Good/Bad reasons to wean?

[Brockie]

A lot of Mums I know have said I should wean LO. He is a big baby, eats freuqently day and night and is interested in watching people eat. It can be hard work feeding him so often, but he is happy and content, so I will carry on until 6-8 months (hopefully). He gets fussy if I don't feed him when he wants, but as long as I feed on demand, he is a happy boy.

How often do you feed out of interest? Jack was a 2-hourly baby until recently. We got through that tough 4 month growth spurt and now he's going 3 hours between feeds and slept 5 hours for the first time last night! (He was feeding every 3-4 hours in the night). I want to continue to exclusively BF until 7 months if possible, seeing as new research has shown more benefits to going that little bit longer!

im sure your already aware that from 6 months breastmilk or formula alone is not enough to help your baby grow and develop, they need more than just milk then. Solids are then meant to supplement your milk feeds.

i started weaning Freddie at just shy of 5 months he showed plenty of signs that he needed more than just milk and it was the right decision for us x

 

[Brockie]

Do people actually have to justify themselves for weaning early?

no they definately shouldn't. Babies come out of people not books, they are all different and run to different programmes! xx

 

[sparkswillfly]

Do people actually have to justify themselves for weaning early?

nobody has to justify. People can share reasons for weaning or reasons for not weaning without getting upset.

 

[Shifter]

im sure your already aware that from 6 months breastmilk or formula alone is not enough to help your baby grow and develop, they need more than just milk then. Solids are then meant to supplement your milk feeds.

This isn't true, as I understand it. Physiologically, most babies will begin to be capable of digesting foods other than milk without causing themselves any adverse side effects between 6-9 months. It isn't like a switch is flipped the day they turn 6 months. You may find this article helpful: https://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

No one should have to justify early weaning, no. I simply asked what reasons people had encountered from others to wean their babies early. I'm sorry if that was not entirely clear in the OP.

This was a reasonably civil thread until now, I wouldn't like to see mud being slung by anyone.

 

[Shifter]

I've been trying to find a link to the study I read about that found additional benefits to exclusive BFing to 7 months, but can't find it. Anyway, yes, from around this time babies may begin to become deficient in iron and several vitamins but solids shouldn't replace a breastfeed at this stage, it should be in addition to as babies still receive most of their nutrients from breast milk.

 

[mommyof3co]

yeah it's not true that they HAVE to have solids after 6mo, many babies breastfeed exclusively to a year and then start regular food. I know many moms that do that. Hayden didn't eat food until 9mo because he refused and he was never low on anything, they don't have to have it.

 

[Brockie]

I've been trying to find a link to the study I read about that found additional benefits to exclusive BFing to 7 months, but can't find it. Anyway, yes, from around this time babies may begin to become deficient in iron and several vitamins but solids shouldn't replace a breastfeed at this stage, it should be in addition to as babies still receive most of their nutrients from breast milk.

which is exactly what i said, solid should supplement your milk feeds.

the NHS Birth to Five book says 'Introduce solids food when your baby is 6 months old, as he or she now needs more than milk alone can provide.'

 

[asacia]

I've been trying to find a link to the study I read about that found additional benefits to exclusive BFing to 7 months, but can't find it. Anyway, yes, from around this time babies may begin to become deficient in iron and several vitamins but solids shouldn't replace a breastfeed at this stage, it should be in addition to as babies still receive most of their nutrients from breast milk.

which is exactly what i said, solid should supplement your milk feeds.

the NHS Birth to Five book says 'Introduce solids food when your baby is 6 months old, as he or she now needs more than milk alone can provide.'

From the Kellymom website:

"Some babies thrive on breastmilk alone until 12 months or later - as long as your baby is continuing to gain weight and grow as he should, your milk is meeting his needs well."

and

"Most babies will become developmentally and physiologically ready to eat solids by 6-9 months of age. For some babies, delaying solids longer than six months can be a good thing; for example, some doctors may recommend delaying solids for 12 months if there is a family history of allergies."

I'm going to try and delay solids for as long as possible, at least 6 months, but hopefully 8 months. As long as LO is happy, growing well and meeting milestones, I don't think there is a reason to wean before 6-8 months.

See:
https://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-when.html#nutrition
https://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

 

[louise1302]

it seems like even the experts cant agree!!!!

archie was weaned early on the advice of the doctor as he was on soy milk de to allergies, a very hungry baby drinking up to 50 oz a day and there was no alternative hungry baby formula suitable for him, so from 4-5 and a bit months we did minimal amounts of puree to suppliment his milk and now weve dropped the puree and hes eating whatever i eat

 

[Demeter]

the NHS Birth to Five book says 'Introduce solids food when your baby is 6 months old, as he or she now needs more than milk alone can provide.'

The NHS can hardly be described as experts in much. They are too bogged down in targets and protocols to protect themselves from litigation (our HV can't even take baby supplies to pass on to those less fortunate now because of this fear!) I would take any advice from the NHS with a pinch of salt, personally, and look for other, more impartial sources of information.

With DD1 we were under a lot of pressure to wean early from friends and family. Weaning at 3-4 months was still quite common and we were considered to be harming her by not giving her solids so early! It was difficult to go to the mum and baby groups and get caught up in all the horribly competitive parenting that went on there. "Oh yes, Georgina is 4 months and we've had her on three meals a day for three weeks, la-di-da" That was why I stopped going to those groups!

I don't see why parenting should be competitive. Yes, we all want our children to be special and more developed than their peers, but I think we all agree that their health comes first. Unfortunately many parents don't seem to get the most up to date advice from the NHS and those around them and don't realise that their baby's health is at risk when weaning early. The simple fact is that the research suggests weaning should start no earlier than 6 months for MOST babies, there will always be exceptions but these are rare, and yet it seems that most parents believe that their child is an exception!

 

[jms895]

It is amazing how much a debate can arise from weaning early and how much so called professional support and advice differs so much....

It makes me mad that women are being made to feel bad for giving their babies a bit of food! Especially if the HV, doctor or whoever has advised it.... its hard enough becoming a parent and learning, without criticism and scare mongering I think..

You can have a baby at 6 months who developmentally and physically is the same as another at 9 months, and similarly you can have a baby at 14 weeks who is more advanced than a 6 month old so how can we make these assumptions and set dates etc.... they are mostly approximations for the researchers and authors to cover their arses if you ask me....

I always say a mum would not be so stupid to wean for the sake of weaning surely!!??? They will do it for a genuine reason, concern or through advice and would have taken alternative routes first?

 

[k8y]

As FA said, earlier weaning is suggested when babies who previously slept through are waking again.

Baby rice doesnt "make" a baby sleep through. I know with Jasmine it madeher more comfortable because she didnt have tons of milk sloshing around in her tummy.

Im not sure why people have to keep starting crap about people weaning early? Some people do it, get over it. Not everyone wants to suffer through needless sleepless nights.

Yeah I got a lot of hastle about it too. James is loving his rice.

 

[k8y]

It is amazing how much a debate can arise from weaning early and how much so called professional support and advice differs so much....

It makes me mad that women are being made to feel bad for giving their babies a bit of food! Especially if the HV, doctor or whoever has advised it.... its hard enough becoming a parent and learning, without criticism and scare mongering I think..

You can have a baby at 6 months who developmentally and physically is the same as another at 9 months, and similarly you can have a baby at 14 weeks who is more advanced than a 6 month old so how can we make these assumptions and set dates etc.... they are mostly approximations for the researchers and authors to cover their arses if you ask me....

I always say a mum would not be so stupid to wean for the sake of weaning surely!!??? They will do it for a genuine reason, concern or through advice and would have taken alternative routes first?

yeah, I totaly agree with you here.

 

[tiggertea]

I would take any advice from the NHS with a pinch of salt, personally, and look for other, more impartial sources of information.

The simple fact is that the research suggests weaning should start no earlier than 6 months for MOST babies, there will always be exceptions but these are rare, and yet it seems that most parents believe that their child is an exception!

Can I throw the cat amongst the pigeons in all this and suggest it is very easy to choose WHICH "impartial sources" you choose to read and remember..... people who have their own minds set AGAINST weaning earlier than 6 months will always be able to direct you to numerous "impartial" websites dedicated to exclusively breastfeeding, baby led at 6 months weaning, etc etc etc whereas those weaning before the 6 month mark could direct you to sources they have found explaining good reasons why they did so.

I think it has been said before, but all our babies are unique. guidelines are there as a ROUGH estimate on when things could happen. e.g guidelines say babies should sit unaided by 6 months.... if they manage it before then should we force them to lie flat anyway? No, of course not! We all know our babies better than anyone, so the reasons/choices we make to wean shouldn't be an issue. I think everyone would be in agreement that we AREN'T going to make rash decisions and put our babies in danger.

 

[jms895]

Good point about the sitting...... I know a 9 month old who just started sitting, does not roll etc and doesnt want anything but milk..... should her mother force her to eat some solids or leave it till she wants it??? Thay may be a long time.....

Why dont we just wait for the signs and we know the baby is ready and not set things in stone....? Its nice to set a target for BF, weaning etc.... but we just set ourselves up for failure if we sometimes dont reach these targets.... and I am one of them!

 

[asacia]

I think there is a fine line between being critical of anothers parenting choices, and making sure that people are informed enough to make proper, well thought out descisons. Sadly, a lot of people aren't told correct information from HVs and GPs, and I think that it isn't a bad thing to share information about things like weaning, as long as we try and do it in a sensitive and thoughtful way. It would be a shame for people to stop sharing information and research for fear of offending. I know that if I am doing anything 'wrong' or 'sub-optimal' with my baby, I would rather someone tell me in a gentle way, so I can improve my parenting.

 

[sparkswillfly]

I think there is a fine line between being critical of anothers parenting choices, and making sure that people are informed enough to make proper, well thought out descisons. Sadly, a lot of people aren't told correct information from HVs and GPs, and I think that it isn't a bad thing to share information about things like weaning, as long as we try and do it in a sensitive and thoughtful way. It would be a shame for people to stop sharing information and research for fear of offending. I know that if I am doing anything 'wrong' or 'sub-optimal' with my baby, I would rather someone tell me in a gentle way, so I can improve my parenting.

I agree. Ive heard some shocking advice given by HVs. I tend not to listen to a word they say now.

 

[jms895]

Me neither I never have listened to them

They have never got time for me, half of them are early twenties with no kids and half of them are late 50s who were advising totally different things to people like my mum etc..... a bunch of jobsworths to cover the gov. arses if you ask me.

 

[Demeter]

I would take any advice from the NHS with a pinch of salt, personally, and look for other, more impartial sources of information.

The simple fact is that the research suggests weaning should start no earlier than 6 months for MOST babies, there will always be exceptions but these are rare, and yet it seems that most parents believe that their child is an exception!

Can I throw the cat amongst the pigeons in all this and suggest it is very easy to choose WHICH "impartial sources" you choose to read and remember..... people who have their own minds set AGAINST weaning earlier than 6 months will always be able to direct you to numerous "impartial" websites dedicated to exclusively breastfeeding, baby led at 6 months weaning, etc etc etc whereas those weaning before the 6 month mark could direct you to sources they have found explaining good reasons why they did so.

While I don't disagree, I think that there are certain sources of information (i.e. medical journals and research papers funded independently) that are more reliable than say, a survey by a formula/baby food company of their customers etc.

People who have decided to wean early will always say that the research done by WHO and unicef do not apply to their children. But I'd like to know whose children they think it does apply to? The studies they do are of thousands of children and are representative of large sections of society. They are also peer reviewed and therefore open to counter-studies etc. None of which have disagreed with their findings, broadly speaking.

I think it has been said before, but all our babies are unique. guidelines are there as a ROUGH estimate on when things could happen. e.g guidelines say babies should sit unaided by 6 months.... if they manage it before then should we force them to lie flat anyway? No, of course not! We all know our babies better than anyone, so the reasons/choices we make to wean shouldn't be an issue. I think everyone would be in agreement that we AREN'T going to make rash decisions and put our babies in danger.

Being able to digest food is not the same as being able to sit/roll/walk/talk. We're talking about a biological process and while yes, babies do mature at different rates, in some respects they are much alike.

I think the main problem is that some parents mistake their baby's interest in food for a physiological NEED for it. DD2 was interested in everything we did much sooner than DD1, but she wasn't ready for food much sooner (a couple of weeks).

I agree with asacia, sharing information with people who have perhaps not had access to it, or would like another look at it is never a bad thing, but it is difficult to share that information without upsetting people who have already decided to ignore it. Some people reading this thread will still be trying to decide what to do, whereas most of the people who have posted have already made their decision.

 

[Demeter]

Me neither I never have listened to them

They have never got time for me, half of them are early twenties with no kids and half of them are late 50s who were advising totally different things to people like my mum etc..... a bunch of jobsworths to cover the gov. arses if you ask me.

May I ask who advised you to introduce solids early? Or was it just based on your own observations? If so, what made you decide it was time?

I don't tend to listen to HVs either, I agree with you, but I also think that in some cases it is worth getting a "professional" opinion. I don't think NHS advice should be blindly followed, or blindly disregarded IYSWIM.