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Weaning at 8 weeks! WTF???

VautierVautier
in Baby
A relative of my husband had a baby just 8 weeks ago and her HV has told her that it is fine to wean her baby now! The baby is perfectly healthy, not a big baby or with any other issues.

I just can't understand why on earth a health professional would advise such a thing. I was always told that the youngest you could wean was 17 weeks.

Is it just me or does this seem wrong?

Replies

  • Bambina_MiaBambina_Mia
    That sounds awful! Surely the baby would be incapable of swallowing and holding thier head upright for long enough!!

    I know we weaned at 18 weeks, but I was petrified at doing that! I only did it after speaking to 3 health professionals and alot of soul seraching!

    8 weeks is far to young and the HV should be ashamed of herself!

    [Modified by: joemoeuk on July 31, 2010 01:03 PM]

  • PB_McgeePB_Mcgee
    That's awful! I kno what you mean..my son is 17 weeks and no where near weaning yet and I feel guilty that I give him baby juice (even though I had to as when we had hot weather he was refusing boobie as was making him too hot and any form of boiled water he refused too! X
  • mazncraigmazncraig
    My little brother was weaned at 8 weeks because no matter how much milk he had nothing would fill him. But that was up to my mum and I think totally different about it and would not even consider weaning at 8 weeks even if told by a health professional x
  • Lambchop26Lambchop26
    I was weaned at 8 weeks. & I won't be weaning my lo until around 6 months. Thanks to me being weaned early I'm allergic to eggs (well I blame that anyway) as my mum feed me on egg from a very young age. I think it's far too young & for a health professional to advice this, is just wrong!!

    Jayne xx
  • piggypopspiggypops
    are you sure she acctaully said to wean at 8 weeks, i do find that hard to belive when most are disgusted at weaning before 6 months??
  • sarah-jbsarah-jb
    That does seem very strange, I would say either her hv was having a very ditzy moment and didn't really mean what she said or got confused with babies age, or your friend misunderstood? You say its your hubby's relative, have you spoken to her, if you get a chance maybe try and advise her to get a second opinion, if she is actually considering following that advice that is, she may know herself that its a bit crazy.
  • CupcakeLadyJCupcakeLadyJ
    My cousin started having baby rice in his bottle (or rusks I think) at TEN DAYS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    My Aunt was taking great pleasure in telling me too! She was gobsmacked we didn't start weaning Tobes until around 5 months ish!

    xxx
  • JunieMummyJunieMummy
    surely theres some crossed wires somewhere?? 8 weeks??? no hv in their right mind would say this??? she needs reporting!
  • gsmummy55gsmummy55
    Surely must be a mistake! Surely any right-minded health visitor knows this is wrong??

    I was weaned at 12 weeks and OH was more like 4 months according to his mum but according to his auntie she used to give him chocolate at 6 weeks old. Wasn't all that unusual 20-30 years ago, but definitely a no-no for me!


  • honeyPops10honeyPops10
    Without meaning to be rude, maybe she has said that she's doing it on advice of HV to justify it? As the others have said, I can't see a HV advising this & going completely against current advice.

    A relation of mine started weaning her 8 week old on rusk not so long ago as baby was taking 3-4oz 2.5-3 hourl, which I would class as normal or a growth spurt at that age?!

    I personally can't see why you would want or need to wean that early xx
  • cosmosuckscosmosucks
    i've just been on my fb and a girl i went to schoo with has got on her tatus about giving her baby boy farleys rusks today...i was sure he was still young so i went and noseyed on her profile, he's two months, he has his first jabs tomorrow!!

    she doesn't even have the excuse of being a first time mam or anything like the guidelines having changed recently as she has a 1.5 year old too.

    i would say something but she'll only get really arsey if i do so unfortunately i'm going to have to let her get on with it, even though she's forever going on about how fussy her other child is and how she's allergic to loads...gee i wonder why??
  • gemmiebabygemmiebaby
    lol...mummy and emmy-lee - I did that! A friend of mine put a picture of her JUST 3 month old on fb with chocolate all over her face! I commented that I thought she was a bit young for chocolate and she replied that Grandad had done it for a laugh. My immediate reaction was to say that I would kill my parents if they fed the boys chocolate now (10 months) let alone at 3 months. She just laughed. I was shocked, and still am to be honest! Her little girl is now 5 months and today there was a picture of her tucking into a cupcake! I give up!

    Some people just dont seem to understand the implications of weaning SO early. Why do these people want their babies to grow up so quickly? I hated weaning, and am only now starting to enjoy it, as the boys love food but cant get it quick enough so I spend my time rushing through feeding each of them! They took a long time to develop the hand to mouth coordination (and still dont have the ability to purposely pick something up for themselves) so spoon feeding was the only way for us (otherwise I would have 10 month olds eating nothing as they hate milk!) but at 8 weeks!?! Never!
  • cosmosuckscosmosucks
    it got worse...a few people commented saying 'awww' WTF?! but then she said she'd weaned her little girl at 10 weeks?!.... and her reasons for doing it...he's having a 6/7oz bottle every fours hours!
  • Dylansmummy-17577Dylansmummy-17577
    I've lost faith in HV's after one I saw told me that I didn't have to watch the portion control of oily fish as because he is BLW he will only take what he needs and will stop when he's had enough. Now forgive me if im wrong but the whole reason you avoid too many portions of oily fish is due to mercury content, now Dylans a clever boy but im pretty sure that he cannot detect mercury, let alone when he's had too much!!!!! It scares me as I know he's not supposed to exceed 2 portions a week but what about those that dont?

    I was talking to her about foods I cant give him yet, apparently he cant have pate (she didn't give a reason) or shellfish like prawns (due to possible food poisoning) or any kind of nuts (choking and allergies) plus I had to remind her about honey.

    We weaned early before switching to BLW, but 8 weeks is obscene!

    xxxx
  • lucyahlucyah
    my SIL weaned her son at 8 weeks and now he is 11 and the worst eater EVER!
  • honeyboohoneyboo
    A friend of mine has started weaning her LO at 12 weeks on...petit filous. Now not to offend if anyone else has done this, but is that really a suitable 1st food?!

    I was speechless but guess it isn't my place to say anthing to her.
  • mummyof2princesmummyof2princes
    my son is under Great Ormond Street Hospital for a rare metabolic disorder so they have to advise us every step of the way with weaning. We have had his first appointment to discuss what we can start giving him and he will be 16 weeks. They said they usually start weaning between 5-6 months but there is no way I would do it at 8 weeks!!
  • G-j-91G-j-91
    Maybe the HV did't actually say this, or there could be a health issue with mlk you are unaware of. HV's follow goverment guidelines
  • helen wood3helen wood3

    I personally think 8 weeks is far to young, but it also depends on the baby and how the mother feels about it. I weaned my daughter at 3 months, she is now 17 this was the advice given back then, it changed with my son. He is now 8 and i weaned him at 5 months. My baby is now 8 weeks old, and yes he is a hungry baby, but i will not even think about weaning him just yet. Perhaps using a hungrier baby milk may help! 

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