Asalaam Alaikum
So when did you start to wean your children ie stop giving them breastmilk (if you were breastfeeding) exclusively? The recommended 6 months? Or earlier?
These days if you suggest weaning before 6 months the health visitor will look at you in total horror as if you have completely lost your head.
As a first time mum things can get a bit confusing. On the one hand, I had my mother pushing me to allow my daughter to try some food before she was 6 months with the attitude you had solids at 4 months and it never did you any harm. Then on the other hand, I hand the health visitors and most books saying to give solids before 6 months was a big fat NO!
So who do you listen to? Your mother who has experience of 4 children? Or the health professionals who have supposedly conducted years of research?
I listened to my child. She started taking an interest in food at 5 months. I held off for a further 2 weeks and introduced solids to her at 5 and a half months.
Now the health professionals are saying weaning before 6 months may be better. What next? Weaning before 4 months is better? I’ve stopped taking much notice of these so called health professionals. I trust my child and my instincts.
You can read more about the suggestion to wean earlier here
I don't have children (yet), but have done the theory side of things. Also the practical as i've worked with many babies who i've weaned. Sometimes the parents will instruct you on how the child is to be fed, some let you take control and others don't actually know what to do: where we step in.
I'll try and shorten it down š
Milk all the way through. Breast is best, but of course we would give them expressed milk in a bottle (i'm not a wet nurse lol) or just formula (parents wishes and all that).
I feel you can start weaning before 6 months. However you have signs and as you mentioned 'instinct'.
If the child is not full after a feed (after 4-5 months old) i'd say it'd be fine to try baby rice/quarter rusk soaked in milk. Just little by little, if it doesn't work, no problem, try at a later stage. If it does then you build it up gradually (e.g. half rusk > mashed veg > mashed banana). Remember to keep the milk feeds, but decrease the ounces in the main meal. : )
Further down the line the child can have water with solids so then milk feeds could just be before sleep times.
I could go on but i'll leave it there for now
Assalamu Aleykum,
Actually I definitely think that an early weaning can have devastating effects on a baby and toddler.I had to wean my son when he was about 2 months, as I lacked milk due to him being hospitalised for a while and hospital staff giving him formula instead of advicing me to pump my milk.My son experienced some tremendous feeding problems, he wouldnt eat anything solid but would only drink milk until the age of 4.I do believe this was the consequence of a forced and much early weaning.
I also think that breastfeeding has a lot more benefits than the formula milk which is, after, a chemical product.Therefore, I would encourage any woman to breastfeed as long as they can (the age of 3 would be the maximum).And ALLAH SWT knows best.
Essalam Alaikum, I like your blog, Masha'allah. I think that you should let your child wean themselves unless it's passed two years. I came to this conclusion based on not BF'ing past 2 years according to the Quran.
Wa alaikum asalaam. Glad you like my blog Jennifer š
Um Zakarya, I agree breatfeeding has more benefits and I agree 2 months seems to be a bit early… but 4 months seems ok if the child seems ready.
JazakAllah Khair for the advice sis yara.
I just found your blog and love it.
My baby is about to be 6 months next week. We are in the exact same position as you. Our pediatrician said we could try introducing vegetables and fruits at 4 months but Nora didn't seem to need anything extra so I didn't bother. By 5 months she seemed to want to eat more so I let her taste some pureed carrots but that was about it. Now that she is about to turn 6 months I have got out the steamer and blender and I made a batch of potato and courgette and pureed apple for her to start trying next week.
Welcome to my blog Amalia! Glad you glad it. š
It can be so confusing at times with so many different opinions! My daughter is 4 alhamdulillah so I don't have to worry about weaning now!
InshAllah hope Nora likes what you make her!
Asalaamu alaikum sis, I breastfed Zakareeya until he was 13 months old, and started him on solids at about 5 and a half months old. Thats what felt right to me and so far it doesnt seem to have done any harm alhamdulillah.
Oh, ive just done the '7 random things about me' meme!
Aqeela xx
Upppss of course I meant breastfeeding until the child is 2 max, not 3, as it's the islamic Sunnah.
Aslaamu Alikum
It is my understanding that it is the right of the child to nurse until two. You should wean between 2 yrs and 36 months. However, you must stop nursing at the age of awareness which would be 5 or 7.
Wa alaikum asalaam
By weaning I mean introducing solid foods.