Shocked by doctor re: weaning

[My_First]

Its 'recommended' to eat 5 fruit/veg a day, exercise at leats 30 mins a day, split your food into the 5 foods groups, dont have a BMI over X, etc.etc. The list is endless. Therefore, your make your own choices, and that of baby. Seriously if its 4 months or 6 months, its what works for you, really WHO CARES!

If someone here posted that they only have one portion of fruit a day or is a vegetarian (i.e. not getting all food groups) would there be so much of a debate...?

 

[hivechild]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1348093/So-IS-safest-time-wean-baby.html

For anyone who wishes to read, also mentions coeliac disease. I'm not sure what I'll yet with Louis - I was introduced to purees etc at around 4 months but was also breastfed till I was 22 months... I've no allergies, food intolerances etc. Each to their own, I think mums know what's best for their babies

Its 'recommended' to eat 5 fruit/veg a day, exercise at leats 30 mins a day, split your food into the 5 foods groups, dont have a BMI over X, etc.etc. The list is endless. Therefore, your make your own choices, and that of baby. Seriously if its 4 months or 6 months, its what works for you, really WHO CARES!

If someone here posted that they only have one portion of fruit a day or is a vegetarian (i.e. not getting all food groups) would there be so much of a debate...?

That's a bit of a strawman argument. As an adult, you're presumably educated and knowledgeable and making decisions that are impacting your own health and well being, and not that of another human being who is incapable of making that choice or decision for themselves.

Also, meat is not the only way to get protein and beans, nuts and eggs are included in the protein 'group' so Vegetarians are more than capable of meeting all of their nutritional needs while still following the 'guidelines.' There are also a lot of non dairy & meat foods that are iron or calcium rich and in several cases (with calcium at least) contain more than dairy and is better absorbed by the body so is actually more beneficial.

 

[Mya209]

^^ I think you're missing the point. The vegitarian thing was an example to illustrate her point.

 

[My_First]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1348093/So-IS-safest-time-wean-baby.html

For anyone who wishes to read, also mentions coeliac disease. I'm not sure what I'll yet with Louis - I was introduced to purees etc at around 4 months but was also breastfed till I was 22 months... I've no allergies, food intolerances etc. Each to their own, I think mums know what's best for their babies

Its 'recommended' to eat 5 fruit/veg a day, exercise at leats 30 mins a day, split your food into the 5 foods groups, dont have a BMI over X, etc.etc. The list is endless. Therefore, your make your own choices, and that of baby. Seriously if its 4 months or 6 months, its what works for you, really WHO CARES!

If someone here posted that they only have one portion of fruit a day or is a vegetarian (i.e. not getting all food groups) would there be so much of a debate...?

That's a bit of a strawman argument. As an adult, you're presumably educated and knowledgeable and making decisions that are impacting your own health and well being, and not that of another human being who is incapable of making that choice or decision for themselves.

Also, meat is not the only way to get protein and beans, nuts and eggs are included in the protein 'group' so Vegetarians are more than capable of meeting all of their nutritional needs while still following the 'guidelines.' There are also a lot of non dairy & meat foods that are iron or calcium rich and in several cases (with calcium at least) contain more than dairy and is better absorbed by the body so is actually more beneficial.

Agreed, but you are also educated to make those of your child. We cant wait for them to be old enough for them to make those decisions. The argument is that guidelines are guidelines, and we dont all follow them, you follow what works for you, and that of your family. If that means that your baby is displaying signs of weaning at 4 months or 8 months, s/hes ready when they are ready. Guidelines or no guidelines.

 

[PepsiChic]

Agreed, but you are also educated to make those of your child. The argument is that guidelines are guidelines, and we dont all follow them, you follow what works for you, and that of your family. If that means that your baby is displaying signs of weaning at 4 months or 8 months, s/hes ready when they are ready. Guidelines or no guidelines.

people might not follow guidelines to the T....but should try and stick as close to them as possible. they are there for a reason.

 

[elephant29]

Its 'recommended' to eat 5 fruit/veg a day, exercise at leats 30 mins a day, split your food into the 5 foods groups, dont have a BMI over X, etc.etc. The list is endless. Therefore, your make your own choices, and that of baby. Seriously if its 4 months or 6 months, its what works for you, really WHO CARES!

If someone here posted that they only have one portion of fruit a day or is a vegetarian (i.e. not getting all food groups) would there be so much of a debate...?

I understand what your intentions are but I completely disagree.

A baby is not capable of making an informed choice, we as adults are. I can chose not to eat my 5 a day because I know the outcome. I can chose to smoke.not smoke etc etc because it is affecting me.

However a baby has to rely on other people to make informed choices for them and I for one am glad we have such things as guidelines. I'm not saying I follow them to a 't' or an holier than thou cause I'm not. I would not just dismiss something that could have quite serious consequences though or write it off just because it recommends something different to what I am doing.

I DO NOT eat 5 a day, never have. However I know that the recommendation is there for a reason and not just to piss me off or make me feel guilty because I dont follow it. Same goes for weaning I think.

xxx

 

[My_First]

But they are just that. Guidelines.

 

[elephant29]

But they are just that. Guidelines.

Of course. They are based on research and fact though.

xxx

 

[AppleBlossom]

Although I agree in principle that you should always try and stick to the guidelines where a child is concerned, it has to be stressed that they're not set in stone. How many of you on here have or do co-sleep with your LO's? It is recommended that you shouldn't co-sleep because of the risk of SIDS but people still do it anyway. Who here formula fed/feeds? It is recommended that you breastfeed but not everyone does.

 

[louandivy]

Argghh I hate this debate because I always end up feeling like a massive hypocrite when I remember that I do co-sleep which is a big guideline-breaker

 

[Fabby]

And what we ALL say and agree on is .......... all babies are different! You do what is right for your baby! They arnt robots and they certainly weren't designed to follow a rule or guideline book!

 

[xemmax]

Although I agree in principle that you should always try and stick to the guidelines where a child is concerned, it has to be stressed that they're not set in stone. How many of you on here have or do co-sleep with your LO's? It is recommended that you shouldn't co-sleep because of the risk of SIDS but people still do it anyway. Who here formula fed/feeds? It is recommended that you breastfeed but not everyone does.

But if people co-sleep/formula feed it is because they see the benefit in it.

What is the benefit of early weaning? "My baby was hungry" > were they starving?

Please, someone tell me, because I see NO benefit at all and a lot of potential harm.

I'm not trying to offend anyone but I just don't understand what harm it would cause a child if you just wait.

 

[Mya209]

This isn't an argument, it's a genuine question - babies are born early/late/on time, they grow and develop at different rates. What if your babys digestive system matures early and you ignore the signs and religiously stick to the 6month guideline. I'm genuinely asking - is that ok? Or can it cause problems for baby getting hungry? I really don't know the answer.

 

[AppleBlossom]

Lol it doesn't make you a hypocrite though, it makes you a parent. Parent's that do everything by the book are few and far between. While one parent might never co-sleep, didn't wean before 6 months but formula fed, another may have co-slept, breastfed but weaned at 4 months iykwim

 

[elephant29]

This isn't an argument, it's a genuine question - babies are born early/late/on time, they grow and develop at different rates. What if your babys digestive system matures early and you ignore the signs and religiously stick to the 6month guideline. I'm genuinely asking - is that ok? Or can it cause problems for baby getting hungry? I really don't know the answer.

I think as long as they are getting milk they wont every truly be hungry hun.

Food before 1 is just for fun.

xxx

 

[louandivy]

This isn't an argument, it's a genuine question - babies are born early/late/on time, they grow and develop at different rates. What if your babys digestive system matures early and you ignore the signs and religiously stick to the 6month guideline. I'm genuinely asking - is that ok? Or can it cause problems for baby getting hungry? I really don't know the answer.

I was under the impression that in the first year food is just for fun and milk is the main nutrition. My friend went travelling around Asia when her LO was 6 months and for safety reasons like sterilising she continued to exclusively breastfeed her and feed her the occassional jar or banana. Her LO was not really on solids until about 10 months and she wasa BIG healthy gorgeous girl!

 

[My_First]

I was mighty annoyed when I left hospital with so much conflicting advice regarding breast feeding and my baby loosing weight. One was thats its cluster feeding, one was to top up with formula etc etc. I mentioned this to someone and they said, of course there is conflicting advice i as each baby is different.

The guidelines are a catch all, which, by definition will vary from baby to baby..

 

[julietz]

Its basically a mothers choise, like i said on page 6 mother knows when their baby is ready, its honestly 4months you can start weaning from, but its health visitors that decided to start at 6months, but some hv's are different and say 4 is fine, mine asked if im starting at 4 and i said yes, she was rly nice and fine with it.

 

[xnewxmummyx]

At the end of the day, I dont think that a woman on here who DOSEN'T agree with early weaning will change the mind of a woman who DOES or WILL wean early, it's your own personal choice, so arguing it out like your in court or something is just daft.

Guidelines are there just to say "the guidelines are there, if you dont choose to follown them, on your back be it" the same with the guidelines and recommendations are to breastfeed, hence no offers being allowed on formula or adverts BUT there are baby products on the shelves from 4months and this is down as STAGE 1 weaning. If you werent SUPPOSED to wean, surely the products would not be allowed to be on the shelf?

If 1 baby, tragically dies from pre-making a bottle for example, the guidelines and recommendations will say do not pre-make, and they are, but the WHO have advised on the safest way to pre-make. So if 1 baby developes an allergy to food because its mother chose to wean early, guidelines and recommendations will change accordingly.

IYKWIM

 

[vaniilla]

This isn't an argument, it's a genuine question - babies are born early/late/on time, they grow and develop at different rates. What if your babys digestive system matures early and you ignore the signs and religiously stick to the 6month guideline. I'm genuinely asking - is that ok? Or can it cause problems for baby getting hungry? I really don't know the answer.

no it won't/wouldn't cause problems, the whole point of weaning, even by definition, is for babies to get used to different tastes/textures, its not about how much they eat, babies take a while to make a connection hungry = food, when they're that young hungry means offering more milk, ost babies don't need extra calories til over 7 months and even then its a small amount