Weaning advice

There is a reason that the guidance is 6 months.

I’d speak to your heathcare visitor, some babies do need to wean early, it’s likely you’re LO could benefit from it, but I’d double check for certainty.

If you’re going to start weaning early I wouldn’t suggest porridge It’s empty calories and no real nutrients for bub Maybe some puréed meat Or even just a lamb bone. She may get satisfaction out of chewing something while the family is eating

@Rachel thanks. What is the reason please? I don’t know hence me asking for advice. My oldest child I had more than 10 years ago when advice was that it was ok to wean from 4 months. I am aware that guidance is now 6months but am unaware of the reason considering my eldest was weaned at 4 months and this was considered ok

@Shukri thank you I will do this. She just gets so upset and never seems full. But literally doesn’t want to have any more milk and gets frustrated 😣 especially when people are eating

@Bianca thank you. I didn’t realise this, I was just thinking it may have been the easiest food for her to tolerate. I will speak with HV and then look into purée instead for something with more nutrients for her. Thank you

Yeah definitely! Definitely speak to a professional. We all just come here with our own thoughts and opinions. I could definitely be wrong.

@Bianca thank you. No it’s very helpful and appreciate your advice. I wanted to speak with HV just for the ok to start early. As for food advice I will definitely be looking at something other than porridge

If she doesn't take more milk when offered then she is definitely full. I would therefore look for other causes as to why you think she's not satisfied. My baby acts like she's not satisfied or whinges after a feed when she has a bit of wind that needs to come up. The reason they say not to wean until 6 months is because their digestive systems are not ready for it. Even when you start, you'll find bits of undigested food in their nappies. And even when you do, the advice is one meal and a few spoonfuls max a day just to introduce different textures. In fact they say not to offer any more than that and to do so AFTER a milk feed because until they are at least 9 months old they NEED to get all their nutrients from milk. I made the mistake of giving my baby too much because she "wanted it". She ended up with really bad tummy pain and SCREAMED all night unless she was dosed up on Calpol.

The advice in weaning changes as more research comes to light and more evidence comes to light. Casing example being allergens like nuts and peanuts. The old advice was not to give any of these food items until they were 3. However, the amount of children with a serious nut allergy dramatically increased. So they changed the advice and the instances of nut allergies in people reduced. They did more research and has now found if you introduce early their chances of having one are reduced by up to 70%

@Bethan thank you Bethan. All of this information was very helpful. It has all changed so much since my oldest was little. I am literally learning all over again

Yeah honestly I got it all from reading myself because my partner has an epi pen for a nut allergy and I wanted to do all I could to hopefully prevent our daughter having one. Interestingly enough, it's one of the reasons to not wean early and he was given baby rice in his milk from like weeks old because "he was too big" ... 🫠🫠

@Bethan I didn’t even realise there was a connection. Thank you!! I’ll definitely start reading up myself. May as well start now seeing as I am up. Daughter is actually asleep it’s my partner snoring keeping me awake currently 😅 any advice on that (which doesn’t involve smothering him with his pillow) would definitely be appreciated 🤣

Sounds about right 🤣🤣. I tend to push mine until he rolls over 😂. Sometimes he's so loud you'd think there was a train running through the house.

@Bethan exactly the same 😅😂 they’re so loud I don’t get it 😂 I think if I push him to roll over any more he’ll roll out of the bed… as tempting as that is 😂😂

Have you tried loop earplugs? I wear mine every night and on really bad nights put a Bluetooth headband over the top with a sleep playlist 😂

@Beth 4.30am I did sit and contemplate earplugs 😂 He got up at 5 for work, I thought yessss I’ll get an hour or so and of course baby got up 5.30am 😅