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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to give my daughter chocolate?

108 replies

SpiraelingSnowflakes · 21/12/2010 19:50

Ok, a brief bit of background first!

DD is a week shy of 6 months old. She is a bottomless pit hungry baby and enjoys 10+ long BF's per day alongside 3 healthy meals of porridge/fruit/vegetables/yoghurt/etc. Spoon fed currently, but I'm planning on doing a combo with BLW imminently.

For Christmas, we are going down to visit my parents (weather permitting). A few weeks ago my Mum suggested letting my DD have her first taste of chocolate on Christmas Day. She proposed some chocolate buttons.

I countered this with suggesting just one chocolate button, melted (and allowed to cool!) into some baby porridge. As a one-off special treat for Christmas, rather than becoming a regular meal-!

AIBU to allow chocolate at all?

OP posts:
BusyMisstletoeIzzy · 21/12/2010 19:52

YANBU, a wee bit of chocolate shouldn't do any harm. Too much sweet stuff before she's weaned might give her a taste for sugar though, so I'd keep it to a minimum.

BusyMisstletoeIzzy · 21/12/2010 19:52

Sorry, just read properly Blush and see that she's eating plenty already. Stil, best not to overdo it.

magicmummy1 · 21/12/2010 19:52

YABU. All chocolate should be reserved for adults, not children.

NotNowBernardImStuffingTheBird · 21/12/2010 19:54

I would let her grab one for herself, personally

As it's Christmas an' all that Grin

JiltedJohnsJulie · 21/12/2010 19:55

YANBU. Children should taste chocolate and learn that it is part of our diets, in moderation.

Have a lovely Christmas with your new DD.

nickytwotimes · 21/12/2010 19:55

yabu to put it in porrige! Smile

SkyBluePearl · 21/12/2010 19:56

it's really up to you and not your mum.

HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 19:56

YANBU.

APixieInMyMulledWine · 21/12/2010 19:57

I don't see why not.

I wouldn't melt it into porridge though, Just give it to her.

Have a lovely christmas.

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 19:57

I personally don't agree with this at all. I really don't understand why people give babies chocolate and the taste for sweetness so early. I never gave my ds chocolate and even now at three he has only just started having the occaisional cake treat although I still don't give him chocolate.

He loves fruit and chooses it all the time at parties whereas other kids are going crazy for chocolate. Don't get me wrong, he likes the taste of a bit of cake when he has it but hr knows it Is an occaisional treat

So it's not that you are unreasonable but more why give a baby sugar at such an early age?

nickytwotimes · 21/12/2010 19:58

lol at taste for sweet stuff

ever tasted breastmilk!?

sungirltan · 21/12/2010 19:59

i am of the 'don't demonise any kid of food' persuasion. my dd has had a few taste of chocolate - best thing about babies is they don't understand quantity - you can give them an atom at a time and they love it!

a tiny amount will do no harm but remember that if she doesn't have it - she will never know any different :-)

NotNowBernardImStuffingTheBird · 21/12/2010 20:01

MsKlo - been polishing your halo lately?

Wink
Firawla · 21/12/2010 20:01

i wouldn't bother putting it in the porridge she won't even be able to taste it then so slightly pointless? just give it to her if you want, its only 1 chocolate button i dont think it will be the end of the world

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:02

Yes nicky

My ds bf till 19 months and my 15 month DD is still bf

So yes, lol - breast milk they love!

But choc (which I love!) tastes so artificial

I'm not saying it's wrong as such, I just don't see the point and it's not something I'd do

Niceguy2 · 21/12/2010 20:02

No no, don't do it!!!!!! Chocolate now, what next? Coca Cola, Crisps, Cocaine? They all begin with C!

I gave my daughter a sip of coke when she was 6 months old and all her teeth promptly fell out and now she's a drug filled delinquent teenager.

Nah, not really. Despite both my kids eating chocolate and drinking fizzy pop on a fairly regular basis from a young age both are still alive, intelligent and their teeth haven't fallen out.

As long as your DD enjoys a balanced diet overall then chocolate is fine. Later in life it also becomes a very useful reward.

YABU, I don't think a handful of chocolate buttons on xmas day will make her grow another head.

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:05

Why polishing a halo? I am merely expressing my opinion - I do seem to get a lot of people having a problem with the fact I don't really give my children sweet stuff - i don't deny the eldest when we are parties but in ecstasy life I don't give him chocolate. Some biscuits yes, and plenty fruit

So why the sarky halo comment?!

NotNowBernardImStuffingTheBird · 21/12/2010 20:06

IME the gorging crap at parties etc doesn't start til they're about 4 or 5

When you suddenly have no control over the party bag contents

Or are able to restrict what they have from the party food table 'cos you're not with them...

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:07

Lol - ecstasy life! That should say EVERYDAY life!

Bloody iPhone !

NotNowBernardImStuffingTheBird · 21/12/2010 20:08

Wasn't being sarky

(note Wink)

pommedeterre · 21/12/2010 20:08

YANBU (except for porridge - just give it to her straight up Grin).
MSKLo - I think the danger with no choclate/just fruit etc being done too strictly is that they become 6 year olds obsessed with the stuff, eating it until they vomit given half the chance.

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:11

lol I can image 'notnow' ! But I have seen 2 year olds mad fir choc too!

I think for me, I know how I am with choc and I prefer to hold off as long as possible without making it an issue. They don't know what choc is when they see bars in shops but my ds does like cake but knows it's an occasional treat

Each To their own :)

peppapighastakenovermylife · 21/12/2010 20:13

mrsklo - not saying it will happen at all but that is usually the type of approach which is associated with the 7 year old who eats everything in sight at parties. They don't do it when they are tiny though...it seems to kick in later Smile

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:16

Pom - I never make it an issue and he can eat cake etc and even chic at parties/ meals out but I simply don't see the point of giving him it everyday and don't see this as a good thing

I know many people who grew up with this kind of stance and they are balanced in their food, if I denied him and made an issue of it, yes, I could see it being a problem but i don't

I want them to see sweet stuff as a treat which is why I treat It like that

But anyway OP, you need to do what you feel best for your baby

MsKLo · 21/12/2010 20:18

I really don't see how me not giving my children chocolate al the time is going to make them gorge later. Like I said, now my eldest is at an age where he is more aware, he I never denied at parties etc

He usually has a bit and wants fruit though!