Early weaning - Page 2

LuluBee · Jul 1st, 2009, 08:34 AM

Everything I've read and heard suggests that early weaning is anything before 6 months, beings as the 6 months mark is when the World Health Organisation recommend weaning.

But that is an 'ideal' it depends really on each baby, they show quite clear signs when the time is right to wean them. Alex was reaching out and really crying for food at 4 months and that combnined with him being very hungry and having a reflux problem led us to wean him then.

Don't worry you'll know when the time is right for your baby xx

brownhairedmom · Jul 1st, 2009, 08:55 AM

My doctor and all of my friends doctors have said that 6 months is far too long to go for babies without food, especially bigger babies. He told me to start at 4 months, and he said that there is talks within the WHO that they're going to change the reccomendation from staunchly 6 months to 4-6 months.

elm · Jul 1st, 2009, 09:11 AM

I think that before 6 months is early weaning. Babies get hardly any nutrients from food when they first start eating and if they're eating food they're don't have all the milk they need which contains the important nutrition.

As it's been found that babies digestive systems aren't ready for food before 6 months I doubt very much that WHO will change their recommendations. It's more likely that the law in the uk will change so that baby food manufacturers can no longer say their products are suitable for 4+ months. That's just my opinion though x

PeanutBean · Jul 1st, 2009, 09:13 AM

The recommendation is to wait until 6 months but it is strongly advised not to wean before 20 weeks, if I recall rightly that's because the swallowing reflex is not yet properly developed so presumably there is a much bigger risk of serious choking.

ryder · Jul 1st, 2009, 09:15 AM

There are all sorts of "claims" and reasoning behind waiting until 6 months... personally I dont know of anyone who has... Or anyone who would want to (locally)... Everyone is free to do what they want wither their babies.

I could never deal with frequent night feeding when it could be fixed with weaning... thats just MO though!

Mervs Mum · Jul 1st, 2009, 10:08 AM

I think it really depends on where you live as to the advice given locally. As a few have said WHO recommend 6 months as a guideline but Drs in North America definitely seem to go with sooner. Although I do think Drs in North America also are bigger on intervention generally with everything to do with babies. C-sections are very much the norm and women seem to have them at the drop of a hat where are you'd have to BEG for one here!!

For me early is before 4 months. I started at 4 with #1 as they advised then, and 5 and a bit this time

redberry3 · Jul 2nd, 2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mervs Mum

I think it really depends on where you live as to the advice given locally. As a few have said WHO recommend 6 months as a guideline but Drs in North America definitely seem to go with sooner. Although I do think Drs in North America also are bigger on intervention generally with everything to do with babies. C-sections are very much the norm and women seem to have them at the drop of a hat where are you'd have to BEG for one here!!

For me early is before 4 months. I started at 4 with #1 as they advised then, and 5 and a bit this time

Not a chance here. Our doctors here will do whatever they need to in order to not have a csection and then when it is medically necessary they do it. Csections have saved many of my friends babies lives....and it wasn't given at the drop of a hat.

As for weaning, we barely have ANY intervention here because we see the HV once for a general check up and then not again until 9 months, so we are pretty well on our own. THat's why I am just going with the flow and feeding him what I want when I want.

BlackBerry25 · Jul 2nd, 2009, 09:57 AM

It actually seems like the UK has way more intervention than we do. We can go to a health clinic for advice on weaning, but no one has ever told me what to do. All my doctor said was 6 months, but since Helena is pretty advanced, crawling at an early age, had good head control and was wanting to eat, he said to go ahead at 5 months.

It feels like people think that Canadians treat pregnancy as a sickness, and that we have a lot of doctors input into everything, but really we don't. I think you would be surprised.

I don't even know anyone personally who has had a c-section. Helena was sunny side up, and my doctor (who I only saw when I was starting to push) did everything he could, and didn't even mention a c-section to me.

Anyways, back on topic... I think before 6 months is early weaning, but sometimes I think early weaning is acceptable. It is an individual thing.

Mervs Mum · Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:29 AM

Thanks J & W - I think I must be getting a distorted view.
I have to say it's the US more than Canada that I've heard it from. I was starting to wonder if the Drs in the US were on a bonus system for c-sections!!

Wendino Heebs was sunny side up too!! I LOVE that expression!!

BlackBerry25 · Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mervs Mum

Thanks J & W - I think I must be getting a distorted view.
I have to say it's the US more than Canada that I've heard it from. I was starting to wonder if the Drs in the US were on a bonus system for c-sections!!

Wendino Heebs was sunny side up too!! I LOVE that expression!!

Probably is different in the US, and possibly in other parts of Canada. I actually wish I had a little more intervention. I pretty much just ask everything on here though.

I have no contact with anyone in Alberta Health from 6 months to 1 year, which is a pretty big stretch as that's when weaning occurs!

I know, I didn't hear the term sunny side up until I was in labour, and I had no idea what he was talking about

Jul 1st, 2009, 08:34 AM	#11
LuluBee Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bromsgrove Posts: 2,053	Everything I've read and heard suggests that early weaning is anything before 6 months, beings as the 6 months mark is when the World Health Organisation recommend weaning. But that is an 'ideal' it depends really on each baby, they show quite clear signs when the time is right to wean them. Alex was reaching out and really crying for food at 4 months and that combnined with him being very hungry and having a reflux problem led us to wean him then. Don't worry you'll know when the time is right for your baby xx

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Jul 1st, 2009, 08:55 AM	#12
brownhairedmom Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 6,444	My doctor and all of my friends doctors have said that 6 months is far too long to go for babies without food, especially bigger babies. He told me to start at 4 months, and he said that there is talks within the WHO that they're going to change the reccomendation from staunchly 6 months to 4-6 months.

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Jul 1st, 2009, 09:11 AM	#13
elm Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: United Slingdom Posts: 6,324	I think that before 6 months is early weaning. Babies get hardly any nutrients from food when they first start eating and if they're eating food they're don't have all the milk they need which contains the important nutrition. As it's been found that babies digestive systems aren't ready for food before 6 months I doubt very much that WHO will change their recommendations. It's more likely that the law in the uk will change so that baby food manufacturers can no longer say their products are suitable for 4+ months. That's just my opinion though x

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Jul 1st, 2009, 09:13 AM	#14
PeanutBean Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: May 2008 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 18,226	The recommendation is to wait until 6 months but it is strongly advised not to wean before 20 weeks, if I recall rightly that's because the swallowing reflex is not yet properly developed so presumably there is a much bigger risk of serious choking.

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Jul 1st, 2009, 09:15 AM	#15
ryder Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Belleville, Ontario Posts: 25,719	There are all sorts of "claims" and reasoning behind waiting until 6 months... personally I dont know of anyone who has... Or anyone who would want to (locally)... Everyone is free to do what they want wither their babies. I could never deal with frequent night feeding when it could be fixed with weaning... thats just MO though!

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Jul 1st, 2009, 10:08 AM	#16
Mervs Mum Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: somewhere over the rainbow..... Posts: 21,347	I think it really depends on where you live as to the advice given locally. As a few have said WHO recommend 6 months as a guideline but Drs in North America definitely seem to go with sooner. Although I do think Drs in North America also are bigger on intervention generally with everything to do with babies. C-sections are very much the norm and women seem to have them at the drop of a hat where are you'd have to BEG for one here!! For me early is before 4 months. I started at 4 with #1 as they advised then, and 5 and a bit this time
	Supporting birthing women in Yorkshire, Humberside, Manchester, Merseyside & the surrounding areas.
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Jul 2nd, 2009, 09:57 AM	#18
BlackBerry25 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 15,180	It actually seems like the UK has way more intervention than we do. We can go to a health clinic for advice on weaning, but no one has ever told me what to do. All my doctor said was 6 months, but since Helena is pretty advanced, crawling at an early age, had good head control and was wanting to eat, he said to go ahead at 5 months. It feels like people think that Canadians treat pregnancy as a sickness, and that we have a lot of doctors input into everything, but really we don't. I think you would be surprised. I don't even know anyone personally who has had a c-section. Helena was sunny side up, and my doctor (who I only saw when I was starting to push) did everything he could, and didn't even mention a c-section to me. Anyways, back on topic... I think before 6 months is early weaning, but sometimes I think early weaning is acceptable. It is an individual thing.

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Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:29 AM	#19
Mervs Mum Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: somewhere over the rainbow..... Posts: 21,347	Thanks J & W - I think I must be getting a distorted view. I have to say it's the US more than Canada that I've heard it from. I was starting to wonder if the Drs in the US were on a bonus system for c-sections!! Wendino Heebs was sunny side up too!! I LOVE that expression!!
	Supporting birthing women in Yorkshire, Humberside, Manchester, Merseyside & the surrounding areas.
Status: Offline

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