Am I wrong to be giving toast to an almost 28wk old?

[supercherry]

I have been weaning my DS now for about 2 weeks, I am half doing BLW and also giving porridge and some things mashed with a fork. I gave him a piece of toast this morning with unsalted butter. He loved it. My mum's friend who is a HV said he shouldn't be having toast until he is 9mths. She got my back up a bit and I said I never listen to HVs as they all tell you something different (my mouth tends to run away with me sometimes). She said no mums ever listen and then they wonder why their babies have problems. My DS doesn't have any problems. She said their stomachs aren't ready for toast at 6 mths and I should be giving puree. Please reassure me she is talking poo.

[Denny185]

Id give toast

[DillyTanty]

she is an idiot. what utter bollocks. but it's okay, you can ask her to show you the research to back up what she's saying...

[MatNanPlus]

Listen to your gut it is right on the money unlike the experienced HV

[supercherry]

Thanks all that's what I needed to hear!

[likessleep]

no toast? new one on me. crikey, all the things we are told NOT to give our LOs! what is in toast that is so bad? only thing is gluten surely, but if there is no family history of this, then it isn't practical to avoid everything for any possibility!
stick to your guns and enjoy your lo enjoying his toast!!

[elmoandella]

wonder which hv school she went to?

[supercherry]

I have no idea what harm bread can do- I thought at 6mths they can have pretty much anything within reason. I did tell her he was having chicken leg and peanuts for his tea- couldn't help it!

[PortAndLemon]

Current guidelines say nothing about "no toast until 9 months". Advice is still to start off with purees but to introduce finger foods early on, whereas it used to be (I think) purees, then lumps, then bigger lumps, then finger foods.

Possibly "Interesting, what's the research that supports that?" would have been more tactful than "Oh, I never listen to HVs", though... but then, realising that you are her friend's daughter, not a client, and haven't actually asked for her opinion would have been advisable on her part.

[supercherry]

I 've got a big mouth then I always regret opening it later. I know I should've just smiled and nodded and then ignored the advice. I didn't ask for the advice though so it was a bit irritating. She told my mum when I had gone that she was going to get me some leaflets!

[sunnytimer]

Message withdrawn

[verybigbird]

P&L, thanks for the guidelines.
Our DS2, 7.5mths is eating buttered toast occasionally, and I did have worries about choking, but I sit with him and make sure he doesn't cram it all in.

It might also be a gluten thing. I kept DS1 off gluten altogether until 9mths, but with DS2 there is so much to do that I'm afraid I let him have the odd bit of toast if I'm making it for big bro. If you are worried about either choking or gluten, you could use alternatives like rusks (available gluten free, Farleys I think) or rice cakes, which are both advised from 7 mths.

[peanutbutterkid]

I was told (by HV, very recently) to avoid gluten until 6 months, not 9.

[MatBackFack]

what a load of bollocks. Both mine had toast from a few weeks after starting weaning at around 6m and have been fine on it. Her "advcie" seems very out of date to me.

[ThatBigGermanPrison]

Both mine had toast as soon as they could cram it down their ever open craws.

In facts, ds2 was eating peanut butter on toast at 9 months old. the temptation of his brother's was too much to bear and he crawled to it, having been completely immobile before.

She's talking crap, but if she's your mum's friend she is probably old fashioned.

[verybigbird]

Just checked out that leaflet, and on page 8 it suggests fingers foods including toast, pitta, chapati - but doesn't stipulate at 9mths. Where it is in the leaflet would suggest you introduce it when you child is ready to try different textures, which must vary a lot.

PBK - my dad suffered with IBS, and my brother has asthma, and a book I read (can't remember exactly, but by someone called Lucy something and entitled something like "Healthy Food for Babies and Toddlers") suggested slightly later ages for introducing food such as dairy, gluten, egg, etc. I stuck to her guidelines with DS1 (e.g. substituting millet for oats in porridge, rice & millet pasta) but with DS2 I have struggled to adhere to them so rigidly.

The NHS guidelines say wellcooked egg, gluten & dairy all fine from 6 mths though, you are right.

[mylittlepudding]

I agree with the no gluten til 9 months. I staggered all the introductions (have a latex allergy myself, just being on the cautious side) but I don't think you are doing anything wrong at all. I bet your LO loves it!

[mylittlepudding]

Should say 6!! sorry!

[Habbibu]

You could ask her about this quote "Evidence is emerging that early (< or = 3 months) and perhaps even late (7 months or after) first exposure to gluten may favor the onset of celiac disease in predisposed individuals." It's from here

[supercherry]

Thanks all- just the sort of advice needed! Will get her email and politley email her with information. I'm sure it would be doing some of the mums in her care a favour. Do they not have to keep updated with current guidelines??

[sparkletoes]

The Coeliac Society (for those who need to follow gluten free diets) advise that you should NOT avoid giving gluten after 6 months. This is because a baby with gluten intolerance may have symptoms masked and diagnosis would be more difficult.

[supercherry]

politely I mean.. I'm having real trouble spelling today.

[Habbibu]

Actually, having done a quick scan of pubmed, there are several swedish studies which suggest that late (= or > 7 months) introduction of gluten can increase the risk of coeliac disease. Have no idea whether there are conflicting studies to this, but at the very least it's something to ask her (all innocent).

[MatNanPlus]

I notice on that leaflet that it says it is normal for babies aged 3-5 months who have been sleeping thru to waken and it isn't a sign of needing solids.

AND

Toast is listed as an approved finger food obv. your HV knows better SC

[sparkletoes]

I heard that too Habbibu.

My mum has Coeliac Disease so I was naturally cautious about introducing gluten to my DS diet. However once I had researched it I decided not to exclude it from his diet. He is fine and healthy however as my mum did not develop the disease until she was in her 40s guess it may be too soon to tell...