Hey there, I'm a first time mum so this all kinda new to me. I just bought Jo Frost's 'Confident baby care' book and in it she talks about giving your baby baby-rice at 4 months, but my health visitor says you should never give a baby solids until they are at least six months as their bodies can't digest solid food until after six months... confused much?

Has anyone here tried solids before six months? And if so did it go ok and was the baby happy enough? I've also heard that giving them solids before six months can make them collichy?

Theresa

[Modified by: Nathans mummy on 01 September 2008 16:37:50 ]

Hi I started Kara when she was 5 months and I have had no problems at all and she eats well now. She will be 1 in 2 weeks. HV just go by the book and tell you 6 months but a lot of people wean their lo's well before that. It does depend on the baby too and whether you think they are ready. I would go by your own instincts as they are usually right.

They only say 6 months to coincide with the governments message of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. It depends on your individual child, my boys were weaned at 4 months as they needed more than milk and they were fine, also most stage 1 jars say suitable from 4 months,which they wouldnt be allowed by law to say if they werent, so weaning before 6 months is not dangerous or harmful, its just the latest nonsense from the department of health, no doubt in a couple of years it will change again.You know your child and will know when theyre ready, your hv doesnt x

There are govt guidelines & hvs have to be seen supporting that. Some a rigid & others understand that babies arent a one size fits all jelly mold & thats ome need weaning earlier. I would go with what your lo is telling you & babies only really get collic uner 3 months so weaning doesn't afaik, cause any colic symtoms.

i started at 17 weeks and this worked well for my l/o :) as the others said, just go with your instincts.
i am also a 1st time mum and i found using a book as a guide was a real help (i used the gina ford weaning book)

Wow thanks for all the advice! My lo has just turned 13 weeks today and he is always hungry so I might try introduce one semi-solid meal a day - just baby rice or something, but it's great to know that others have tried it before, I was worried I was going to cause him real harm by feeding him before he was six months. It's so hard being a first time mom here, all you have is your hv and some books that say all different things.

Thanks again!

Theresa

Hello, my lo is also called Nathan!! Your the 1st other one I've come across.
The 6 month rule came in a couple of years ago, until then weaning was recommended between 3-4 months, and had been from our parents and grandparents days. It is so difficult now to know if your doing the wrong or right thing. I find it a bit worrying that our generation of children are the 1st to be weaned so late. It would be awful if in a few years time health problems started coming to light because of it.
Nathan is 17 weeks now and we will prob start to wean him from next week as he's waking earlier so I think he needs it.

I started my lo at 4 months. As Emmalou85 says, baby jars are from 4m+, they wouldn't be labelled like that if they were in any way harmful. Personally I think 13 weeks is very young and I would put that down to a growth spurt, but it is up to you.

I have been giving Lily solids since she was 10 weeks- she is a very hungry baby and was downing full 8-9oz bottles. No idea where she puts it because she is not huge but gaining weight well! I started with baby rice after her first bottle in the morning, now she has baby cereal (cow&gate) which she loves. I am just starting to introduce another meal in the day and she is much happier.

She is 14 weeks on Monday and I have had no problems at all infact she is definately more satisfied with solids and she loves all the different tastes I have introduced. I spoke to my HV who said that I should do what I thought was best for Lily but I know some HV can be really against not weaning before 6mths. My OH was weaned at 8 weeks and he is now 25 and perfectly fine!!

Guess you just have to do what your Mother's instinct tells you and remember that every baby is different and nobody can really tell you what you should and shouldn't do. Guidelines are just that GUIDE lines they aren't rules and I think some HV should remember that.