgusted, what's wrong with people. That poor little baby's gut will be ruined.

lazygal

tinkerbell wrote: »

I remember reading on here that one poster's health nurse recommended they give their baby solids at 12 weeks. 12 weeks is just shocking and such bloody stupid advice. I also remember seeing on facebook a while back someone had put up a video of them trying to get a just gone 3 month old baby to taste a strawberry. Unbelievable. It's just criminal. I was so disgusted, what's wrong with people. That poor little baby's gut will be ruined.

I have seen a woman recommending that a mum put baby rice made into a paste into a 6 week old baby's bottle to get the baby to sleep better at night. This wasn't an older lady, this was a mother of very young children herself. I'm actually felt sick hearing that advice. I don't understand the rush to start solids. They'll be eating long enough, why start before they're ready? Six months is plenty early to start.
I have found most phns are OBSESSED with figures and ask about how many feeds a day baby is doing (when you're bf a newborn how can you even keep track?), how many spoons of this or that they're eating, how many meals and snacks do they eat...its no wonder there's a problem with overweight children when advice like starting weaning at 17 weeks with processed rubbish like baby rice and making parents feel children should be eating loads is still being given.

pwurple

ariana` wrote: »

Another baby led weaning advocate here, couldn't recommend it more. Did it with my 2nd, started at 26wk.

With my 1st i did traditional weaning (Purees/mush etc.) started 22-23wks.

17wks seems so early :eek:

Just to follow up... I'm not actually a fan of the baby-led-weaning book selling fandango. It's just weaning, as my parents did. Regular food that the rest of us eat. Does not need a book franchise, a daft acronym or a movement.

Sligo1

tinkerbell wrote: »

I remember reading on here that one poster's health nurse recommended they give their baby solids at 12 weeks. 12 weeks is just shocking and such bloody stupid advice. I also remember seeing on facebook a while back someone had put up a video of them trying to get a just gone 3 month old baby to taste a strawberry. Unbelievable. It's just criminal. I was so disgusted, what's wrong with people. That poor little baby's gut will be ruined.

Yes I remember the 12 week old post! I was so enraged! It was just criminal! And what was worse was that I think the OP was considering it as the advice came from a "professional"!

greenman09

We know our little one is no where near ready for solids. The advice of some of these so called professionals leaves a lot to be desired.

Woshy

17 weeks is very early and I'm saying that as someone that did give solids at 17 weeks for a few reasons (reflux being one of them). The PHNs I was dealing with were very anti me doing it too but I had spoken to a paediatrician about it.

The standard is 6 months - 17 weeks is just the very earliest that you can give solids but is not ideal. If there are no reasons to give your baba solids I would wait!

fro9etb8j5qsl2

We started weaning at 17 weeks because of reflux and slow weight gain. It was on advice of the phn and gp. The phn told us to go with baby rice but I hadn't a notion of feeding him wallpaper paste so I made up some extremely pureed fruit and veg that was watered down to a sauce with formula. Thankfully it calmed the reflux and he's been growing like a weed since but I would have waited another few weeks to start the weaning if he had been gaining normally.

A relative of mine started giving jars at 12 weeks :eek: :mad: :rolleyes: Originally, she told a pack of lies to the doctor to get lactose free formula on her medical card but when she realised that she wouldn't get enough formula per month to feed her hungry little girl, she just started giving the jars and told everyone that the doctor told her it was ok

Moonbeam

normally you can tell when they are ready,they will grab food,cry when you are eating,steal food etc

In my opinion baby rice is a huge waste of time.

I had one eating @20 weeks due to stealing food and reaching for it.
The next was nearer 7 months,the next was 5 1/2 months and current baba was 6 months.

I think they all started with banana,and the 3 younger with blueberries too.
The 8 month old would eat anything but has no teeth yet.

They were all baby led weaned but they got jars or fruit pots if needed too,2 of them could not take milk so had to be careful.

Merkin

Quick question ladies. We've recently just started weaning and he is taking to it well (the way he licks his little chops is adorable ) but now he doesn't want so much milk (well he does but only taking some of his bottle). What do you recommend? Should I give half his bottle and then some food or what is the best way to work it? When do you start to gradually decrease volume of milk? He has normally been on 5 x 7.5oz a day. He's 25 weeks old today......WHERE is the time going?!

Moonbeam

Lil miss takes about 4 x 250ml bottles a day.
I gave her a bottle about 90 minutes after feeds,she is 8 months now so after gobbling everything in sight you would down a bottle too.

Woshy

Are you giving milk the same time/just before/after food or in between his meals?

Merkin

OK thanks for that. So you recommend having their little grub entirely separate to their milk? That makes more sense! Do you give bubs a sippy cup or anything to wash food down with?

Merkin

Woshy wrote: »

Are you giving milk the same time/just before/after food or in between his meals?

Trying to do it at same time by giving food first and then trying bottle when he has finished which, on writing it, makes no sense whatsoever No wonder he's not taking his bottles now that I think of it, the little munchkin is probably stuffed! As you can tell I've read absolutely nothing whatsoever on weaning!

Woshy

Merkin wrote: »

OK thanks for that. So you recommend having their little grub entirely separate to their milk? That makes more sense! Do you give bubs a sippy cup or anything to wash food down with?

That's what I did - milk was a separate thing to his food. I think it was about 90 minutes for us too, like Moonbeam said. He is still kinda in the habit at 18 months. He needs a bottle of milk at about 3pm - so between his lunch and dinner.

My little boy only started being interested in drinking water with his food at about 8 months, before that he wasn't interested and didn't seem to need it. No harm trying it to see if he wants it though. It's great to have them drink water. My son only has milk or water and no juice and I'm delighted he is so good at drinking water.

Weaning is all new when you start and every baba is different. We all figure it out as we go

mrolaf

both my kids weaned from 16 weeks and did really well, all this fussing over a drop in the ocean of their lives

Merkin

Woshy wrote: »

That's what I did - milk was a separate thing to his food. I think it was about 90 minutes for us too, like Moonbeam said. He is still kinda in the habit at 18 months. He needs a bottle of milk at about 3pm - so between his lunch and dinner.

My little boy only started being interested in drinking water with his food at about 8 months, before that he wasn't interested and didn't seem to need it. No harm trying it to see if he wants it though. It's great to have them drink water. My son only has milk or water and no juice and I'm delighted he is so good at drinking water.

Weaning is all new when you start and every baba is different. We all figure it out as we go

Brilliant, thanks to both of you for this, very helpful. I'll keep a little log for myself to see what he's having and will stagger it out as suggested. It's a lovely time isn't it? There's something so primal and nurturing about introducing your baby to the wonderful world of big boy food!

Woshy

I know - their little faces when they taste things for the first time. It's great to watch!

My little boy is getting fussier all the time and I miss when he was weaning and ate everything I gave him with relish

OldNotWIse

lazygal wrote: »

I have seen a woman recommending that a mum put baby rice made into a paste into a 6 week old baby's bottle to get the baby to sleep better at night. This wasn't an older lady, this was a mother of very young children herself. I'm actually felt sick hearing that advice. I don't understand the rush to start solids. They'll be eating long enough, why start before they're ready? Six months is plenty early to start.
I have found most phns are OBSESSED with figures and ask about how many feeds a day baby is doing (when you're bf a newborn how can you even keep track?), how many spoons of this or that they're eating, how many meals and snacks do they eat...its no wonder there's a problem with overweight children when advice like starting weaning at 17 weeks with processed rubbish like baby rice and making parents feel children should be eating loads is still being given.

My parents did that to me. I was ten weeks and she put baby rice in the bottle mixed with formula, cut off the top and gave that to me so that I'd sleep through. I was really annoyed with her when I found out. Surely that would mean the baby just needed more milk? She just dismissed it and said, "oh you know, you were a hungry baby. We couldn't keep you full" Madness.I would never do that to a child.

lazygal

mrolaf wrote: »

both my kids weaned from 16 weeks and did really well, all this fussing over a drop in the ocean of their lives

This is not correct. There are many dieticians who'll tell you an immature gut is not ready for food before six months. Its also in the WHO guidelines.
My mother did what was recommended when I was a baby, formula all the way and solids from 12 weeks. I don't blame her for that, it was the advice at the time. But things have moved on and research has developed new ways of doing things.
It is not being fussy. There is no need, unless told otherwise by a medical professional, to start a 16 week old baby on solid food or purees. They don't need anything other than milk at that stage.
All this 'never did me or my kids any harm' is not a reason to ignore current best practice and advice.

bp

Article in the indo today about babies been weaned in Ireland too early. Personally I think it is seeing baby food in shops saying suitable from 16 weeks.

I waited until 20 weeks, would have preferred wait longer but couldn't eat in front of my one without cries for food! Oh and start with savoury over sweet - get them used to that taste first

Woshy

bp wrote: »

Article in the indo today about babies been weaned in Ireland too early. Personally I think it is seeing baby food in shops saying suitable from 16 weeks.

I saw that article - saying Ireland had the lowest breastfeeding rate in the world. That's crazy!

Sligo1

bp wrote: »

Article in the indo today about babies been weaned in Ireland too early. Personally I think it is seeing baby food in shops saying suitable from 16 weeks.

I waited until 20 weeks, would have preferred wait longer but couldn't eat in front of my one without cries for food! Oh and start with savoury over sweet - get them used to that taste first

Bp do you have the link? I'd be really interested in reading it. Googled it but couldn't find it. Thanks

Woshy

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/ireland-has-worlds-lowest-rate-for-breastfeeding-30912066.html

The headline is about breastfeeding which is why it might not have shown up in Google for you. My local Cuidiu group posted it to Facebook so I had easy access to the link