Weaning

There is zero nutritional value or need in it, milk is all they need until at least 6 months. It’s advertised that way as 4 months is the earliest age they are allowed to advertise for not because it’s beneficial for them, their digestive system isn’t ready

My health visitor told me to wait till six months as the digestive system isn’t mature enough to handle food this young

We aren't starting until at least 6 months,and we're going straight to food no baby rice or porridge

6 months

Unless advised to by a dietician there’s no need to wean earlier than 6 months. The 4 month labels are a marketing gimmick from the companies as they aren’t allowed to advertised first formulas. There’s no nutritional value in the porridge and can actually decrease the nutritional intake of baby as they won’t take as much milk. There’s also new links being made between early weaning and IBS in later life

My baby is already starting porridge and rusks with milk as he’s already on 8 ounces of milk. When he just has the milk it doesn’t fill him at night so now he gets some food and then a bottle at night, approved by health visitor

We are going for 6 months unless advised otherwise by a doctor or dietitian. Just because a company markets it as suitable for before 6 months doesn’t mean it is recommended. You know your baby best and if you want to wean earlier I’d recommend you speaking to a doctor or health visitor about it :) but look at the ingredients as some foods such as rusks are full of sugar and some baby porridges have unrecommended ingredients for young babies

I started my first at around 5/5.5 months. She was showing the signs (great head and neck control). Will probs do the same this time around depending on the same things. NHS has a list of signs for anyone unsure

The packaging says 4-6months cause they are a money making business and don’t have babies best interests at the heart of it. Everyone is different and some will choose to do it early anyway but do your own research on early weaning as it goes against all advice in the UK and USA. But defo ignore packaging, it’s like hungry formula or next stage formula, there’s no need for it at all but they market it as though babies do need it. Whenever you do decide to wean, I’d just get normal oats and make your own porridge for baby and blend it as it’s better for them with no hidden sugars ect x

Our little girl is 3.5 months and we have started giving her little bits of the banana porridge before milk not done her any harm

@Selina it’s the long term affects, their kidneys, liver, and intestines aren’t mature enough to break down all the different enzymes and things in food at that age. Evidence shows early weaning without guidance of medical professionals for certain reasons, has lead to gut problems in older childhood that remain for the rest of their adult lives. Everyone can make their own decisions but please make sure you’re making an informed one. 3.5 months is very early x

6 months definitely

I’m just thinking as he is on 6oz of milk every 3 hours and wanting more. Thank you for all of your advice x

I've started giving my 4 1/2 months old tiny samples of less than 1ml, like mashed banana, potato, carrot and broccoli. Only 1 sample per day and just so he can start slowly trying different things. He will not be starting properly on solids until 6 months x

@Liv What's the point of doing such small amounts?

@Louisa at this age they start to take more less frequently. If he’s asking for more add an extra ounce to his bottles. It’s not a sign to add solids it’s him telling you he needs more milk. If he’s asking was breastfed he’d start feeding for longer and be in control of making more milk but formula fed babies rely on us to make that increase for them

@Charley it's samples and literally just so he can taste food as he's interested in it and too young to start weaning so I don't feel safe giving him larger amounts. I'm from Scandinavia and follow s lot of the recommendations from there x

@Liv but if he's too young to start, and he's only having a taste rather than enough to make any difference to his hunger or nutritional intake, then why not wait until recommended weaning age when they can have a lot more food? I understand recommendations vary by country, but I don't understand the logic of having a small taste.

@Charley so he can get used to tastes and textures and to practice. It's also a nice way to just keep him included when we're sat at the dinner table. It's not to fill him up. Half of it doesn't even get in his stomach. You can start giving samples to babies when they're 4 months old and less than 1 ml adds very little to his hunger. Did a free course about this with the Baby Academy. Gives him a chance to play with it a bit and have a go with the spoon under supervision Why wait if he's enjoying it when it's just about tasting and using his senses when he enjoys it and is showing signs of readiness? You got more questions to criticise my baby's nutrition or are you going tell me how to do exactly what you're doing? 😊

@Liv I think it's really important for them to be involved in meal times and to play and explore food. When you say "why wait" I suppose my response would be because research has shown that early intake of food can be linked to digestive issues later in life. I'm just trying to get my head around the logic of saying they're showing signs of readiness, but they're not ready for a meal. They're tasting it, but half of it doesn't get to their stomach. I don't really understand that bit. I'm not criticising your baby's nutrition 😂 I'm genuinely trying to understand the logic. And I just don't. Like I said I know recommendations vary between countries

@Charley if you don't understand the logic, then you don't do it or try it but maybe think of how judgemental your questioning can come across just because it doesn't fit in with your personal logics. No wonder some mums are so anxious about getting absolutely everything right. The NHS has guidance on this so maybe read it and see if you can finally understand why some parents give their baby a few samples which is hardly to damage their babies. If you still don't understand the logics, then move on and do as you've planned to do. I'm sure you do things with your baby that I don't understand or agree with. Parents know their baby best and if a few samples that hardly even go in the stomach doesn't work out, then you'd stop doing and wait. Even when you start weaning at 6 months loads of it won't go in the stomach.

@Liv I have read the nhs guidance, it says "around 6 months"

@Charley there's also plenty of guidance from specific hospitals where you can give little samples at 4 months. It's guidance, not necessarily recommendations. Again, if you don't understand it or don't want to do it, then don't.