IS Food really just for fun before 1?

[Kmxxx14]

I hear this a lot but I'm not sure whether it's accurate or not. I remember with my son (now 5) he was on 3 meals a day by 1 years old - it certainly wasn't just for fun.

[Nowthereistwo]

I personally don't think so either. I think it's a saying to try and take the press off.

[Iwannasnack]

No. If food is delayed much past 6 months there is a high chance of iron deficiency.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

No. If food is delayed much past 6 months there is a high chance of iron deficiency.. I don't think the op was talking about delaying Weaning, just that it might to be essential to completely stuff them with food before one.

If iron is a concern, there are things you can do before 6 months like not have the cord cut until it's stopped pulsating and bf

[TheresABluebirdOnMyShoulder]

snack is right, evidence suggests that there are certain nutrients that babies need that they can't get enough of from breastmilk or formula alone after 6 months. Iron being one of them.

Have a look on the WHO website, they've got some good advice. Also the UNICEF website used to be a good source of info but I haven't been on there for a while.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Again, I don't think that the Foid is for Fun bit means not feeding your child. I just think it means that you offer them a range and variety of food and it's up to them whether they eat it or not.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Oh and cooking using an iron saucepan will also improve iron levels, for all the family.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

It's also not an official phrase used by any health campaign. It's just a common saying that people use to mean don't stress out about food.

[ILoveCheeseMoreThanYou]

Not cutting the cord until it stops pulsating? I've never heard that one before. How common is this?

[Kmxxx14]

Ok thanks everyone.

I did delay cord cutting and I do BF so she's hopefully not too low in iron yet.

She's not 6 months yet and I don't plan on starting until she is but I was just wondering how serious food should be before 1.

[picklemepopcorn]

The cord thing's been around for a while now, that the blood transmission isn't complete when the baby is born, and the cord shouldn't be cut too soon as it is still 'topping up' the baby.

[lozengeoflove]

Very common. Established practice in most hospitals I thought.

[ILoveCheeseMoreThanYou]

When you say delayed, roughly how long? All this is new to me, I really am learning something new everyday!

[TheSnorkMaidenReturns]

Just don't stress about food. Offer food and if they don't eat it, move on to something else or just move on. Keep it calm, don't worry about mess.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

@Kmxxx14 this on Kellymom is an interesting read on iron.

Interestingly, I never saw a single post from any Mum worrying about their LOs iron levels until a certain formula producer did an advert showing a baby with a huge bottle and implying that babies won't get enough iron unless we bought their follow-on milk.

[SnugglySnerd]

I think the advice is not to cut the cord until it stops pulsating, about 7-10 mins I think.
I started weaning DD at 6 months and although she tried lots if things she didn't really eat much until she was about 11 months. She is fine! I think the expression is because most of a baby's nutrition will still be from milk until they are one.

[NickyEds]

No, I don't think food is just for fun before one, weaning is a process and it doesn't happen overnight. Pp is correct that children can be at risk of iron deficiency if they continue to have lots of milk in place of food over 12 months old. It's a saying and I've always thought it just means to relax about weaning.

Ilove I think delayed cord clamping is now standard. NICE recommends no cord clamping until after a minute post birth I think- I had dd 19 months ago under hurried and quick circumstances and they still delayed clamping the cord for a few minutes.

[FartnissEverbeans]

JiltedJohnsJulie I'm not sure that's quite right - as I understand it, it's actually breastfed babies (beyond six months) who are most likely to become iron deficient if not given supplementary foods?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Really? Never heard of that. Have you got any links to research please?

[FartnissEverbeans]

Re: iron, I found this:

If you try to meet your infant’s iron requirement on breast milk alone, she would have to consume between 4 and 13 liters of breast milk per day, depending on your baby’s efficiency of iron absorption from breast milk (estimates range from 15-50% absorption). Most exclusively breastfed babies don’t consume much more than 1 liter of milk per day... Babies that are exclusively breastfed beyond 6 months of age are at higher risk for iron deficiency [5-7] than those fed iron-fortified formula.

scienceofmom.com

The website goes on to give various sources and explanations for why breastmilk might be low in iron (delayed cord clamping is mentioned, and something about babies eating soil ) but basically breastfed babies in modern times are probably going to need supplementation beyond six months.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

That seems to be quite different to the research shown on the kellymom link. Have you got a link please so I can look at the research they are quoting?

[FartnissEverbeans]

Sorry, links:

scienceofmom.com/2011/10/12/why-is-breast-milk-so-low-in-iron/

Also Kellymom has some stuff on iron and claims it's a bit more complex

kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron/#atrisk

[FartnissEverbeans]

Cross posted! It looks like not all breastfed babies will become anaemic but it can happen.

[EpoxyResin]

I wondered exactly the same thing when weaning. I found this "bullshitometer" blog entry which pretty much sums up how I see things.

[FartnissEverbeans]

EpoxyResin Interesting blog! I'm going to have a good read of that...

[Iwannasnack]

Interesting epoxy. I did a lot of research before starting to wean dc2 and I agree we've gone too far down the blw and waiting road.