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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be a bit shocked that people are still weaning their babies really early?

385 replies

bumbleymummy · 31/07/2013 13:17

I'm not talking about within a few weeks of 6 months and I know that some babies with reflux are weaned a bit earlier under the guidance of a paediatrician - I'm talking 3 week olds being given bottles of baby rice/rusks because they're big/hungry/whatever. I just can't believe that some people still think this is ok and will argue about how milk just wasn't enough for their baby at that age Confused

OP posts:
WestieMamma · 01/08/2013 19:25

Before anyone reads this and decides to embark on a bread based weaning regime at four months there was also evidence to support the recommendation of small amounts of gluten rather than large amounts as, I understand it, that made things worse.

In my area of Sweden the advice is to give a type of cracker-bread thing which is like an icecream wafer from 4 months.

IneedAsockamnesty · 01/08/2013 19:34

Overthe,

I am a plonker who forgets to hit refresh

ouryve · 01/08/2013 19:38

Neither of my boys were sitting unaided when they started on solids. DS1 did, however, start belly crawling at 4.5 months, which was hungry work for him. He was coming straight for whatever I was eating, so I caved and started him with fruit purees at 5 months. His first taste was of pureed coxes apples, so not even mild, and he absolutely loved it!

DS2 showed no interest at all until 8.5 months. He would neither accept smooth purees nor something soft to chomp on. We finally hit the jackpot with some mashed up Christmas dinner! He actually didn't gag on it - he's had issues with texture consistently, his whole life, though.

All a far cry from filling a baby up with empty carbs at a few weeks old.

emeraldgirl1 · 01/08/2013 19:54

Oh, thanks girliefriend and others!! Was starting to feel as if I'd done something wrong, despite the fact it has felt the right thing in spades... I suppose that the real answer, maybe, is that it's best to follow your instincts? As long as your instincts don't tell you to pop chicken mcnuggets in your week old baby's mouth, that is... :)

eddiemairswife · 01/08/2013 20:07

bumblymummy In the 1961 edition of Dr. Spock he says that doctors recommend introducing solid food between 1 and 4 months. He goes on to say that 50 years previously [the 1900s] it was at 1yr old they started solids.

portraitoftheartist · 01/08/2013 20:20

I stuck to the 6 months advice but has anyone else mentioned that babies must not go beyond 6 months on only breast milk or their teeth can be badly affected, needing many abstracted? I heard this recently from a dental expert.

OverTheFieldsAndFarAway · 01/08/2013 20:25

Sock, not to worry.

Feminine · 01/08/2013 20:44

portrait no, never heard that. I doubt it is true.

maja00 · 01/08/2013 20:46

Sounds like nonsense portrait. When babies breastfeed the nipple is drawn to the back of their mouth so the milk doesn't pool around their teeth - it's very different to drinking from a bottle which can cause problems long term or in the night.

Original poster
bumbleymummy · 01/08/2013 20:50

Don't believe the teeth thing either.

OP posts:
Chunderella · 01/08/2013 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whatshallwedo · 01/08/2013 22:25

A friends dd started giving her ds a bottle of chocolate milk before it went to bed so that it would know it was it's last bottle and sleep through - at 5 weeks Shock Shock

Some people do amaze me with their reasons behind weaning early!

maddy68 · 01/08/2013 23:14

Mine were both on solids at 6 weeks. They are still alive to tell the tale.

YoniBottsBumgina · 01/08/2013 23:19

Dental experts seem obsessed with claiming that random things affect teeth IME - breastfeeding, thumb sucking/dummies etc. I don't think any of them have any effect. There's never been any actual research, just dentists spouting that of course it affects it! I did a completely nonscientific survey on MN once about thumb sucking and "goofy" teeth and it didn't show any kind of correlation at all.

catkind · 02/08/2013 00:09

Yoni, surely noone would question long term thumb/dummy sucking leading to wonky baby teeth? Our dentist took one look at DS's teeth and knew he was a thumb sucker. It's totally obvious, top teeth stick out, bottom teeth stick in. DD who isn't a thumb sucker doesn't have that look at all. Do you mean whether it affects adult teeth?

Kungfutea · 02/08/2013 00:28

I think YABU to be shocked! People do all kinds of thing against medical advice with babies.

They smoke in the room, put them to sleep on their tummies, don't vaccinate them, put them into forward facing car seats too young or even just hold them in the car. I find those to be more shocking as they can actually lead to death whereas early weaning is less dangerous.

There's a bit of a culture of 'You know your child best' which allows parents to discard scientific evidence based advice in favour of parental instinct.

Snoot · 02/08/2013 01:01

It is one of my two real regrets in life that I didn't listen to baby and trust my instincts and introduce solids slightly before the 4 months that was recommended at the time. He was exclusively BF, 8lb 12oz & 58cm a little pre-term. He's now 14, 6' 2" and still growing, why should I apply the average? Rusks in bottles, no, but leaving y

Snoot · 02/08/2013 01:02

Sorry... Leaving your baby hungry when you know that is the case for the sake of meeting a proscribed deadline is entirely wrong.

thebody · 02/08/2013 03:58

Kung, seriously shocking that babies were put to sleep on their tummies?? why?? as a new mum I'm 1989 that's what I was told to do. should I and my generation have ignored medical advice? as that WAS medical advice then.

with child rearing comes books, papers, research and loads of cash opportunities.

thebody · 02/08/2013 04:14

again, there's a culture that says 'you know your child best that allows parents to ignore scientific based evidence in favour parental instinct'

thank god for that.

rabbitlady · 02/08/2013 05:39

people do terrible things to babies, believing they are right.

thebody · 02/08/2013 05:58

yes some evil people do terrible things to babies.

the rest of the human race plod along do their best.

thebody · 02/08/2013 06:53

rabbit, just re reading your post! this IS about weaning you know. nothing more sinister. 😋

pumpkinsweetie · 02/08/2013 07:10

I personally wouldn't feed a baby at 3wks but if someone else was doing that, it is none of my business.
I have however weaned earlier than 6m with dd3 and later than 6m with dd4 who wasn't interested until 7.5m.
All babies are different, and should be weaned accordingly.

pumpkinsweetie · 02/08/2013 07:11

But obviously not as early as 3wks