When should I start weaning my baby?

Question

Hello mums, I need some advice on weaning my baby. My little boy is eleven weeks old and has started teething already! A friend of mine told me to stock up on teats for his bottles as once his teeth are through he would just bite into them and go through them like wildfire. I have started giving him a quarter of mashed rusk in the mornings to start weaning him as this used to be done at three months and he is only two weeks away from that however after speaking with my midwife she strongly advised me against it as nowadays they recommend you start at 6 months as any earlier than that and it can cause problems for the child, like allergies, a stretched stomach, there is a chgance it could make the child obese also which is partly why this new feeding way was brought in.

I am totally confused as my friends and family who have all had there kids started weaning at three months and there is nothing wrong with them okay one of the kids is lactose intolerant but surely that cant be becuase it was too early can it?!

I honestly dont know what to do for the best, anyone professional I talk to about it gives me the text book answer and friends give me there outlook on it all, my hubby says to follow your motherly instinct but as this is my first I am a little unsure of what to do! Part of me says he will be fine as it never hurt us when we were little but the other half says dont run the risk of ruining his future by maing him allergic to things etc.

Please help, I would love to hear your views and opinions on this including what you have done with your little ones? Thank you in advance

Answer 1

In my opinion it's much too early to wean your son to solids now.  I agree with your midwife that you should wait until 6 months to start him on solids.  I started mine at 4 months on the pediatrician's recommendation, and I think it was a little too early even then.

You're right that when we were little our mothers started us earlier--I think my first solids were at 6 weeks!  But back then they didn't know what we know now about when babies are ready.  I did also have problems with allergies throughout my childhood, btw, although I'm not positive that it was related to starting solids early.

I don't know if you're doing breast + bottle or just bottles, but if the teething is the reason you're thinking about weaning, don't worry about it too much.  My little one is 12 months now, with 4 teeth, still breastfeeding, and I've never been bitten.  They find a way to suck without using their teeth, just like you can drink from a straw without biting it.  

Having teeth really has nothing to do with whether a baby is ready for solids either--it's more about when he is able to move food to the back of his mouth instead of pushing it out with his tongue, which will probably be around 6 months.  

Good luck, and congrats on your little one!

Answer 2

Okay, I agree with everyone else saying you are starting too early and should wait until 6 months.  Also, let me add that if you are worried about biting, keep breastfeeding until he does start biting, if at all!  Why take him off because he might?  You don't know for sure.  If he does bite, you don't have to wean him off of breast milk, just wean him off of the breast and pump and feed.  You should watch his cues on what will work best and if he can take solid foods or not.  My babe was ready for solids at four and a half months, but we waited till five and a half just in case.

Good luck

Answer 3

I started when my boy was 4 months. You should wait till at least 3 months. As to early can cause problems as you stated. But then you don't want to leave it to late and they find it hard to get into solids. Don't just do it because you want or because others tell you to and they get teeth. Look for signs form your baby. They wake more for food at night. They watch you when you are eating. Milk does not seem to satisfy. I did it at 4 months as told to by my HV. My son was 10lb 12.5oz at birth and I was finding that milk was never enough and he stopped gaining weight. So follow your HV instructions. They know what they are talking about. Don't force a baby into food too soon as it will have adverse affects later.

Answer 4

Hi there

It's difficult not knowing what to do, but on this occasion, I agree with most of the other posters - 11 weeks is just far too early to start a baby on solids. The ABSOLUTE earliest is 18 weeks.

I also have to add this: please DO NOT listen to Serenity's advice that babies need nothing but breast milk or formula for the first year - this is completely untrue, and delaying solids past six months can seriously affect your child's health. I think she might be confusing "no solids" with the fact that breast milk/formula should remain the bulk of a baby's diet, with solids supplementing this.

"If starting weaning at 6 months move straight to a full diet, including iron righ foods (meat, lentils, split peas, fortified cereals), as baby's supplies have run out. It is important to move rapidly with this process to meet nutritional needs." - from handout I received from health visitor at clinic.

Answer 5

Sorry I'm not actually answering the question but I was just wondering, what is the American definition of weaning if it's not starting solids and weaning the baby off milk?

Aha, thanks Pippin. I thought it might be something like that. It's only really a slight difference in language, as introducing solids is part of the weaning process.

Answer 6

I wouldn't wean the baby at all!  Breastmilk is absolutely the best thing for your baby for the first year, minimum.  Just because a baby has teeth does NOT mean he will bite you when nursing.  On the contrary, they usually want to nurse so badly that they do just that when put at the breast and don't bite.  I nursed my son until he was 1 and 5 months, and then he weaned himself.  I didn't want to wean him with tears, but didn't exactly want to still nurse a 2 year-old.  But when he was about 1 I just stopped the day nursing (except for before his nap) and he just naturally adjusted.  By the time he was 1 and  mo he was nursing only one time every other night, and so one night I just didn't offer, and he never asked again.  IT was perfect and natural, with no tears, and he's as healthy as a horse.  I highly recommend breastfeeding at least the first year, if your baby wants it.

Answer 7

I'm assuming that you are using 'weaning' in the British sense -- starting solids.

Your midwife is correct.  Current recommendations ('current' from the past 15-20 years) now recommend waiting until 6 months to start solids.  Babies don't need solids before then, and early solids have risks.

Unfortunately, many parents (and many doctors, nurses, and HVs) seem to be unaware of current recommendations, and continue to advise solids at 4 months, or even earlier.

I would stop the solids and go back to formula alone.  He's far too young for ANY solids.  Even if you opt to not wait the recommended 6 months, do wait until at leaset 4-5 months, which is earliest time solids can potentially be offered.

(While it may not have hurt *you*, many babies were, and still are harmed by early solids, so why take the risk?)

EDIT:  Laura -- in the U.S, weaning normally means stopping breastfeeding or formula/bottles, and switching baby to whole milk in a cup. (When solids are started, baby is NOT taken off of breastmilk/formula, nor is the intake of breastmilk/formula reduced. For the first several months of solids, they are just supplements to the milk which is the sole basis of baby's diet.)

Answer 8

No, that is way too young!!!! Their little tummies can't handle all of that, not to mention babies NEED the vitamins and proteins provided by formula/breast milk to help their bodies and brains grow!! The earliest you need to start supplementing with baby cereal is 3 months....supplementing, NOT weaning!  Don't start giving him cow's milk until he is almost a year old, and then only do it gradually.  Babies NEED formula or breast milk until they are at least 11-12  months old!

Answer 9

Your baby is FAR FAR too young to be having solids! Even if you did start early, antyhing before 4 months is just not a good plan. Plus, he ISN'T 3 months old yet-it may only be a few weeks away but a few weeks in a baby's life is a fair bit! Think how quickly they learn things and change over the space of a week.

Being lactose intolerant can have a LOT to do with introducing foods into a baby's sytem too young. Just don't chance it. Yes we were weaned at a younger age when our parents were raising us but a lot has changed in regards to the foods we eat, the things science has learnt,etc.

My middle son was weaned just past 4 months old. He was ready for it as was breastfeeding every 2 hours for about half an hour. I was only giving him a teaspoon of baby rice a day for a few weeks then upped it a bit. This was after speaking to my health visitor about it as I wasn't sure.

At the end of the day though, you need to consider what's best for you and your baby. Why did you decide to start weaning in the first place? Was your baby particularly hungry? Are there other options you could have taken-give more milk, go onto hungry baby milk, etc?

Answer 10

I never use pureed food, when babies are ready to eat something other than breastmilk they feed themselves.  For my first that was 6 months for my second it was 9 months.

The generation that started solids at 2 weeks to 3 months is not "just fine".  They have astronomical rates of obesity, allergies, digestive problems, eczema, etc.

All mammals are protected by the same thing -they can't physically eat food until they are physiologically ready to digest it. For humans this means picking up the food, placing it in their mouth, gumming it, moving it back with their tongue, and swallowing it. The most obvious of course it the tongue thrust that newborns have -this reflex actively keeps food out of their body until they can digest it. But the other steps all have safeguards as well.

For healthy, full term infants the ability to eat food develops around 6-9 months. In recent years there have been numerous studies looking at the risks of certain things (allergies, asthma, anemia, etc) in relation to when solids are started and almost all have shown that the lowest risks are when solids are started between 6-9 months.

However it should also be noted that babies with allergies may refuse solids for up to a year, and that breastmilk is nutritionally complete for at least the first year of life despite earlier statements that it is not. An unpleasant feeling in the mouth is often a first sign of allergy and may cause babies to spit out rather than swallow allergenic foods. This is a very useful safeguard that should not be overridden.

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/fit3.asp

You might argue, "Well, my kids started solid foods at three weeks, and they turned out just fine." The truth is, very few adults have perfectly working digestive tracts. Just look at all the commercials for heartburn remedies and stool softeners... "ever feel gassy and bloated after a meal?"

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids...

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

* World Health Organization

* UNICEF

* US Department of Health & Human Services

* American Academy of Pediatrics

* American Academy of Family Physicians

* American Dietetic Association

* Australian National Health and Medical Research Council

* Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

* Health Canada

Why Delay Solids?

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/del...

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/fit18.asp

No, you should wait until he is six months old, unless he is not gaining weight and your doctor advises you to start earlier. This subject keeps coming up, and the answer is still the same: the current recommendations (I didn’t make these up) are to wait until six months before starting solids. Starting foods too early can result in digestive or allergy problems later in life. We have learned that the old guidelines of 4 months are just too soon, and I am willing to bet that in ten years we will be recommending later than 6 months. But for now, the six month guideline seems reasonable. Click here, or here, to read previous FAQ's on starting solids or learn more by reading our Starting Solid Foods article.

WHY WAIT? 6 REASONS

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032000...

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintro...

It appears that a baby's general development keeps pace with the development of his ability to manage food in his mouth, and to digest it. A baby who is struggling to get food into his mouth is probably not quite ready to eat it.

Pureed baby food is 'unnatural'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/676279...

She said children should be fed only with breast or formula milk for six months, then weaned onto solids to improve control over how much they ate.

This could prevent babies becoming picky about food.

[...]

Solids best

After six months, Mrs Rapley said babies were capable of taking food into their mouths and chewing it.

Therefore, feeding them pureed food at this time could delay the development of chewing skills.

Instead, she said, they should be given milk and solid pieces of food which they could chew.

Mrs Rapley argued that babies fed pureed food had little control over how much food they ate, thus rendering them vulnerable to constipation, and running a risk that they would react by becoming fussy eaters later in life.

She blamed the food industry for convincing parents that they should give children pureed food.

She said: "Sound scientific research and government advice now agree that there is no longer any window of a baby's development in which they need something more than milk and less than solids."

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintro...

The babies who participated in the research were allowed to begin at four months. But they were not able to feed themselves before six months. Some of the younger babies picked food up and took it to their mouths; some even chewed it, but none swallowed it. Their own development decided for them when the time was right. Part of the reason for this study was to show (based on a theory of self-feeding) that babies are not ready for solid food before six months. It seems that we have spent all these years working out that six months is the right age and babies have known it all along!

It seems reasonable to predict that if parents choose to provide babies with the opportunity to pick up and eat solid food from birth they will still not be able to do it until around six months. The principle is the same as putting a newborn baby on the floor to play: he is being provided with the opportunity to walk but will not do so until about one year – because his own development stops him. But: everything depends on the baby being in control. Food must not be put into his mouth for him. Since it is very tempting to do this, it is probably safer to recommend that babies should not be given the opportunity to eat solid food before six months.

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintro...

Many parents worry about babies choking. However, there is good reason to believe that babies are at less risk of choking if they are in control of what goes into their mouth than if they are spoon fed. This is because babies are not capable of intentionally moving food to the back of their throats until after they have learnt to chew. And they do not develop the ability to chew until after they have developed the ability to reach out and grab things. Thus, a very young baby cannot easily put himself at risk because he cannot get the food into his mouth in the first place. On the other hand, the action used to suck food off a spoon tends to take the food straight to the back of the mouth, causing the baby to gag. This means that spoon feeding has its own potential to lead to choking – and makes one wonder about the safety of giving lumpy foods off a spoon.

Answer 11

Times and fashions in baby rearing change all the time as students produce Research Papers for their Doctorates.

For example, I was advised by the Health Visitor to start my baby on a spoonful of baby soup at 6 weeks and progressed to Felix rusks before she was 3 months old.

My first solid food was chocolate!  My mother's cousin who celebrates her 103rd birthday in 3 weeks, was also given chocolate to suck through a piece of muslin when only weeks old.

It is probably better to stick to whatever the latest piece of research shows or you will never forgive yourself if you fly in the face of it and your baby suffers from all those things you are told about.

Answer 12

Much much to early.. their tummies aree wayyy to fragile for that..Start with INFANT CEREAL or BABY FOOD at 4-5mths and risk rusks ect @ more like 6mths... everyone has an opionion how to raise their baby but thats much to early they really cant handle it ask any doc.. id trust them much moree

Answer 13

far too early - please follow the advice of the first answer! My daughter never chewed through her teats, you might find that your boy won't either. Only some children do this.

And food intolerances can come from early weaning - and many other problems including obesity, allergies (inlcuding asthma!), IBS etc etc.

If you must, with a professional's advice, you can start at 17 weeks, very basic food and following doctor's orders. Otherwise, leave it till 6 months.

Answer 14

I absolutely agree with the other posters.  It is much too early to wean your baby to solid food.  The sucking action is important to the babies development, in addition to the fact that their stomachs are not ready for solid food.   As for your friend's warning that you'll go through "teats" like wildfire --- Not necessarily!!!   Every baby is different and just because hers did that, does not mean that yours will.  I nursed my children.  My first got teeth at 2 months old and I suffered quite a few bites.  My second got teeth by 4 months and nursed until he was 2 and never had a biting problem. As a matter of fact, out of 6 babies in my home, only one ever had a strong tendency to bite.  Every child is different.  Babies don't have to have anything other than the nutrition of breast milk or formula until they are a year old.  As your child begins to need more to fill him/her up (at about 6 months) you can slowly add rice cereal to the diet -- usually in the bottle.  Add other foods very slowly, but still, up until they are a year old, the primary source of nutrition should be breast milk or formula.  

Just as a side note, my sister in law just had twins.  They are about 8 weeks old now and they were not born small or premature.  The doctor told my SIL that at this stage, the babies intestines were just beginning to develop.  That doesn't mean they didn't exist before, but that they were becoming what they would need to be in order to process adult food.  At just 3 weeks beyond the twins' age, you are thinking of putting solid food into your baby's  developing intestines -- Before they have matured to the point of being able to process other foods.  Maybe that will help you make your decision.  I wouldn't want to stress my baby's organs with activity they weren't prepared for.  That would be like trying to make a heart patient run a marathon wouldn't it?

If that sounds judgmental, it wasn't intended that way.  The info about the intestines is something I didn't know when my children were small.  I do know that one of my children did not eat solid food much until he was 14 months old.  His body couldn't tolerate it.  Maybe that has something to do with it.  (?)

Best of luck to you.