Is everyone against traditional weaning?

[billybump]

Reading many posts on here and info from other places I feel there is a lot of pressure to wait until six months to the day then to choose blw. I feel that people can be a bit derogatory to traditional weaning and make people feel like they are doing the wrong thing.
I posted in the weaning section that I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing by giving my little boy baby rice already because of the pressure to blw and to wait to six months, now my reasons for giving him some food were that he has watched me eat since he was 8 weeks old, puts everything in his mouth and tries to get closer to me when I eat (he's been known to cry when I've finished eating something) and I'm sure that no offence was intended by the replies (after all I asked their opinion) but I felt that people were saying 'if you think it's right do it but I wouldn't' without looking at my logic. I don't feel that people who choose to use purees or wean before the 'recommended' 6 months should be approached with this attitude.
My son has been on baby rice for 2 days and holds the spoon putting it into his own mouth or brings his head to the spoon mouth wide open, he also chews, I haven't tried him with finger foods yet (will be doing when I think he can safely eat some). So please look at people's reasoning without condemning them, some people have been recommended by medical professionals, others are just doing what seems developmentally right. Sorry rant over

 

[Emx]

I havent decided yet on weaning - athough my sister was advised to wean her boy at 4 months (3 years ago) and her girl at 6 months (18 months ago)... illustrates how information changes so often.. go with what you feel is best for your boy x

 

[Hollys_Twinny]

Morgan was born 9lb 6oz , moved to hungry baby milk at 4 weeks old slept through the night from that age..then come 15 weeks he started waking through the night again.. He was clearly hungry and milk just wasnt doing it for him anymore. i started giving him baby rice 2 hours before bed time... then a few weeks later i introduced jars of dessert!

Only you can understand your babys needs, you do what your gut tells you hun, sod what others say its not their child x

 

[smokey]

I have no idea what the differance is, id never even heard of baby led weaning till after Brian was born.
Im planning on starting on a few basic things as of about 4 months, he keeps watching me eat and smacking his lips at me
Apparently me eating a bannanna is very funny to him.

 

[minnie83]

At the end of the day hun it's your baby and your decision as to how and when he weans. He certainly sounds ready, my LO is a similar age and is nowhere near doing what your LO is (apart from the watching!). When we do wean we will be doing traditional weaning, purees etc. I just think whatever works best for both mum and baby is the best choice

 

[Cattia]

We are doing traditional weaning. I have to go back to work when Abigail is 6 months old and although I would rather have waited and followed the guidelines, Abigail is going to be looked after by a couple of different familymembers and I decied it would be less stressful for all involved to get weaning established whilst I am still at home. I would rather be able to tell my mum what to give her and know what she likes, how much etc. We started this week with purees and she loves them, has eaten everything I have given her so far and opens her mouth for more, tires to take the spoon etc. I know a lot of people whose babies are not interested in purees but for us it is working great. There are lots of people on this board who are doing BLW and I think it's great but I don't know anyone pesonally who has even heard of this method. You have to do whatever works for you.

 

[DaisyBee]

Im in the u.s. and here its still 4 months in a lot of places to start weaning ... and the traditional ways with baby rice & puree veggies & fruits.

Megan's been on baby rice since 4 mo on the advice from her dr - not because of reflux or she's a big baby or anything.... just because she was 4 mo

Anytime I have posted about her weaning though I've added that it was on advice from her dr...as I have noticed as well that it doesnt seem very popular to do so before 6mo.

Do what you think is right for your baby Sorry you were made to feel bad!

 

[DaisyBee]

I agree too that babies are ready at different times.... Megan gets annoyed if I dont shovel it in fast enough & she has her own spoon and tries to help! I have to use the toddler spoons vs baby spoons already... and she likes her baby rice thick vs runny- and I'm moving on to stage 2 purees which means they are thicker as well. I'm amazed!

At her age most daycare kids I've taken care of are barely take any baby food... its taken weeks or months to get them interested or getting more in their tummy then on their bib! Kids are all different.... and you know your baby better than anyone.

 

[purpledaisy2]

I think people jump on you more for starting before the 6 month "guideline" as opposed to the type of weaning you choose.

You know whats best for your baby and what he needs, so carry on doing what you're doing.

People will always give their opinion, if you disagree just let it go over your head

Early weaning threads do tend to get quite heated

 

[Mynx]

We started weaning Evie at just over 4 months but she became very unsettled and starting dropping ounces of milk so I decided that it was maybe a little early. By the time she was almost 5 months, she was chomping at the bit (well, spoon!) to eat solid food so I tried again.. success
My first daughter was just under 4 months when I started weaning her but the guidelines then were 4 months so it wasnt frowned upon at all.
Only you know your baby so if you think he's ready for weaning, then go for it

 

[Sam9kids]

None of my others have waited until 6 months! Jenson will just have it when he is ready

 

[summerarmahni]

i just started bailey today hes nearly 14 weeks but he was a big baby when he was born, hes your son you wean him when you feel ready x

 

[Kit]

I think this post is spectacularly unfair on the extremely small number of members who responded to your weaning thread - I think there were only three of them. None of them said anything like "Do it if you want to but I wouldn't" - nothing remotely like it. I read that thread after this one and I actually scrolled right down through the section to see if there was another thread as I can't possibly see what any of those members said to be accused of being judgemental.

 

[Nic1107]

I'm not against it at all . Carmen doesn't seem ready yet since she doesn't eat all that much still and sticks her tongue out a lot (she doesn't keep things in her mouth well so food would probably come right out!). But she has a bit of baby rice dissolved in her bottle at night, and she'll likely eat purees as soon as she seems ready. You know what is right for your baby, it's different for everyone!

 

[cleckner04]

I've seen some women get pretty brutal in the weaning section. It's just one more thing that we, as mothers, get judged for! to you. Sorry you felt judged. I had a doctor tell me to start weaning Emma at 3 months! I just kind of gave her a shocked look at told her 'that wont be happening'. I did wait till the recommended 6 months and the only reason I am taking a BLWing approach is because they say it's the easiest next step from breastfeeding. You wean your baby the way you want to wean. It is nobody else's business and if they have a problem with it, too bad. Honestly no matter what you do there will be someone saying something bad. I breastfeed but when I go into certain sections on here I have to read about people saying all breastfeeders are 'on a high horse'. Please. The way I feed my child has nothing to do with my character as a person.

 

[kayleigh&bump]

im going to be weaning at 4 months, no question. My lo is 18lb5 at 12 weeks, on the 99th centile and draining 7-8 oz every 2-3 hours. My HV has recommended early weaning, and i am more than happy to do so. xx

 

[special_kala]

I replied on your thread and i said "River was doing those things from 4 months but we waited until she was 5 months and a few days"

was i pushing BLW weaning on you??
did i mention that you were wrong??

So what if people say "if you think it's right do it but I wouldn't' because its true, its your baby so do what YOU want but that doesnt mean i would do it with MY baby

 

[special_kala]

I really cant see what there is for you to rant about not one person who "condemned" you for what you said and why post it in here when the apparent issue was in the weaning section

 

[bunnyg82]

I have every intention to wait until 6 months and I am keen to try BLW - I think other than here I won't have much support apart from hubby. Anyhoo, I am not actually bothered about what other people think. It's my baby and I will do what I feel is right and everyone else should feel the same, whatever method and time that they choose.

You are the parent and it's your choice and if you feel confident in your decision then stick to it and don't worry what others say.

However, I have just read your other thread and I am not quite sure what you are saying really as none of the posts seem unsupportive or judgemental in the slightest! Perhaps your guilt (from reading, you seemed bothered that you were going against guidelines) is making you take things the wrong way? It honestly doesn't seem like there is anything wrong with the replies.

Like I've said, it's your choice and plenty of people have weaned at 4 months, so please stop worrying xx

 

[AP]

Everyones babies are different, but im sure the 'guidelines' have their reasoning. Its up to the parents.

I dont know if you can count me, as I have a prem and the rules are different.