To think pouches are awful?

[AIBUnamechanger9]

I have two DCs and have never fed them from pouches. I see babies and toddlers sucking on them everywhere and it seems horrible for their teeth? Also for having a routine of eating at mealtimes or teaching them to eat properly. I recently spoke with a friend (who I am quite close with and believe she’s a wonderful mum) and she told me her 8 and 10 yo children still eat from pouches, especially if they’re on a day out, etc.

AIBU to despair at the prevalence of pouch feeding?

To back up who you’re quoting, an example is my mum. Yes she washed nappies but she didn’t go back to work until my little brother was 5. And also put us in nursery.

Very judgmental!

I used them at 6 months initially for weaning..i had no idea what I was doing 😅 plus the prune ones i used for a laxitive.

Stopped at 9 months, i didn't think to give them again once on solids, too messy. I find it easier to give her a piece of fruit or veg sticks and dips for a snack, less mess. She would smear a pouch everywhere.

I thought they were healthy? Ingredients only have the fruit or veg and water listed. Figured its a good back up if you find your veg has gone over and your stuck.

I couldn’t justify the cost of the baby pouches generally but 11 year old still have yoghurt pouches and the squeezy yoghurt as well in her lunch box. She doesn’t like dealing with the faff of spoon and yoghurt during break time and many of her friends have it as well

We also used to chuck our bodily waste into the street, and wear the same clothes for months on end.

Thankfully times change

I largely made my own purees etc but…

… I would freeze these (to limit the amount of cooking needed), and so would need to defrost and reheat.

This wasn’t convenient if I was travelling / out and about all day, in which case I found that using pouches was convenient.

Great you had time to make fresh purees every day, not everyone does.

As if we have hit such rock bottom with mum shaming that we are now targeting FRUIT AND VEG pouches, what next, breathing?

Processsed food of any description isnt good. Is it?

I get its suoer convenient but noone can deny its lazy

I used pouches for a few weeks/ months when weaning my little one after trying BLW and not getting on with it.

After starting blw confidently, we had a scary experience which subsequently meant I went through a stage where I was very anxious/ terrified of baby choking.
I was very overwhelmed what to feed baby and the age appropriate pouches gave me a respite while I figured things out and built up confidence again to feed dd.
They were a godsend from that respect and allowed me to relax around feeding but I did feel guilt around using pouches, probably due to judgy posts like this one… thanks OP!

This only lasted a month or 2 until we were able to get back on track. Dd is now nearly 3 and eats what we eat at the table with us every day, so had zero lasting effect.

however, she still has one of the yoghurt pouches if we’re out and about and she spots one in the shop

It sounds like you haven’t got your facts straight with your friend. Her children probably have yoghurts/smoothies in pouches and they are a convenient way of giving them on the go for older children. I bought a set of reusable ones from Amazon and refill them for my children on days out as it’s much easier than dealing with a spoon and pot. I don’t believe for a single second they are eating puréed baby food on the go as a substitute for their meals

As for weaning babies - each to their own. I was on mat leave when mine were that age so there was no chance I would spend three times the money for something I could make myself but I had the luxury of time. Everyone has their own circumstances. HV in our area are clear that they don’t recommend them for the majority of the diet because water content is high and therefore calories not sufficient but to give for convenience when needed.

I didn’t use pouches but the prune ones were very useful and still when you need to get things working again for your kids bowels!

If all you have to worry about is this, you’re winning at life.
fwiw when my children were poorly with tonsillitis or ear infections these things kept them going. The prune ones are great for constipation too.

I was just thinking about the recycling aspect. Glass can be recycled. Actually have no idea about transport, good point.

Like most things they are fine in moderation. They contain less nutrients than home cooked food so using them for every meal isn't ideal, but a few pouches over the course of a week's worth of healthy home cooked meals wouldn't do any harm. They aren't bad, they just aren't as good.

Sucking anything acidic could damage teeth, just like drinking squash/juice from a bottle, so again fine if occasional not fine every day. Using a spoon is always better.

😳 there's plenty of things you can feel superior and shame people about when it comes to parenting. Obviously there are better foods available but that's the same for a lot of choices we make.

I got judged once for using a jar (first time) by someone I now no longer bother with.

Well to be fair... the number of baby mouth breathers i see out and about..... dreadful parenting really.

I'm interested why you think it's "lazy" to keep a 6 month + year old baby alive all day?

None of the parents I know are lazy because you can't be with a small child.

How exactly are they being lazy by making their life easier? is it lazy for you to turn the tap on rather then visit the well for your water? Or the kettle instead of heating water over an open fire?

You are on the Internet instead of volunteering your time on a bank holiday Monday, thats also very lazy.

I think the question is, what sort of pouches?
Here in France, fruit pouches are made and eaten by all ages, used for snack time, picnics etc. They also have yoghurt ones which my kids have had before. They are not solely for babies!
We really have to spend less time judging other people...

I think you need to sit down and have a long think about the person you have become.

why so much judgement - why do you care so much about what other people do. What about your life is so disappointing to you that you have chosen this to feel superior?

has your career stalled or failed?, your relationship perhaps? Maybe counselling would help get to the bottom of it and make you feel more content with your life.

you can’t live your life like this, so unpleasant and bitter. It will eat you up.

I will deny it's lazy to give pouches.

Convenient and lazy are two different things.

They are convenient. Very useful for days out. Or for anyone without the ability (mentally or physically) to prepare fresh food.

Certain African tribes have perfect straight white teeth. Kids eat basic food as soon as weaned. They chomp on veg, grain and meat off bones. Whereas western kids are brought up on a diet of soft, sugary mush.

I washed nappies AND used pouches.
What box do I fit in?

@ManonDe what is a baby mouth breather? 🤔
Or is it a typo?

Looking at the ingredients I'm struggling to see what the problem is, other than your cunty, judgemental attitude.

Find something more appropriate to despair over, like children who barely get fed atall.

I do think as a country we are heading in a scary, unhealthy direction, and a lot of it is due to crap processed food, and no I shouldn’t mind my own business when we can’t access medical treatment because so much of the NHS treatment could be avoided if one ate less utter shit. From a young age we are showing kids that eating ready made convenience is ok.