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Advice re weaning?

Hi ladles,

I don't want a huge debate about whether weaning before 6 months is right or wrong..just need some advice on this

elliott is now 18 weeks old (will be 19 on Monday) and I thought he wasn't really ready to be weaned just yet bit looking at this website it showed all the signs a baby is ready to be weaned (below) and ifvypu answer yes to majority then baby is ready...

1. Is your baby over four months old?
2. Can your baby swallow food easily? Young babies can only swallow liquids - as they get older, they will drool less and start transferring food from the front of their mouth to the throat.
3. Can they sit upright, either on their own or with help, and support their head and neck well?

4. Have they started to make chewing motions, such as trying to chew their hands more?
5. Are they showing more interest in solid food? This is one of the strongest signs of readiness to wean. They may try to grab food of your plate.
6. Have they doubled their birth weight? This usually happens before or around their sixth month.
7. Are they demanding more frequent milk feeds and showing signs of hunger?
8. Do they seem unsatisfied and still hungry after a full milk feed?
9. Are they sleeping through the night? After a period of sleeping through the night they may start waking up for a feed.
10. Do they get distracted when feeding? Maybe they are stopping and starting feeds to play with objects or to try and chat.

Well I answered yes to all except, waking at night, doubling birth weight and still hungry after a full feed..I have noticed the last 2 days I have fed him more often though

Hubby was eating a banana yesterday and elliott grabbed it off him and managed to eat a 1/4 of the banana before I took it off him and he then started screaming as he still wanted it

so confused...does it sound like he is ready?? I don't want to be depriving him if it's what he wants/needs? Xx

Replies

  • Thought I'd add he was 2 weeks late and weighed 9lb 3oz he now weighs 15lb 9oz (a week ago)
  • Pb, I weaned Jacob for these very reasons.

    I am no professional, but years ago it was perfectly acceptable to wean a child at 4months. Elliot is obviously showing signs he is ready, and the banana incident made me chuckle!

    All you can do is try, if he isnt ready he wont take the food.

    Good luck and have fun experimenting!
  • we weaned jacob at 17 weeks, our area acctually encorage weaning earlier than six months, they advise 1 meal of baby rice from 4 months then purees from 5 months, and so on,

    sounds like all the right signs, if you have a nice health visitor it may be worth having a chat, i was quite worried about telling them we weaned early but at 5 months i got asked how weaning was going and so relived that they were not cross that i had started, they gave me loads of information about what they can have prior to 6 months and talked me through my feeding plan, i found them really helpful x
  • pp do you know if they can have salmon before 6 months
  • I weaned my DD for those above reasons. She was 18 weeks when started on a teensy bit of baby rice.
    I also did the banana test, twice just to make sure :lol:
    xx
  • Pb this is the exact same conversation I had with two hv. Both advised I wean and see how it goes. Because lo hated baby rice I never really started and tbh may wait until 6 mths, may not but if you think he's ready try it, just take it slowly if you're concerned at all
  • Thanks girls, think I am going to try him tonight again... Stramgely right after I posted this his highchair got delivered image

    Tbh I think it's better then getting to the stage where he starts waking in the night as I don't want it to become a habit and for him to continue it once he's weaned!

    Thanks again..know I can always count on you ladies! Xx
  • pp do you know if they can have salmon before 6 months

    ideally it should just be veg or fruit purees until 6 months to avoid intolerance, quite boring for baby, we did start mixing fruit with the veg which he seemed to like, we started meat and fish at 6 months along with everything else, hes not keen on fish meals but will happily eat a tuna sarnie image

    becca and jacob 30 weeks 6 days
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