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When did you start weaning?

I know the recommended age is 'around 6m' - just wondered how many weeks your lo was when you started? Or if it was 6m on the nail? I am getting conflicting advice from the same team of HVs about when is best to start! My LO is showing signs of being ready but some are suggesting 5ish - 5.5 months to get them used to it before they start needing iron at 6m, and another today has said not until 6m bang on in case of digestion issues etc.

Replies

  • I started with Zoe the weekend after she turned 6 mths.  I plan to do the same with Orla.  

  • A few of days before C turned 6 months - I wanted to do BLW, which you're not really supposed to do much before 6 months, plus it's such a faff that I wouldn't want to be doing it early!

    I'm not sure what the "getting them used to it" is about, they don't need to go straight onto 3 meals a day for a while, and milk should be their main nutrition for the first year anyway - if you're concerned about their iron intake you could give him vitamin drops.

  • P was 6 months last Friday and i started on Monday.

  • 24 weeks so a tiny bit early but she was ready and took to it instantly. Only fruit and veg until 6months.

  • W was 4 months when we started (17weeks) we were advised by the health visitor to do so. I'm really glad we did because he's been so much happier since starting on solids. He seems hell bent on eating whatever I have, but I told him he needs teeth first!

  • Isla was 5.5 months and we started with a small amount of fruit purée at lunch time. She was still having 5/6 milk feeds per 24 hours too.

  • Isobelle was 25 weeks (so 1 week before 6 months) she'd been ready for a few weeks & was sitting up at the table with us chewing on cutlery & cups since she was 5 months. We started a week early as it was naming ceremony when she was exactly 6 months & I wanted to start her on blw when we were at home & both my hubby & I could focus on her. We started offering 3 meals straight away & it was up to her how much she wanted to eat.

  • Joshua was 17 weeks, I didn't fully understand the reasons for the 6 month guideline and mistook the 4 month growth sport for a need to wean. Wish I'd waited as it was a faff.

    Jacob was 23 weeks and we started as he was grabbing food out of our hands and eating it. Went very smoothly and I'm hoping to get as close to 26 weeks with Naomi as possible.

  • Henry is 21 weeks and has been so interested in food for the last few weeks that this morning I gave him a little bit of baby rice.....so we have started..the HV said it would help his reflux too and that we could wean slowly off the gaviscon..

    Why do all HVs tell you differing things tho hey!

  • A few days before 6 months here. He'd been sitting up and interested in food for weeks but I didn't want to rush it. He has his whole life to eat more! He took to it well but he's still not massively interested in food. We're doung purée and finder foods.

  • Bexy, that's so strange, the consultant that Zoe was under for her reflux told us that there was no point in weaning early presuming that her reflux was still under control with the medication.

  • Sammy was 17 weeks as directed by consultant as his reflux was still pretty bad even on drug cocktail. Obviously only puréed fruit and veg until 6 months. He was technically only 8 weeks corrected! he took to it really well and still does eat anything.

    Seb is 25 weeks and has been on solids for the last couple of weeks. He kept grabbing my food and is also still bad reflux wise. I also wanted him to be settled into a routine food wise before I go back to work in a month. I'm doing a mix. Mostly purée but the odd but of finger food too. He seems to be eating well so far

  • Both around 24 weeks as they both 'stole' food and ate it. If they'd not actively taken the food off my plate, I'd have left it a few more weeks.

  • E was 23/4 weeks. She was definitely ready earlier but keeping the guidelines in mind we waited a tad longer. As a result though,  E also ate very quickly,  we did blw so by 25 weeks easily  was getting some of what she needed so for the sake of a week, I wouldn't push starting early for that purpose.

    My HV also said 4 weeks equals a month so 24 weeks = 6 months whereas I took 26 weeks so depends on how you interpret the guidelines really.

  • C was 4 months (1 month corrected). 10 years ago, i was advised to wean at 4 months, even with his bowel issues.

    J was 5.5 months.

  • Thanks all. Sounds like most are from 23 weeks onwards.

    I'm not trying to rush anything btw, my lo is trying to grab food off our plates and out of my hand in the last week, and has been showing other signs in addition for a few weeks.

    All of the NHS literature states 'around 6m' so I don't think it HAS to be on the nose, I guess it's just how people choose to interpret it and what their baby is doing, when. I'll be led by him in the next few weeks and see how we go :)

  • We were advised by the HV to start at 24 weeks with purees.  We choose to go down the BLW route so started sitting A at the table with us in the highchair at 24 weeks, but he wasn't interested in food.  It wasn't until he was 25 weeks that he showed any interest in picking up food, and from then on he has eaten like its going out of fashion!  So a week early for us, but A was definitely ready!

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