for thinking that: "because it always been done like that"

[3LoveHeartsAndNoMore]

just doesn't cut it as an argument?
It's funny we live in a society where new things are lapped up...but when it comes to parenting the whole ole...but our parents did or it;s always been done like that...suddenly becomes a valid argument...just because it fits the bill...I mean...wtf...lets just ignore all the new research then right...saying that though, we might aswell scrab it all, because it wold safe money...just lets plod on wihtout knowing any better then, yeah....thumping my head agaisnt a brick wall for sure, sigh....

there is a programme on channel 4 tonight called 'never did me any harm'

Baby rice initially, then pureed fruit etc. They were much more satisfied once I'd introduced solids. However, my point is about how the advice changes constantly. Advice also often travels in cycles and repeats itself every few years according to what's fashionable.

Dizzy apt title in lihgt of the discussion, however, I thik that programme refers more to general life when we were parents, and is to show the Kids how different it is, etc...
mihgt got that wrong off course and might well be thinking of a completely different programme, lol!

Dizzy - lol - I saw the trailer for that and immediately thought of this thread

they should do a follow up show..about weaning.

DB, it's about children doing chores, working for pocket money, etc.

yes i had a look at what it was about, just thought it was funny it was on tonight after a few of the threads on here today. i'll be watching the verdict anyway.

That's good too (have worked on both progs today )

Well, its pertinent. If they are waving their arms around and can grip something, instinct tells me they can grab a feather duster and do some housework too. Clearly they are bored....

Seriously.

WHO guidelines Do Not Change Frequently.

Baby rice and/or fruit/veg purees Do Not Have More Calories Than B/milk or Formula. If you want to give solids then all power to you. But not in the name of guidelines always changing and milk wasnt satisfying enough for an under 1 year old.

I personally think that often these days, instincts can be overtaken sometimes by the fact that peers LO's are doing something that ours isnt......

there does seem an awful rush about getting "proper" food (not that I'd call babyrice, etc...proper, but you get the drift) down the Baby....like it's a great achievement or something...I just ask myself WHY

my health visitor told me that current WHO guidelines on weaning were based on reasearch in developing countries where the only safe thing to feed a young baby is breast milk?

if the guidelines don't change frequently then how come i was told,just 9 years ago,to wean my first child at 3 months then my 2nd and 3rd children at 4 months,and my 4th child at 6 months?!

by the time i have grandchildren they'll be advising parents to wean no earlier than 5 years at this rate

then you need to tell your health visitor to read the information properly, not translate it for her own convenience.

diva, that the current weaning advice was only changed to what it is had nothing to do with the reseearch concluding it was misrusted, but that maternitylaws had first to be changed before they were willing to change the advice, which is sad in itself.

The awful rush (agree, 3&nomore) is promoted avidly by baby food companies who still advertise their products as being from 4 months and send out those nice letters (+ free samples) that it is an absolute necessity that baby has his/her first midday veg puree from 4 months on...

dizzy-i havent seen her since dd2 was 3 months old(shes now 14 months).i tend to let anything hv's say go in one ear and out the other tbh.i will be looking into the weaning thing myself,though,when i've had this baby,like i did with the formula thing.the way i see it,guidelines and advice are just that,something that should be taken into consideration when deciding whats right for your child,but not something thats set in stone.

I wasn't looking forward to solids - just saw it as a faff
Started ds at 6.5 months, in a sort of BLW way. It was absolutely right for him and us.

Its not guidelines that have changed, its the HV's.....

Thinking about this - I believe we're in a period of huge flux wrt parenting practices. I think things are changing more quickly now than they have in the past and will in the future.

What is mean is, I think there are 3 phases to parenting practices. Using for example MrsBadger's metaphor of eating rhubarb in pregnancy:

Phase 1: You do as advised by your mum, sisters, friends. Each person's advice is based on a knowledge of a tiny number of babies (tens or a few hundreds). They all ate rhubarb in pregnancy and "it never did me any harm".

Phase 2: Proper evidence based population research comes out, showing that eating rhubarb in pregnancy carries a risk of a rare but devastating complication. In 1 in every 10 million mums, rhubarb causes the baby to grow an extra head and dress up as a Star Trek character.

The problem is, you can't tell who is at risk. So Public Health bodies advise that all mothers avoid rhubarb. As the result of a "Crumble Out Rhubarb" campaign, incidences of 2 headed Spock impersonators decline rapidly and everyone heaves a sigh of relief.

But the price is high. For every 1-in-10-million babies that is saved, there are 1-in-10-million-minus-1 women who are being denied a lovely pudding.

Eventually, further research leads to :

Phase 3: It is discovered that the problem only occurs in women lacking the enzyme Rhubarb Antiklingonase. Testing for this enzyme becomes standard antenatal practice. A few women are warned off rhubarb and the rest are told it is perfectly safe.

---

Well, for a lot of the issues we discuss here like weaning and cot death, the research is still at phase 2. We know certain things are risky, we know the risk probably doesn't apply to everyone, but we don't know whether the risk applies to our own child or not.

To me, it seems obvious with phase 2 stuff to avoid rhubarb, ie always to choose the path of lesser risk. My children might discover that avoiding rhubarb was unnecessary. I am fine with that. I can say, "I looked at the risks and took the best decision I could at the time."

You can't do better than that imo.

Yikes, just reread that - what a boring ramble. I think rhubarb is yummy, incidentally - nothing personal.

No, good post welliemum. Not sure the folk that need to read and understand it will do so though.

Shall I rewrite it using just very small words, VVVQV?

[huge wooden spoon]

LOL, you mean short, simple words or teeny tiny writing???

brilliant message welliemum! I got it anyway.