The great weaning debate?

Question

I have a 17 week old son who, as yet, isn't weaned, nor any immediate plans to do so - he just doesn't show any of 'the signs'. However, without passing any judgements, I'd be really interested to know...
When did you wean your baby
Why did you wean them when you did?
What foods did you first try them on?
How was it?
I know there can be a great deal of conflicting views with regards to this issue - so I'd be really interested to hear REAL peoples views (not magazines, books, health professionals etc)

When I say weaning - I don't mean stopping breast milk, I mean introducing solids along side this.

Answer 1

I don't judge about breastfeeding or not. It is something some women take to easily and othes don't. Not to mention the health reasons that prevent some women from being able to. I much rather care that a child is being properly cared for and not mistreated.
I unwillingly had to beging weaning at 8 months because my milk production slowed to the point that my son wasn't getting enough at each feeding. I did continue to pump and was able to fill bottles to keep in the freezer so he had breast milk at least once a day until he was a year old. To supplement, I began giving him formula and when the doctor told me I could begin introducing baby food, I started giving him rice cereal in the formula for a few weeks. He didn't really care for that so we moved on to putting the cereal in a bowl and each week I would introduce a new fruit or veggie to give the cereal some flavor. My son didn't take very long at all to graduate to eating just the jars of food without cereal. I always tried to give him a wide variety of flavors and textures, even if it was foods I don't like (spiniach, squash). He liked the pureed spinach for awhile although he doesn't care for regular spinach now (he does eat the raw spinach leaves if we're having a salad). The bananas, pears, peaches and apples were always big favorites as well as beans, peas, carrots and corn. He made the switch very easily from breast/bottle feeding to eating from a spoon. We also began giving him some diluted apple juice when he began eating baby food. I continued to dilute the apple juice for a long time, even when others thought I was being wierd. My nieces and nephews were all being given undiluted juice and even Kool aid so our families didn't understand why I was diluting. I gradually decreased the dilution about every other month and he was around 18 to 24 months before he started having it undiluted. I did it the way I did because my son would often fall asleep right after his last drink of juice with his meals and I didn't want his little teeth to be harmed (some of our little neices and nephews now have terrible teeth) . Also the other kids around us were very hyper and didn't pay attention or obey their parents. We have rarely had that problem with my son. He is now five and loves eating vegatables, and fruits. He likes them so much I began a small garden so he would have a supply of tomatoes to snack on in the summer. I grow regular sizd ones as well as the tommy toes that he can pop in his mouth. My advice is to just stay tuned into your baby's needs. You know him better than anyone else and you will know when he is ready to try something new. Don't let others criticism stop you from moving at the pace that is good for you and your son. It is a terrific experience watching them go from each new step and trying each new thing. Best wishes to you both!

Answer 2

My daughter weaned herself from my breast when she was exactly 6 months old. I have no idea why.
We had just begun to really nurse at 2 months,(she was premature and had issues) so I felt it was too soon to stop. But she had other ideas. I was so sad, and I guess a little heartbroken. It was going so well and I felt she needed it for her health, and for bonding. I needed it emotionally. If I could have, I would have nursed until she was at least a year or so. It was the greatest experience of my life.
I started using cereal mixed with breast milk first, to give to her and then introduced some other baby foods a little later. She was around 7 months, if I remember correctly she started out on squash, carrots and peas. Along with breast milk in a sippy cup. She ate like there would be a shortage of food! She was so little that we had to roll up towels on each side of her and one in front of her to keep her from sliding out of the high chair!
She still eats very well, she is now 9 years old and is a wonderful little girl.

Answer 3

I'm sure you already know that by nursing your baby you are giving your son the best start. I nursed both of my daughters for 9 months. That was over 30 years ago and it wasn't the thing to do. I was the only one in the hospital that was nursing. I was determined even though I had no support. In my opinion you should keep nursing until the age of two. The first foods I introduced was rice cream. Made from brown rice ground into a powder and cooked like cream of wheat. Mash up avocado cooked apples and bananas. Very nutritious and yummy.

Answer 4

I didn't wean my baby, I just added to her diet. When she was 4 months and 1 week I introduced cereal (Nestle Cerelac). At 4 months and 3 weeks I introduced purity. If it is a little hot then I also give her a water bottle to quench her thirst. I still breast feed her 6 - 7 times a day (including evenings) and my baby is thriving. She is now 6 months old.

Answer 5

I have three kids (the youngest is 6 months).

With my first I breastfed until he was16 months. He started to self wean around 14 months. He slowly cut out feedings (he would just miss a feeding) until the last few weeks he was only nursing once, just before bed. I introduced solids at about 6 months. (When he was able to sit by himself with minimal support) I began with rice cereal then adding applesauce, oatmeal, bananas, peas, green beans, etc. After 6 months I also started him on some water and occasionally juice (after about 8 months). After 12 months during the day he drank whole milk.

My second child I did basically the same feeding routine. She nursed a few months longer and I kind of forced the final weaning stages (there was I time I thought she would never completely wean!) I pushed the final weaning because we were ready to try for our third child and I didn't want to be pregnant and nursing. I weaned her by shortening the time she was on the breast. If she was nursing for 8 min then I would pull her off after 7 min. and keep it at 7 min. for 2-3 days then cut down to 6 min. for 2-3 days and so on until I was down to about 3 min. then I cut that feeding. She was down to twice a day when I did this and I cut out the morning feeding first. This worked well for me, it takes some time but it is pretty painless. (My aunt tried weaning cold turkey and her breasts became engorged again (like when her milk came in) and she advised me not to do it that way. I am glad I followed her advise.)

Now with my third I am thinking about starting solids soon and introduce them like I did for my other children and also continue to breastfeed past 12 months.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Breast milk is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics up to 1 year. After that it is still okay but, in the case of my wife and I, we plan to try to move our son onto pumped breast milk from a bottle by 6mths. Of course, I know people who are still breast feeding at 2 years. That gets a bit wierd, I think.

Answer 7

All 5 of my babies weren't weaned until after a year. My 4th was nearly 2 years simply because she wasn't showing the 'signs'.

Answer 8

I unwillingly weaned my son at 13 weeks. I wasn't sleeping well and wasn't making enough milk to keep him satisfied. If your son is satisfied...keep nursing.

So he went to formula with a bit of cereal in it.

When he sat up fairly well I started feeding him stage one baby food. When he had no reactions to the food I home made baby food out of mushed vetables and fruit.