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When did you start weaning?

I have the HV (well student HV) coming to see me next week to discuss weaning. Frankie is only 12 weeks so obviously not starting yet but i would like to start when she is 4 months. I know they recommend waiting til 6 months but i will be going back to work then and would like to have made a start on weaning before then. She isnt a big eater and has about 24oz a day, 4/5 bottles, so i think i will be told to wait. Just wondering when people started weaning and how they got on?

Replies

  • i started giving JJ tastes at 16 weeks just to get him used to it, he wasn't really showing any signs of weaning but i wanted to just get him used to it...however he had other ideas and is now having more than just tastes lol! he'll be 18 weeks on wednesday x
  • We've just started, Beth is just over 5 months. I didn't even talk to the hv about it as I'm sure they would have said to wait- but she was feeding constantly, every 3-4 hours overnight and more often in the day. And she's taken to it really well, eating loads right from the start.
  • well i will probably stir up trouble adding mine but here goes

    justin was 7 week
    maya was 10 weeks
    charlie was 8.5 weeks

    All my children were big babies at birth and by 4 weeks were all taking up to 9oz of hungry baby milk every 2 - 3 hours day and night

  • My lo was (and is) not a very big milk drinker so I waited until she was just over 5 months and I think I timed it perfectly. Any earlier and I think I would have had trouble. I wouldn't rush into weaning if you think lo isn't ready, they'll give you all the signs (waking again at night, not getting full from milk feeds).
  • 5 months for us xxx
  • I started my lo when she was 5.5 months, like u i wanted to start her on weaning b4 i went back to work, but at 4 months she jst wasn't ready, so i started her on t so that i was able to feed her when i came home
    xxx
  • We waited until 26 weeks as although he is a big boy and feeding 3 hourly including at night, I didn't feel it was food he was ready for. Am really glad we waited as that was best for us, but for others it's better to start sooner if you feel they need it and are going by health professionals advice. There was a recent article saying to start sooner especially if exclusiveky breastfeeding as iron etc it running low, but there are many more articles which state the supplies are there for much longer, they are just lower so vitamin drops can be used. If your HV advises to go ahead, you could always try Frankie with something, but might find she isnt interested or starts dropping milk feeds. However, you may find she loves it and it helps her, so it's up to you and your HV. Good luck whatever you decide to go ahead with. xxx
  • hey,

    I started weaning Louise at 16 weeks (18 from her edd) and progressed very slowly with it.

    We've had good and bad weeks with it, she's had lots of colds and has gone off food each time.

    I feel I did the right thing because i'm breastfeeding and knew that she needed the vitamins/nutrients from food at 6 months.

    It was my choice, if she'd not taken to it I would have stopped and tryed at a later time. Also when she went off it I just offered it but didn't worry if she didn't eat much.

    Now she's 6 months she's eating 3 meals a day including fingers foods.

    Every baby is different, you just need to look out for the signs to see when your lo is ready!
  • We started Alfie when he was 5 months + over Christmas. Thought he was ready and oh was off work so we did it together so oh knew what and how I was doing it. Going very slowly, still on 2 'meals' a day and am in no rush. Read a bit about Baby Led Weaning so plan to have a go with finger foods and other stuff soon. Bloomin' hard work though, now realise how lovely just a bottle was!!
    Good luck and you'll know when your lo's ready-I swore I wouldn't have a clue but you do! x
  • hi

    we started just before 5 months. just took it very slowly. he's not a huge eater but will eat. my hv actually agreed with me to start weaning early as he was showing signs...waking through the night, watching us eat, chewing.

    i think you just know when it's right. good luck
  • I started to wean Kelsie at about 20 weeks. She loved and still loves her milk. We tried her with weetabix, baby rice, fruit puree. Obviously not all on the same day. It took her a few attempts to get her to swallow and she looked really confused, but after watching us eat she got more confident and is now a really good eater. She'll eat fish, meat, veg and fruit without any worry. Jacks now 11 weeks and incredibly hungry and is now having about 6 or 7 6oz feeds a day so I think he'll be weaned at 16 weeks, maybe before but I hope not!

    xx
  • I started to wean Kelsie at about 20 weeks. She loved and still loves her milk. We tried her with weetabix, baby rice, fruit puree. Obviously not all on the same day. It took her a few attempts to get her to swallow and she looked really confused, but after watching us eat she got more confident and is now a really good eater. She'll eat fish, meat, veg and fruit without any worry. Jacks now 11 weeks and incredibly hungry and is now having about 6 or 7 6oz feeds a day so I think he'll be weaned at 16 weeks, maybe before but I hope not!

    xx
  • Evie was 5.5months. I had my MIL badgering me for ages to "ignore the hv's as they all talk crap and to wean her much earlier" but evie just was not ready. Some babies take to it much younger but 5.5 was perfect for evie!
  • Started to ween Zacky at 15 wks as he had started to wake in the night for a feed again. He wasnt a particlarly big boy weight wise but had been on 6-7 8oz bottles of hungry baby formula a day for ages. If I had waited to ween til 6mths as per silly government guidelined that will probably change again in the near future, I dread to think how big his bottles would be LOL.

    He has taken to solids like a dream, and is now enjoying lumpier food and finger food. Just wish I could get him to drink something other than milk.
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