Weaning advice? so varied 😐

Question

In the U.K. we are told not to wean until 6 months. I feel my 18 week old baby is needing weaned he is a big baby. At my weaning visit she advised he could start stage 1 weaning (baby rice, veg and fruit). I've been giving him baby rice in the evening and I am going to start a second meal. I would like to start porridge for breakfast but don't know if would be better starting veg for lunch. Some books tell you no cereals until 6 months but is porridge a cereal.

I'm finding everyone's views all contradict each other. Advice from parents leads to disagreements because it's "changed since their days". But then did it really do other babies harm being weaned at 4 months. Is our poor diet and availability of fast food to blame.

Answer

I'm uk my hv is very happy for me to feed at 4 month they promote 6 month but are ok as long as it's not before 4 month.

Answer

I was told that we started weaning at 4 months in UK around the second world war. This was because the first infant formulas were not very good nutritionally and due to rationing it was harder for breastfeeding babies to get everything they needed. So people had to supplement earlier, but prior to this time babies were generally weaned when they could sit up and have more solid foods at around 6 months. 
However these days diets are good and formulas are far more advanced therefore nutritionally there is no need for babies to be weaned before 6 months.  
But culturally we are used to 4 months and companies such as cow and gate aren't going to encourage later weaning as it's less money for them. 
So in short early weaning isn't harmful just not always necessary.

Answer

I was told by a health visitor that if I felt milk wasn't satisfying my son that I could start weaning no earlier than 17 weeks but start with veggies (cooked with no salt as if I'd cook with salt for my LO!!) but I was advised to wait til 6months if possible. He turned 17weeks on Thursday and so far is still ok with milk but I'm reading up on weaning as much as I can now. Do what feels right for you and your LO and if in doubt, ask your hv for advice but remember it's only advice and you will do what is best for you x

Weaning advice? so varied 😐

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