Those of you with strongly held views on feeding, weaning and other parenting notions, how will you feel if (when?) the guidelines change again?

[BroccoliSpears]

I say "those of you", but actually I count myself as someone with strong beliefs about what is best for my children.

For an easy example, I firmly believe that breastfed babies don't need water until after they are weaned, often arguing the case with various sticky beaks who insist my 4-month-old is "probably just thirsty". I wonder how I will feel if in 25 years time my daughter is rolling her eyes at my old fashioned ideas and calmly pointing out that research has shown that it is very important that babies under 6 months old get a little cooled boiled water when it's hot...

My OP is not about bf babies and water (that was just my example), but more how you will feel if and when the guidelines change away from current advice.

What if they decide babies should be weaned at 4 month again?

What if they discredit extended breastfeeding?

Hope this isn't a contentious thread. Just something I've been smiling to myself wondering what will have changed and how I'll feel in 25 years time.

[StealthPolarBear]

i agree - hope i won't be saying "well i did X with you and you're fine!"
AFAIK weaning guidelines have always gone up
interesting question

[LaTrucha]

Accoring to my dad, they do always change every twenty years... which means I should give up what I'm doing and do what he did

[BroccoliSpears]

What if they decide it's in the baby's best interests to start potty training at 6 months? Would you not think to yourself "pah, bolleux, newfangled research, they'll come round"?

[StealthPolarBear]

or if they decide that actully babies should be left to cry at the bottom of the garden in their pram? and cuddles should be limited?
interesting

[lulumama]

i would look at the new research, but i am not sure if i would change my mind, as i have my strong beliefs based on what i feel is right based on strong research and evidence. and on the basis that what i believe cna do no harm, whereas someone would have to really , really, really , really come up with something stellar to now convince me early weaning is good and extended breastfeeding is bad.

if things are ambivalent, i would go with what i felt was the best and least possible harmful thing

IFYSWIM

i would never just say ; we did this and it did not do any harm' without looking at the new research.

early weaning is such a modern phenomena, the only way i can see it changing is to go higher than 26 weeks

[SixSpotBurnet]

I do wonder whether research will one day indicate that in breastfeeding we have been inadvertenly passing on toxins that have accumulated in our bodies to our babies and that they would in fact have been better off on organic formula cows' milk.

[Morloth]

Well I strongly believe in instinctive parenting so I doubt that will change much in time, unless we evolve I guess.

I am fortunate enough to have a large extended female network in my family and I pretty much do what was done to me and my siblings etc.

[PoorOldEnid]

I couldnt care less

I did things differently to my mum and my dds will do things differently to me

c'est la vie

[ParCark]

Message withdrawn

[ParCark]

Message withdrawn

[wehaveallbeenthere]

I don't know what the current advice is or what it will be in 25 or two years from now. I know if you google "what is the difference between breastfeeding boys and girls?" you get current research findings that boys do not respond the same way as girls do as far as health benefits.
I would guess that as you know your babies the way no one else can that you would consider all the advice, do your research and carry on the way you think fit.

[catweazle]

Well I managed to change my ways of doing things between DD1 (now 22) and DD2 (18 months) so I'm sure I'll be able to understand what is the "current thinking" when it happens.

(and I won't say "are you sure that's right dear?" )

[angrypixie]

HA! I fully intend to say

'Reeeeeeally darling, are you sure - well when you were a baby........"

In fact I can't wait!

[NorthernLurker]

a work colleague of mine was horrified when I told her about putting babies on their backs reduced the risk of cot death. She had four children (all now healthy adults) and she said 'no, no, that's wrong they'll choke' So I showed her the research and she was dismayed and wailed that she'd done the wrong thing! I pointed out that she'd done what the ebst advice was and it wasn't her fault or responsibility! I think in 20 years time thats what I'll have to hang on to. You do the best you can with the facts you're given. That and I think i'll pop to see my GP before any grandchildren arrive and get them to update me on all the current thinking!

[edam]

I'll be interested to see the reasons behind any change in advice. And hope that I'll follow my MIL's example - she has NEVER criticised, just said: 'Oh, that's strange, in my day we were told to give them the left over bone from the lamb chop to gnaw on when they were teething', for instance. Dh is a strapping great healthy 40yo so clearly didn't do him too much harm.

(Although I would be VERY sad if advice swung back to Truby King and 'cuddling a baby is wrong and will damage their character'.)

[PoorOldEnid]

babies sleep better on their fronts [wise old bird emoticon]

[edam]

I'm sure they do, back to sleep is a bugger. But proven to be safer.

(Enid, have you got any further with the reading?)

[ruddynorah]

i expect i'll mutter what a load of crap..in my day...never did mine any harm etc etc much to my dd's disgust. i hope she grows up to check things for herself and not just do what i did.

[StealthPolarBear]

my mum was horrified when she told me they just used to "throw my carrycot in the car" (with me in it obviously).
Till Dad reminded her that actually they'd drilled into the body of the car to install a great big system of straps - so not quite as lax as she remembers! Did the best they could with what was available at the time - all we can ever do.
(Although I wasn't much older when I rode in the boot of my uncle's estate car with my two cousins ... )

[harpsichordcarrier]

same as now - I will look critically at the research and be interested, but not that interested because I won't have any babies

let me tell you this though - they won't "discredit" extended bf for me because nothing can take away the joys, pleasures and numerous benefits of bf two toddlers to self weaning.

[StealthPolarBear]

unless they do prove that at 6mo it turns to coca cola

[harpsichordcarrier]

only if it is Diet Coke.
full fat = fine