What advice did your HV give you wrt weaning?

[VictorianSqualorSquelchNSquirm]

Me again, lol. Sorry!

Just been to see my HV (one who I considered quite clued up) and I was a bit about some of the weaning advice she gave me, generally pretty good, but there were some things she neglected to tell me and now I'm writing something about it on the blog, so good or bad (and I don't need to know if you followed it or anything, just what they said) what advice were you given about weaning?
Also, what year was it?

[VictorianSqualorSquelchNSquirm]

OH, also, meant to say (the whole point of me not just taking quotes from other threads and actually doing a new thread) can I have your permission to reproduce your posts on the blog?

[lulumama]

aim for 26 weeks at least to start weaning and no rusks, they are worse than chocolate biscuits.

[VictorianSqualorSquelchNSquirm]

I'm glad we haven't had rusks, I'd eat them all myself

[AnarchyAunt]

2003 and no advice at all - but thats cos I didn't see her between DD's 6 week and two year checks.

Best way IMO.

[CharCharGabor]

I was told not to start before 6 months at all. But when I actually started I was told to increase food a lot quicker than I was happy with. HV very supportive of BLW, saying that's what she thought the government were moving towards. You have my permission to reproduce.

[AnarchyAunt]

Oh yes please do reproduce!

[yomellamoHelly]

Was given some leaflet to explain it all. Ignored it and bought a book that came complete with meal planners, recipes etc. (Before ds1 I'd just forage for whatever was in the cupboards / fridge rather than planning to eat anything vaguely healthy instead.)
At his 8 month check I overhead a couple with a lightweight baby being advised to offer wotsits and prawn crackers (as high in calories). Was shocked and recognised this as ridiculous.
However at this check we were soundly told off for never offering puddings (ds had gone from 95th percentile to 25th). Dh (who was with me) really worried and shocked by it so 'we' agreed to always give him a pudding. Got into a massive cycle of ds refusing the main and eating the pudding which eventually escalated into ds (now almost 5) eating about 5 things when once he ate everything in sight.
Absolutely no advice second time round. But he gets no puddings and a healthy lot of meals planned in advance. Still eats anything and is coming up to 2. Have my fingers crossed. Incidentally ds2 was also born on the 95th and is now on the 25th! (Ds1 is under the 5th - unsurprisingly.)

[claireyBOOOO]

For DD in 2006-Was told I could start at 20 weeks to see if it helped her sleep better. Was told absolutely NOT before 20 weeks but wasn't told why exactly.

For DS in 2008-Took DS to be weighed at 19 weeks and was given weaning information. Told could start anytime but to wait "If you can". Was then told off (by different HV)at 26 weeks for not having started to wean.

Please do reproduce!

[FlabbyTumSquashyBum]

I was told to wait until 26 weeks if possible. I attended a weaning information class where purees were the main discussion - the advice was to make your own rather than buy them. I was never given any information as to why it's beneficial to wait until 26 weeks or why it can be detrimental to wean too early.

When I told my hv I was planning on doing baby led weaning her response was 'what's that?' [sigh]

Feel free to reproduce

[littleducks]

you can reproduce if desired

dd- (2006)health care professionals in surestart centre all very pro waiting till 6 months but no real advice given to me directly but plenty of leaflets available

ds- (2008) 'my' hv at 6 week check (not seen again tilll 9 months so weaning info given then)
"its best to try and wait as close to 6 months as possible, how long did you wait with your daughter"

me: six months

hv:OH

me: i did blw

hv: how did you find it

me: pretty good

hv in clinic at weigh in when ds was 24 weeks, "does he seem interested in food?"

me: not really, especially not at home, he is happy with toys if we eat out at a restaurant (had been twice that week, unusual for us) he does scream to hold food

hv: wait two or three weeks then

[FlabbyTumSquashyBum]

That was in 2006 btw

[lulumama]

that was in 2006 !

[fruitful]

2002 - ooh, she has started waking more in the night, and she's quite small, if you wean her (at 14 weeks) it will help. Funnily enough it didn't.

2005 - didn't bother asking for dc2

2007 - (unasked, when he was 8 weeks old) you must wean him 'on time' even though he was 7 weeks premature - so at about 5 months from birth would be good

[dippedinchocolate]

Have been lurking round all the weaning threads recently and finally cracked - here I am with my first MN post, have been feeling so and at the rubbish talked around weaning. Oooh, my first emoticons...(hopefully ). Have been cheering you all on in the Bounty wars from the sidelines but not been brave enough to dive in myself. Yet.

Aaaanyways - back to this thread. Took DD to be weighed at 26 weeks about two weeks ago. First time at baby clinic (and last if I can help it). Was pinned into corner by HV demanding to know how we were going with solids. Tried to politely explain that as DD was 26 weeks THAT DAY we had not really started yet - in practice she had bopped herself over the head with a brocolli floret and stuffed a carrot baton up her nose the previous day (my, BLW is fun fun fun). Given leaflet on weaning which I noticed said "Stage 1 is from six months" as HV blathered on about the importance of solids and getting on to three meals a day asap as I had waited so long to start. So glad they read their own literature. Also got a grilling about puddings - the need for lots of puddings - what on earth is the obsession HVs have with puddings?

In summary - given a leaflet which clearly stated not to start until six months and to talk to GP or HV if even considering starting before then. Given a hard time by HV handing me the leaflet for not having started way before. What a surprise.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

I had the same HV for both dds. He was really friendly and approachable. He gave me loads of advise on what to feed/what not to feed etc. He recommened weaning ideally at 6 months but never before 4 months and told me of all the signs to look for readiness i.e. sitting unsupported, showing an interest in food, putting things in her mouth etc. He also gave me leaflets and booklets and told me I call him about anything during office hours, even if it was for something silly like "Can my baby eat Rusks?"

He has been promoted now so we have a new HV but she seems equally nice and does local volunteer schemes on healthy eating etc. and runs the baby massage class so she has loads of tips.

Oh and unlike dippedinchocoalte my HV was not over keen on puddings and advised holding off on the sweet stuff as long as possible.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

oh that was 2003 and 2007.

[dippedinchocolate]

SheSells - can we swap HVs? Suspect the same one I encountered was also the one who told my friend to wean her DS at 17 weeks because he was big. Sadly, she did.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

NO I heart my HV.

Honestly I thought they were all like that untill I started reading stuff on here. My sisters HV was a bit batty. She told her to stop breasfeeding and start weaning and FF when her son was about three months because he wasn't putting on enough weight.

Apparently formula has more calories and is better for small babies. So why these neo natal units go the trouble of collecting donated breast milk for the prem babies is beyond me

[dippedinchocolate]

All HVs I have so far encountered are a bit batty - I will try to believe there are good ones out there, I will will.

[dippedinchocolate]

I will I will I meant to type. God, you can tell my heart isn't in it.

[VictorianSqualorSquelchNSquirm]

Welcome dippedinchocoalte, glad my thread could tempt you to post

[dippedinchocolate]

Still not brave enough to post on any other forum (fora?), frightened I'll end up covered in glittery flashy things and {{{{{{hugz}}}}}.

Mind you, if I dared to include the words "weaning" and "not a good idea at 8 weeks" in the same sentence on some other forums/a I'd probably just get banned...

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

HV with DD spurted out the general advice about 6 months.

Always maintained absolute surprise at my fully and exclusively b/feeding DD to 6 months and DD's continuous and extraordinary weight gain "considering she's such a big baby" (9lb 13oz)

When it transpired that DD had a cows milk allergy I needed help to get DD to drink vile soya milk. HV did NOT recommend continued b/feeding (she ought to have and I assumed you b/fed till 6 months and got them on to solids). When I enquired about mixing EBM and soya milk gradually increasing the soya content the HV said "ewww yuk that's disgusting".

Second HV was a pretty fab lady actually. She called us all in to clinic at 12 weeks to discuss weaning. She stated that she wanted to go over it at such an early time because she knew that despite the guidelines being 26 weeks, she knew some would start earlier and wanted to make sure they at least did the right thing. But she did recommend waiting to 26 weeks.

[HensMum]

I asked HV about when to wean when DS was about 5 months old so early 2008. She said that she had to tell me the guidelines and did so whilst rolling her eyes. I was told as he was a good weight and gaining weight steadily that I was in a good position (I think she meant to "wait" until 6 months) and it was up to me really but if I wanted to start before 6 months then it was baby rice and fruit/veg only. I mentionned that I had bought the AK book and she said to follow that as it was HV approved.

Luckily, DS didn't show any sign of wanting food until he was 6 months so I started then.

There was a BLW poster up at clinic so at least one of the HVs might have the right idea!