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I am struggling not to comment on this re: weaning babies...
in General chat
https://www.facebook.com/OrpingtonGossip/posts/376798482453965
"I strated at 2.5 months with all 3 of mine and NEVER used rice. Its just a thicker not actually food. I started on porridge and within a monthwere down to 2 bottles a day and 3 big meals x"
"3.5 months I weaned my first! His now 2.5 years and no problems!!
My daughter is 7 weeks tomorrow and I caught my son trying to fed her yogurt yesterday! Whoops she was fine but won't be weaning until 3 months at the earliest!"
"Gave my very hungry baby rice at 7weeks and turned out fine just go with what you feel is right"
Where have all the sane people gone?!!?!
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Replies
That's actually scared me! Like you said where are the sane people how can people think giving baby rice to a 7 week old is fine?!
Sane people are not on that thread obviously! Not worth arguing with them though, although my god, the first one at 3.5 months was just on 2 bottles and 3 meals a day?!?
I myself was weaned at a couple of weeks old - it was recommended by the HV to my Mum for my older brother, can't remember why now, so she did the same for me and she didn't know any better at the time. Apparently I was downing 9oz bottles of milk like no-ones business! Whether that's the reason I have so many issues around food or not I don't know, although my brothers are both fine - apart from my older brothers eczema, asthma, and various allergies, although his eczema was there when he was born so not caused by early weaning, and I guess you can never really tell if something is or not.
I see some of them giving the "he's a big boy" excuse - so was C (9lb baby), but I stuck with just BFing him for those first 6 months, and fortunately had very good HVs who didn't try to pressure me into weaning him early when his weight was going down a little more than they liked.
Makes me mad, going to stop reading it now!
I'm not even going to look...
I commented on a thread on Facebook, a woman was giving her 6 WEEK baby toast!! It drives me potty!
I think alot of this is down to education of both HVs etc and new mums, we didn't start weaning until 6 months and while when we spoke to health visitors this is what was advised when I asked one the reasoning behind it and where we could read up on it (as was explaining why waiting to others) she just said thats the guidlines, if people don't see a real reason they are more likely to wan early, our parents/ grandparents generation were told to start weaning at 3/4 months and this is the info that is passed on through a family without good argument as to why the guidline has moved then people will continue to do what has previously been done.
I think alot more people might hold off weaning if they realised even if baby eats a reasonable amount they simply can't absorb (Sp?) what they need from solid food. I really feel for the little one on 3 meals and only 2 milk feeds at 3.5 months.
Although I don't agree with weaning early and like WS won't be reading in case I weep, B did give U banana when she was about 8 weeks old and it did go through her
I remember another hitcher had the same thign with her older oen giving her LO food trying to be helpful!
Can I ask a thick question? what is the recommended age and why shouldnt small babies be weaned? I am completely clueless!
I'd be interested to read more. I don't understand either because we haven't taken the traditional weaning route.
Rod you need the gut to be matured which is around the middle of the first year.
Small babies need calories from milk, then there's obviously the choking risks/allergy risks etc.
Recommended age is around 6 months, as this is the age where scientists are sure that babies' tummies are ready. Some babies will be ready earlier but there is no way of knowing for certain. Minimum recommended age if you do decide to start early is 17 weeks.
What a bunch of loons on that thread, it makes me so cross when people dismiss guidelines with no resin why other than Mum knows best. I was lost for words at the Mum who started at a month :-(
So would you say 6 months was about the time for weaning?
Oh dear, I don't think I dare open.
Around that time, yes Rod. Before then, you risk more damage than you do good - your baby isn't able to handle the solids or process them, and their stomach is so teeny they need calorific milk a lot more than they need puree carrott, but, by giving them puree whatever, you risk the space being filled with something not as good for them.
Around 6 months was true for E. Generally, we were told at weaning that a babies body matures at the same time as their gut, so ability to sit unaided for duration of a meal, abiluty to chew and ability to take things in their hands to their mouth all begin around then, like the bodies natural way of giving a green light in saying, they could feed themself (and my E, did/does as we do Baby led weaning). We probably could have started a tad earlier, for us it were closer to five months when I knew E was ready, but given the guideline, knowing formula (or BM) gives her everything she needs nutritionally for the first 6 months, (then needs supplementing), we waited until 23-4 weeks.
Thanks. I'm getting all this knowledge in now for if it ever bloody happens!
QI- E did the same to M, banana as well. Gave him a real tummy upset.
Lots of people here often say their parents weaned at 3/4 months as that was what they were told. My mother is adamant that guidelines from her doctor were 6 months and didn't wean any of us until bang on 6 months. She has photos of each of us getting our first taste of puree food too (carrot every time) and we are at least 6 months. Just a musing as I found it really interesting.
My favourite is "8 weeks, rusk in bottle"
it has three thumbs ups as well 
I lost count of 'advice' that as E was big (9lb 3oz born) he needed 'feeding up' and how rusk and baby rice in the milk bottles "did mine no harm"
Admittedly from my friends mums and others from an older generation, but a friend of my mum's said "bollocks" whens he asked me at 8 weeks old why he wasnt on solids yet and I said he guidelines are 6 months now. Explaining BLW to her was a real experience!
J was a "big boy" (9lb 9oz), and my Mum constantly told me he needed solids. Funnily enough, putting him on hungry baby milk, and giving him more milk was enough for him.
We weaned at 5.5 months.
When I had C, I was told 4 months, and this is with him being 3 months prem too... Shocking tbh
I'm not even going to look as I'll start to seethe over it. O and L were both weaned at around 6 months, O was also suffering from eczema so I didn't want to put him a risk by weaning early.
It is shocking, I don't understand their need to rush, just enjoy them as babies. Weaning is messy too. My boys were 8lb 10oz and 9lb 6oz and both just had milk and I BLW at 6 months.