Baby Weaning

[HiHo]

Topic about

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/health/parent/baby-weaning.html

Have any questions or concerns about baby weaning then please post them here.

perhaps you have advice for other parents on your experiences on weaning your baby the please share them as the one thing all first time parents do is worry they are doing the right thing and "is this normal?"

[nic13]

Hi just to comment on what i have just read. My baby is 10 weeks old and iam about to introduce baby rice to him mixed with his formula milk. He was a big baby at birth weighing 10lb 9oz. The guidelines are there as guidelines not as rules! A baby is not an applience and dosent come with a manual and if people feel they have to follow these guidelines so strictly they shouldnt be parents! The only person who knows whats right for my child is me (and his dad sometimes!) Wean your child as and when you feel right.

[jspritch]

Hi

I also started weaning my baby early. She was 8lb 12oz born and would feed every hour. By 10 weeks I was becoming concerned that her development might be affected due to a lack of sleep. She refused to take milk from a bottle therfore i was truggling with options. At 12 weeks we felt we could wait no longer she was like a little bird every time we were eating. I started her on vegetables and fruit straight away and she took to them no problem. By the time she was 4 months old she was on three meals per day and thriving. I still breastfeed her throughout the day and night but she is a lot more content. What we must remember is that the 6month rule is a guideline not a fact. Every child is different and as parents we are there to respond to their needs. As a nurse myself you quickly realise that everyone is different and what is right for one person is not necessarily right for the next. What I would say though is if you decide to wean early, do so with the support and advice of your healthvisitor as they are there to help you with any problems and warn you what to look out for based on their experience and knowledge.

[Noir]

I have been advised to wean my son at 16 weeks by a specialist paediatric dietician based at my local hospital, based on the fact that I mentioned my son was hungry all of the time, and cried when he finished his bottle. 

Apparently the 6 month guideline to do with exclusive breastfeeding, is based on the WHO guidelines, which also contain details of when it's appropriate to wean early i.e. at 16 weeks.

Your comments re how weaned and what you used are a great practical help.  Thank you and best wishes.