Pressure from the dreaded MIL

[bellabingbong]

Bit of advice please girls - I've got 20 week old twins, (17 weeks corrected) and I am planning on weaning around 5/5.5 Months just to get them going and know it will be a few more weeks until weaning is established.

So the dreaded MIL takes every opportunity to ask why I'm not weaning them already - and that she looks after my nephew who has apparently this morning 'just demolished a bowl of porridge' and 'it never harmed my lot when I weaned at 12 weeks. Thing is - 2 or her 3 kids still suffer with allergies and bad heart burn/indigestion and it's taking all my energy not to go back and say - well you don't know that weaning them at 12 weeks didn't harm them!!

It's starting to really annoy me!!!! Anyone got a witty come back for me to go back to her with?!

But also in seriousness - I'm making the right weaning decision right?!

Doubting everything now 🙈

[Halebeke425]

Tell her what I told my mum - that it clearly harmed enough people for the government to change the guidelines which is based on research not anecdotal evidence and if she wants to take it up with your health visitor she's quite welcome to come to your next appointment with you to have it explained properly! Shut mine up 😂

[SandAndSea]

Could you say something like, "Well, we're all different! I know different people do different things but I'd really appreciate it if you could support my decision."

It's a gentle reminder to her that it's your decision.

[bellabingbong]

@Halebeke425 this is a brilliant response!!!!!!

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[skippykips]

No witty come back needed. Just say...
My kids, my choice! And I wouldn't say it hasn't caused much harm (then smile cheekily saying) DP didn't turn out perfect!

[PlaymobilPirate]

"We'll do what we think is best with our dc, same as you did with yours. Thanks"

On repeat

[MotherOfBeagles]

My mum has said a few times that he'll be so hungry if I wait to wean him. That we all were as babies that's why you should wean earlier than they say now. She's not nasty about it just genuinely worried. I just point out my severe ibs, her ibs and gluten intolerant and her sisters and her sisters kids are too. She sort of grumbles but accepts it.

Or simply? He's my kid and my rules with a sickly sweet smile

[Halebeke425]

I allowed myself to be bullied into weaning my middle child too early and it has caused issues, I won't be doing that again! Gotta be firm!

[mindutopia]

I would just say that isn't the recommendation now. We did BLW and didn't start until 6 months. My MIL and husband's family thought it was really weird as well. Not so much that we waited, but that we weren't spoonfeeding her purees and we fed her all these strange non-baby food like things. Fast forward a year from that and they were all so astounded at how well she ate and how adventurous she was and how pleasant meal times were with her and said they were telling all their friends about it because we must be doing something right for her to turn out like that. Sometimes you just need to keep on going and prove them wrong and they'll change their tune.

[user1493413286]

I don’t have any good suggestions about how to respond to her but I definitely sympathise! My mil kept going on and on about my daughter being weaned; suggesting it might help sleep etc until I got a bit sharp about it. Unfortunately even when it was old enough it didn’t end as she also doesn’t really understand baby led weaning and when I spook feed I get lots of comments like isn’t that too rich for her or she’ll say our baby doesn’t like that which doesn’t help with encouraging new foods

[eurochick]

Milk has more calories than mashed up veg so the hungry argument really doesn't work.