How will you know when to start weaning?

[Shortstuff88]

My son is only 8 weeks old so I know it seems a wee bit early but I'm just curious how I will know when to start weaning him?
We have stocked up on baby porridge because it was on offer and it says its ok for baby at 4 months old. My son at the moment is having 6oz of hungry baby milk at every feed and rarely goes the full 3 hours before he's wanting another bottle. He's not overweight at all (50th centime) but he does seem like hungry wee man. Would 3 months old be too soon?? As I can't imagine him being happy with just milk every feed for another 2 months.
Maybe it's just me being a bit stupid though haha.

 

[staralfur]

Yes, 3 months old is too soon. Weaning guidelines across most countries state 6 months as the appropriate age to begin weaning.

Milk intake isn't something that suggests being ready for solids. Signs of readiness include loss of the tongue thrust reflex and being able to support themselves in a sitting position.

 

[crissyj]

Ultimately 6 months is the best. Sometimes babies do need very frequent bottle feeds or nursing sessions-especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Before 6 months old their digestive systems are not ready for anything other than breastmilk or formula. If you introduce food to early you could really upset their stomach and give them a greater chance of developing food allergies.

 

[MrsPear]

Ideally, wait until 6 months. If there are other medical issues (such as reflux), then you may be recommended to wean sooner because the benefits would start to outweigh the risks.

If your baby seems hungry before that, feed more milk. They're growing so fast at this age (brain as well as body) so that's why they need so many nutrients and seem hungry. But their digestive systems are really immature, so if you feed other things, then it will pass through largely undigested so wouldn't really help get extra nutrients to them.

If you give food, it might make your LO feel 'fuller' because their bowel would physically have something more solid/harder to digest in it, but it wouldn't help get extra nutrients in for the growth spurts. So really, it would be counter-productive.

 

[Shortstuff88]

So would you not reccommend even the baby porridge at 4 months? It does state that's the age they can have it:

 

[Noo]

So would you not reccommend even the baby porridge at 4 months? It does state that's the age they can have it:

No. Guidelines in the UK state 6 months unless a clinical need.

Info

 

[special_kala]

Full 3 hours? There isnt a rule that babies must go 3 hours between feeds. I rarely go more then 2 hours as a adult without food/drink.

3 months is far too early. Really your aiming for 6 months.

My eldest was very hungry, 98th percentile for weight and height and we didnt start weaning until 5 1/2 months very slowely with BLW.

 

[Noo]

Have a word with your HV - My Sure Start centre do sessions on infant weaning

 

[Shortstuff88]

Full 3 hours? There isnt a rule that babies must go 3 hours between feeds. I rarely go more then 2 hours as a adult without food/drink.

3 months is far too early. Really your aiming for 6 months.

My eldest was very hungry, 98th percentile for weight and height and we didnt start weaning until 5 1/2 months very slowely with BLW.

This is what I was recommended as a timeframe by my HV. Otherwise he would be having around 8-9 bottles of 6oz a day and I was told that was a bit much for his age. I don't make him wait if he wants it.

 

[Shortstuff88]

It's all very contradictory because I'm sure back home in Scotland and apparently in Ireland they recommend 4-6 months for weaning. I dunno, maybe that's changed.

 

[MrsPear]

All the research points to 6 months being better in most cases. However, in some situations people do wean early because the benefit outweighs the risk, for example a baby with severe reflux might be in a lot less pain and keep a lot more milk down through weaning around 17 weeks. Therefore something like those cases, the food you mention would be suitable, so they can put it on the packets. But ideally, most babies wouldn't be weaned until around 26 weeks. x

 

[Pearls18]

I will be waiting until 6 months unless a health professional suggests otherwise which even if they suggested it, it isn't something I would take lightly and would seek a second opinion. I HATE the hungry baby argument, DS1 was 20lb on the 91st centile before I weaned at 6 months, he was a hungry baby, so I fed him more often, I fed him 2 hourly night and day in the last month, it makes sense that as they grow they need more milk, and as scientific evidence suggests 6 months is the best time to wait until logically we should be increasing the milk. I also don't like the idea of hungry milk, breasts don't create hungry milk so I don't see why there is a formula to do it, increase the amount. While I'm having a whinge (this isn't at you OP you're asking legitimate questions that I too asked a few years ago, after 3 years listening about weaning I have gotten a bit jaded lol) I don't get the "you will know when they're ready argument" baby gets hungry...increase milk, reach 6 months...start food, if they don't like it, you just try until they do they need the nutrients by this point. For me no amount of holding head up, looking at my food makes sense to wean. And don't get me started on the sleeping argument. Weaning is a ball ache, the older they are the easier it is to do, we went from milk to 3 meals a day in a week, he loved the food, does that mean I was mean to "delay"....well I think 20lb of baby pudge answers that question, and he is the healthiest little boy I know so I will do all I can to imitate, if this blooming reflux does one! Sorry I'm in a grump tonight so no holding back, each to their own weaning early is one of those contentious issues and a mum isn't the devil for doing so, I just don't think the arguments around it make any sense, I think it is usually excited parents, tired parents (we've all been there) or bad advice from times gone by and the dreaded "I turned out ok...."

 

[staralfur]

Four months is often stated as the absolute minimum age for weaning, but not the ideal.

So, of course brands that sell baby food want to advertise the minimum age because if people start at 4 months, they get more money.

 

[Pearls18]

But to add to my rant, when I was weaning last time I heard rumours about FF babies being "allowed" to be weaned earlier (4-6months), I asked recently about this and no one was able to offer any info on this (I was just interested) I've heard to optimise BF it is best to wait 6 months as the composition in formula is different so that it's different on the baby's gut anyway, the virgin gut theory was batted around a lot when I was weaning but I've not heard much this time. So if anyone has any links I would be interested!

 

[JessyG]

I am in Scotland and my HV advised me to wait until 6 months.

I know those packets say 4 months but really their wee guts are just not ready for it yet. I know of people who weaned early for medical reasons like reflex but generally speaking you are best to wait as long as possible.

If he is wanting 8 bottles a day I say just go with it.....its only for a short time in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Shortstuff88]

Well we will definitely wait until 6 months then! His sleeping doesn't bother me at all as he sleeps all night but as a first time mum I just wasn't sure if there was signs I should be looking for. It seems there isn't though so at least now I know to carry on with his formula until then.
Thanks!

 

[ickle pand]

I'm in Scotland and my HV said 6 months too. According to her the food that says from 4 months is because it's also sold in other countries where that's what they recommend. They specifically do the weaning visit at 3 months to put people off from weaning early.

I plan to do Baby Led Weaning so I'll be giving my DS food but it'll be up to him when any of it makes it to his mouth.

 

[special_kala]

The signs you are looking for to show they are ready for weaning is sitting up well, able to pick up food and bring it to their mouth.

 

[JessyG]

You may even find that he is not ready for solids at 6 months. I knew a woman who started at 6 months (as recommended) and her baby just did not enjoy it. she left it for a few weeks and tried again and he was a lot more receptive then.

 

[bebbe]

So would you not reccommend even the baby porridge at 4 months? It does state that's the age they can have it:

Just because they can, doesn't mean they should. Noo is right, follow the guidelines