Solids before 6 months

[snailien]

When did you start your LO on solids?

I am aware the advice is 6 months but aren't all babies different? They develop in other ways at different ages so why not with food?

 

[twinklestar]

recent research showed that babies intestines dont mature enough to cope with food before 6 months, and that weaning earlier causes an increase in allergies

of course advise changes all the time and so some mummies still choose to wean before then

i waited untill 6 months this time but with my others advise was 4 months and so i weaned then

x

 

[jaybee]

I started Tobi 2 weeks ago ish. He has a tiny bit of veg puree in the morning and some baby porridge for dinner.
I thought I would try and see what would happen because he was giving lots of cues and he was straight in there, he's been much happier, sleeps better since.
If he had spat it out or showed no interest, then i would have stopped for a couple of weeks.

 

[Racheldigger]

As I understand it, it's six months give-or-take-a-couple-of-weeks, according to whether or not your baby's ready. Rowan was keener than I expected, and was already taking enthusiastic mouthfuls of stewed plums, cheesy mash etc. at five and a half months, so we said 'fair enough, then' and got on with it; other people's babies haven't shown much interest in solids till well after six months. It's all normal.

 

[venusrockstar]

My doc said not until between 4-6 months as baby's stomach and digestive systems are not yet matured to handle solids.

 

[BabyHaines]

The Unicef guidance is a minimum of 6 months. They recommend not starting until lo can sit unaided in a highchair & can feed themselves (i.e. The more baby led approach).

There has been lots of good research into this in recent years & it really isn't advisable to start earlier than this.
Baby's gut needs to mature & they will struggle to digest food if they aren't sitting. You imagine eating a roast dinner whilst laying down or reclining in a bouncy chair!

The hunger cues that people talk of over solid foods are often confused with normal baby development and 'curiosity', as at around 4 months, baby's become more interested in everything you do (cleaning your teeth, brushing your hair etc) it doesn't mean they want to do it, just that they are watching and learning.

If you find lo is hungry, then it's fine to up their milk. It's better to feed milk on demand than to start weaning too early IMHO.

Hope that helps

 

[trumpetbum]

I would aim for starting at 6 months as I think 6 months of just breastmilk is optimum for my baby, but yes you're right babies do develop at their own rate, and I've heard from quite a reliable source that the NICE guidelines will be changing to reflect this, but that's hearsay and I have no proof to back it up .
As far as I'm aware, most evidence compares weaning before 17 weeks with weaning after 6 months, so while we know before 17 weeks has been shown to increase risk of allergies, and weaning after 6 months to lower risk in comparison, there is little hard evidence in the stage between this. The logical jump of course is that the nearer a child is to 6 months the lower the risk.

I aim(ed) to breastfeed exclusively until six months and unless there was a strong indication otherwise wouldn't expect to wean before then. I was spooning mush into dd1s mouth as close to 16 weeks as possible and BLW with dd2 just after 6 months and would definitely say the latter was easier and more desirable to me.
Individual babies do have small differences in readiness for food just as they have different milestones in other ways which a parent will notice if in tune with their babies needs. Therefore it isn't unreasonable that one baby will be ready developmentally and their system physically ready for solid food slightly earlier wheras another won't be ready until 7/8 months.
A change in the guidelines (which I previously suggested is on the cards) will be a double edged sword I think. It may stop some of the snottiness sometimes seen when a mum genuinely sees the appropriate cues in her child a little earlier than the six month holy grail which to me would be a good thing, otoh though I can see things being harder for those whose children aren't ready until nearer the 7 month+ mark and a return to babies being weaned earlier than they are ready. 'My baby was definitely ready' will become the default for most parents as parents read that it's fine to wean around 4 months again and with that 'there's no harm in doing it a little earlier' will almost certainly mean little ones weaned at such an early stage as to be potentially harmful .
I do think that in a lot of cases weaning is a milestone parents just can't wait to get to and why some parents love the mess and hard work of weaning so early is beyond me.
I think the best thing to do is aim to try weaning around 6 months, but to be in tune with the needs and cues of your individual baby. 'Real' food is rarely more filling or nutritionally of more value than infant milk, so there is rarely a good reason to replace that milk with food at a very young age, and some evidence that it may actually be harmful.

 

[snailien]

Thanks, our LO has been showing interest in food for well over a month now, she follows every mouthful from plate to mouth, her tongue starts going and she always wants feeding when we eat (her sense of smell is also developing well!!). She's 15 weeks old today. She is breast fed and I do feed her on demand.

 

[aob1013]

Is your LO showing interest in food?

 

[winegums]

we did it after 6 months

 

[snailien]

Is your LO showing interest in food?

Yes she is. I am in no rush to move to solids... sick and poo get much worse when they eat solids! But I want to do what is best for her.

the thing is they change their minds all the time and 'new' research proves or disporoves previous advice!

 

[jenny82]

I know that I don't have more than one baby, but from observing relatives with babies who did it as early as possible, I can say that it is definitely easier the longer you wait till 6 months - unless you have medical reasons such as reflux etc.

My LO constantly amazes me with what he eats and can handle his food so well, and I know its because we waited till close to 6 months. I could watch him eat fusili pasta all day long if he would let me

 

[snailien]

Just found this....

* Can hold her head up. Your baby needs to be able to maintain a steady, upright position, to take her first foods.


* Sits well when supported. You may have to have your baby on your lap at first. A highchair can be pulled into action a bit later when she can sit up by herself.


* Makes chewing motions. Your baby should be able to move food to the back of her mouth and swallow. As your baby learns to swallow efficiently you may notice that she dribbles less. She may even have a tooth or two.


* Has gained a healthy weight. Most babies are ready to eat semi-solids when they've doubled their birth weight. This may happen before or around their sixth month.


* Is curious about what you're eating. Is she eyeing your meals and reaching out to try foods you're moving from your plate to your mouth?

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/introducing/

 

[Lu28]

We weaned at a week over 5 months on GP advice due to very low weight gain and to be honest I wish I'd waited. I think a week or so either side of 6 months is about right and I would very much advise the 'banana test' to see if LO is ready.

This is basically putting a piece of food (banana, apple, cooked carrot stick etc) in front of LO. If they can pick it up, put it into their mouth, chew it and swallow it without any help at all, then they are probably ready for food. The idea behind it is that developmentally, we are designed to be able to feed ourselves once our digestive systems are ready to deal with solids. I did the test with apple before starting on solids and she passed

Showing interest in food generally is not a sign for weaning as babies are going to show interest in everything we do, it does not mean they're ready for it.

 

[Lu28]

I would also disregard the doubling of birth weight bit. Some babies have doubled their birth weight by 3 months and are in no way ready for solids. My LO didn't double her birth weight until nearly 8 months and would have been biting my hand off by then!

 

[BabyHaines]

Snailen, I'd check the NHS & Unicef guidelines if I were you. 15 weeks seems very young IMO.
I have a baby who was born with what they think may have been a weak abdominal wall, or am immature gut. We spent a week in hospital & still have issues now where he sometimes has issues.
It's not fun dealing with a distraught baby who has tummy ache & constipation & the paeds said they often see baby's with sore tummys due to being weaned too early and I was strongly advised by a paed gastric surgeon to wait until at least six months.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I believe that babies arnt books and all have individual needs. If a baby is showing signs of needing solids before 6 months then discuss it with your Hv
Xx

 

[britt1986]

Bryson was having rice cereal in his bottles at 3 months, rice cereal fed by spoon at 3.5 months, purees at 4 months, and finger foods at 6 months. He is healthy and has no allergies. I am in the opinion that you are the mom and what you feel is right for your baby is best.

 

[teal]

I waited until exactly 6 months Felt it was right for us xx

 

[snailien]

Snailen, I'd check the NHS & Unicef guidelines if I were you. 15 weeks seems very young IMO.
I have a baby who was born with what they think may have been a weak abdominal wall, or am immature gut. We spent a week in hospital & still have issues now where he sometimes has issues.
It's not fun dealing with a distraught baby who has tummy ache & constipation & the paeds said they often see baby's with sore tummys due to being weaned too early and I was strongly advised by a paed gastric surgeon to wait until at least six months.

she's not ready yet i know... i have no plans to start her yet, am just curious as to when to start her.