Should i start weaning my baby who is nearly 5 months?

Question

My daughter is nearly 5 months and is showing some signs of wanting more than her milk, such as, waking during the night when she usually sleeps through. I know the reccomended age for weaning is 6 months and im very aware of things about weaning before that time. But family members think i should start weaning her. Im not sure, any suggestions please? thank you.

Answer 1

Well, you coul try introducing solids, and still feed her her bottle less often, take it away slowly, not all at once, she needs all of the vitamins she can get from that milk.

Answer 2

The recommended age of weaning is certainly not 6 months. The APA recommends breastfeeding EXCLUSIVELY (no solids, formula or anything else) for 6 months, and then breastfeeding along with other foods until at least one year.

Your daughter waking during the night is not a reason to wean her. It may be a sign that she needs to nurse more at night. That is perfectly fine to do. She may be growing and needs to build your milk supply so that she has enough milk. Once the growth spurt ends, she may return to her old sleep habits, or perhaps not. The best thing to do if you're concerned that she isn't getting enough breastmilk is simply to nurse her frequently. This will help get your supply up to what she needs.

It is very normal for babies to change their sleep patterns - usually many times during their first year. Just when you think you have it figured out, they'll change again! It can be confusing. But it's also normal, and not a sign that there is anything wrong with your breastfeeding relationship.

Answer 3

Yes, if she is waking through the night it would suggest that she is needing something more than just milk, your health visitor would even tell you this. Start by giving some baby rice once a day, when you feel she is most hungry, this is most likely breakfast time as she has went all night without milk. Just start with a small amount of rice and gradually give her more, as she takes more rice you should notice she will not need as much milk. Then gradually increase to twice a day and so on Don't worry about the 6 months mark!! I had 3 children before 6 months was advised (it used to be 16 weeks) it has only been changed to 6 months in the last couple of years. I started introducing solids with all three of them at 16 wks and it hasnt done them any harm. I actually have a 16 week baby boy at the moment and I have just started him on baby rice. So dont worry, if your baby needs it then just go ahead.
(paddys wife)

Answer 4

If she's showing signs that she is wanting more than milk then I'd start weaning. Only a little baby rice mixed with her usual milk though. Give her a couple of weeks of this before gradually adding some pureed veggies. All 3 of mine began weaning before 6 months with no problems.

Answer 5

Did you know that *weaning* means different things, depending on where you live?

If you live in the USA, it can mean either
- that you are stopping breastfeeding and are now using formula
or
- that you are stopping breastfeeding or formula completely
or
- that you are stopping all bottles.

If you live in the UK, weaning means that you are introducing foods other than human milk or formula.
This is actually the correct use of the word *weaning.*
Weaning a baby onto solid food usually takes many months, as table foods are introduced slowly into is diet, starting at about six months of age.
Of course all babies are different. Some start a little earlier and some quite a bit later.

You may find this FAQ helpful:
When should my baby start solids?
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/solids.html

Answer 6

Who recommends weaning at 6 months? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for the first year of life and longer if the mother desires. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 yrs because of the continued nutritional and immunological benefits breastmilk provides. No reputable health agency at this time would encourage weaning at 6 months. :-)

OTOH if by weaning you don't mean completely stopping breastfeeding but rather beginning to introduce solid foods in addition to breastfeeding, around the middle of the first year is an appropriate time to begin introducing solids. Again, the AAP is now recommending parents hold off until after the child turns 6 months. Earlier solid feeds put the child more at risk for developing food allergies down the road. From 6-12 months, solid food is mainly for fun and practice. The bulk of the child's diet should still be made up of breastmilk.

It's very common for family members to pressure nursing mothers to wean as the baby gets older. They worry about baby's nutrition and development. But studies have shown over and over that extended breastfeeding results in healthier (less infections and chronic diseases), more normally developed babies (better eyesight and coordination, better tooth & jaw alignment). It's hard to imagine it now, but the cold & flu season will soon be upon us and most nursing moms find their children develop fewer infections and recover from illnesses more quickly than other family member or friends' children who are formula fed. The health benefits are also extended to you...you are at less risk of developing many types of cancers, especially breast cancer, if you continue to nurse to your child's first birthday or even beyond if you chose to do so.

If you need support for dealing with your family, look into a support group for nursing moms. La Leche League may have a local group. Your local hospital might also sponsor a support group. There are many parenting forums online where you can also get ideas for handling negative comments and information to help you with your decision on weaning.

Whatever you decide, remember for both your comfort and your baby's, it's a process not an event. Weaning cold turkey is not only traumatic for your baby but also puts you at risk of developing a breast infection. Take it slowly and watch your baby to make sure the adjustment is going OK, both physically and emotionally.

Good luck and congrats on breastfeeding for 5 months! That's a wonderful achievement and you've given your baby a fantastic start in life!

Answer 7

I have a 9 month old daughter and i started her at 4 months as i did with my other 2. All they say 6 months for is to stop the amount of obese babies. When i had my first and second child it was 4 months so i just did the same for my third baby. If it was meant to be 6 months then why do all the jars of food still 4 months on them? Do whatever you feel is right but i would say yes start now by seven months your daughter should be on food that contains lumps and if you wait until shes 6 months then shes going to be late at eating food containing lumps my niece is the same her parents waited and now they have problems getting her to eat anything. Where my daughter eats anything. Its your decision at the end of the day do what you feel is right, you know your baby better than anyone else you know what she needs so go with your instinct. You need to still continue to give her formula aswell i would say 3 9oz bottles a day and juice aswell.

Answer 8

For the past year now, I've been working at a daycare specifically in an infant room. First off I suggest you go with your heart. A book, family members shouldnt tell you when the right time is, everyone has their own opinion and since she is your daughter you know her best and you know her needs better than anyone. If she's waking up in the middle of the night and you suspect it may be because she's hungry, I would slowly start to impliment rice cereal mixed with breast milk if you are still breast feeding. Again, its completley your decision there never really is a right or wrong choice, every child goes at their own pace.

Answer 9

I weaned both my babies at 12 weeks-only started by introducing a tea spoon of baby rice mixed with the milk....but with my second baby he really loved his food and by the time he was about 18 weeks he could eat cereal and milk for breakfast,savoury and dessert and milk for lunch time,then a dessert and milk at dinner tea,then milk at bed time.
His always been quite big for his age and eats really well-his 2 and a half yrs old and slimmed right down,his only 28 lb and although he eats well his very active.
I say 5 months old is def old enough to start weaning!!!!!

Answer 10

The AAP recommends nursing exclusively for the first *6* months and then adding solids while you *continue* to nurse for *at least* the entire first year.

La Leche League suggests that the first solid foods should be bananas, avocado and pureed sweet potatoes.

Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:
Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.
We often state that a sign of solids readiness is when baby exhibits a long-term increased demand to nurse (sometime around 6 months or later) that is unrelated to illness, teething pain, a change in routine or a growth spurt. However, it can be hard to judge whether baby’s increased nursing is related to readiness for solids. Many (if not most) 6-month-old babies are teething, growth spurting and experiencing many developmental changes that can lead to increased nursing – sometimes all at once! Make sure you look at all the signs of solids readiness as a whole, because increased nursing alone is not likely to be an accurate guide to baby’s readiness.


There are some links below about starting solids that may be helpful to you.

Answer 11

Although the government suggest that you have to go by your instincts on this. If your baby seems unsatisfied by milk alone, is only going short periods of time between feeds or seems to taking an interest when watching you eat, perhaps now is the time to begin weaning her, you could try with her last feed at night a few spoonfuls of baby rice and then her bottle and see how she goes with that.Good luck and all the best with it.