To wonder whether people get their knickers in such a twist over bought baby food

[pleasethanks]

I was pondering this as I watched the Jo Frost thread spiral into a ff/bf argument at points. It is clearly a very emotive topic and as someone who reluctantly formula fed, I clearly understand the health benefits of breast feeding. But this is again and again a topic which causes arguments on here and flinging of insults.

I really just wondered whether those people who get high and mighty about breast feeding and look down on those who didn't breast feed (and I know lots of people are pro breast feeding without being high and mighty) hold the same superior views when it comes to weaning on to solids. For example, do they all feed their children purely homemade food, rather than shop bought etc. I really just wondered whether homemade v shop bought baby food is the subject of such strong views, and if not, why not?

I don't think there are the same health risks with shop bought baby food as there is with formula feeding, so it's not such an important issue.

I'm pro BF but not militant and BF for 15 and 12 months.

I did prepare my own baby food and only used shop bought stuff very occasionally for convenience. I tend to view baby food in the same way as other convenience foods, that they are adequate for occasional use and extreme laziness but nowt else.

We have a couple of jarred sauces in our cupboard but largely cook from scratch now. Convenience food is the work of the devil!

I was given a really good recipe book that I got loads of interesting ideas from. My DD especially enjoys a wide and varied diet and I put a lot of that down to the food she had when weaning.

Re all this BLW thing. Are the advocates of this saying that all of us who fed our babies puree from a spoon were actively harming them? As all mine were weaned before this latest fad, I only heard of the whole thing from my sister who has a 6 month old. She said that it's supposed to teach them to recognise when they're full which doesn't happen when they're spoon fed which I find hard to believe as, IME it's virtually impossible to get food into a baby when they don't want it. Someone enlighten me, I'm genuinely interested.

We did BLW and now our DD refuses most vegetables and almost all fruit. I'd still do it again as I'm too lazy to puree, but i don't think it's the answer to all eating problems like I thought it was going to be!

Spud - you have really made me laugh! I fed both dds homemade foods and tried to ensure I introduced them to every flavour under the sun. Now age 6 and 4 they are the fussiest eaters I have ever come across and turn their noses up at everything I give them. That was a big fat waste of time then.

Spudulika

lol!

upsylazy - i do think my DD eats less than her contemporaries, in answer to your Q, but that could be due to a number of factors. I had to sit at the table until we'd cleared our plates as a child, and I now overeat, even when I'm stuffed. I wonder if that stage of life has more impact on later eating habits as I never leave anything on my plate. We don't make DD eat everything and we give her yoghurt, for calcium, whether she's finished or not. Hoping she won't eat like her mummy!

Upsylazy I'm with you there. Spoon feeding is not force feeding. god when I think of all the purees spattered all over my kitchen over the years, it's enough to make you want to wean them on gin.

lol at spudulike i mean

upsylazy I can't speak for other people but the choice I made for weaning was based on my own convenience not what was 'best' for baby as I'm not convinced there is one right way or wrong way. In the absence of this it makes sense to choose the method that's best for me

My DS is EBF but has the Ella kitchen pouches, or at least he did now they aren't enough for him, he can eat a child sized meal at 13 months.
However I think fresh fruit is essential, I have one child who stopped eating fruit at 18 months old and still will not touch fruit and veg if she knows it's in the meal, I hide alot but that's not a mistake I wanted to make twice (not that I know what I did wrong with her).

My two got what they were given, and were thankful for it

I would have saved an awful lot of my time, effort and strain if I had just got food out of the fridge/cupboard and thrown it into the bin bypassing the attempts to feed my first DC any solids at all in any form before the age of 2. Funny how a baby who was reared on basically just pesto and pasta until she was 2 at the age of 5 is a fabulous eater and loves new foods. Who knows if it will continue.

If you really think what you feed them as babies will impact the amount, range and variety they will eat when older you may be in for a surprise as they grow up.

I ate very little throughout my childhood until I was in my mid 20s (I was just not interested in eating), now I love food - it took a long time, my parents were beside themselves for years.

I'm of the lazy school of parenting too. Bf cause I couldn't be arsed cleaning and sterilising bottles and it meant i could feed him in my sleep too.

Then went on to jars and pouches, with a gradual transition to proper food. Ds is now 16 months and mostly fed on bf and normal food.

"IME it's virtually impossible to get food into a baby when they don't want it."

You need to meet my 76 year old mother and watch her demonstrate her 'stealth feeding' technique on a small baby. Quite terrifying.

.

To clarify:

Eldest breastfed only until 4 months, then had food added. Had a penchant for weetabix and homemade spaghetti bolognese. Refused baby rice and the donkey it rode in on. Continued with the boob until I got stroppy about being used as a bedtime dummy and knocked it on the head at thirteen months.

Youngest breastfed only until 5 months, then had food added. Had a penchant for ready break type porridge (used to carry pots of the chuffing stuff about, and bought milk as needed) and all things cheesy. He refused the boob from about seven months, and took to Farley's with eager ease.

Food was a mix of stuff to be fair. If I was making something suitable to their age I'd shove some in a bowl and beat the crap out of it with a spoon and offer up their share. If I wasn't, they got something out of a jar.

Baaaaad mummy

Hahahaha spudulika, you really know your MN .

Mine had home made food simply because I was brought up by the stingiest shopper in the world who passed on her ability to do "shopping maths" to me! I look at a jar that costs 79p say, and I think... "I could make 6 baby portions of home made spag bol! for that" and I dont buy it!

Also, I have found that feeding them mushed up versions of our normal dinners has meant that they are less likely to be fussy eaters as they dont have to go from the bland "jar" flavours to the stronger flavours we eat in our normal meals when they outgrow the jar stage. But I suppose suggesting homemade weaning food prevents fussy eaters will get me flamed and is another argument thread in itself! :o

Ah, I see it has already been covered! That'll teach me not to skim :o

christ, I never remember to buy enough dog food - if DD was relying on me getting enough jars in she too would be on my emergency standby sardines, pasta and an egg with a bit of kibble several times a week. Although she would probably have lovely glossy hair.

Goldrill, get Dentastix and you need never worry about teeth brushing either! :o