Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in not wanting to give sugar to my baby?

57 replies

lowrib · 27/07/2009 14:41

My DS is 7mo.

I thought the advice was not to give refined sugar to babies.

But everywhere I look there's sugar! this week I've found it in

  • own-brand paracetamol solution I got from the chemist
  • organic rusks from the health food shop
  • baby 'weaning' fromage frais

Surely as sugar rots teeth and is an addictive substance, it shouldn't be among the first foods a baby gets?

AIBU and PFB?

Or am I right - in which case how to explain this to well-meaning friends and relatives who want to give my DS 'treats'?

(There are currently 18 sugary fromage frais in the fridge I don't know what to do with. Hold on I know ... yummmmmm!)

OP posts:
MakkaPakkasWilly · 27/07/2009 14:46

I think everything in moderation is fine tbh.

Esp medicine - if it helps get it down them, a bit of sugar is fine!!

notsoteenagemum · 27/07/2009 14:46

I don't think there is anything wrong with sugar in Paracetamol in fact I seem to remember something about the sugar in it helping with the pain relief.

As long as the you restrict the sugar intake and offer a wide range of foods I don't think its a prob tbh.

Tortington · 27/07/2009 14:48

jesus i dont think i ever read a paracetamol packet.

all sounds a bit ott on your part op tbh

i think theres nowt wrong with a mars bar occasionally esp if they have no teeth they can such on it

ABetaDad · 27/07/2009 14:50

The old Carribean remedy for colic is a little bit of brown sugar in warm water in the babies bottle after the feed. It really works. A midwife taught us that.

Everything in moderation. Sugar is not bad for anyone in small amounts.

Mumcentreplus · 27/07/2009 15:00

moderation is key imo op..

bethdivine · 27/07/2009 15:07

I wish i could go back 2yrs and tell myself to stop reading so many labels and give myself a break. I remember being horrified when the HV suggested I give DS fromage frais, rather than the organic natural yogurt I was giving him with organic pureed apples (home done of course).

Saying that I didn't give him chocolate till he discovered it himself this Christmas at the age of nearly 2, and even now he doesn't eat lots and only really likes buttons. My mum gave me such a hard time every time I went there "is he eating chocolate yet" she just wanted to give him some all the time - it's a nanna thing I think. I just used to say no every time, and whilst I know she didn't like it, she wouldn't say anything - and finally said to my sis last week how well behaved he was and not hyper at the end of the day, because I don't let him eat too much rubbish! - Don't get me wrong, he eats plenty of biscuits and cake now, and DD will be getting FF not organic natural yogurt when it's her turn to be weaned, but I'll still be PSB about the chocolate with her too. - Sadly, I think DS will be right behind me offering it to her whenever he has some this time !

So no, YANBU, yes maybe PFB, but we all go through that. If it's important to you, stick to your guns, but maybe ease up and stop reading all the labels - and there is sugar free calpol, but like me 2yrs ago, you'll probably agonise over the sweeteners in it before succumbing eventually!

cancantcan · 27/07/2009 18:17

I think you are being a bit PFB. As far as I am aware, the advice is that you should not ADD sugar, or salt to your baby's food. But if its already there, then dont lose sleep over it. And the chemist will almost certainly have the sugar free option of the medicine. Well done for trying to find the healthy option though, its more than I ever had the energy to do!

As far as the treats are concerned, if it really bothers you, have a store of healthy treats on hand to give out.

LIZS · 27/07/2009 18:35

Of course you have the right to feed your child as you choose. tbh if it doesn't have "sugar" (could well equally be described as fructose, glucose etc onhte ingredient list) food may contain artificial sweeteners which you may consider worse. Presumably you give him fruit ? Unless you feed him sugarlumps and coke/lemonade/fruitshoot I don't think the occasional sweeter food will hurt or trigger an addiction or obesity.

ineedalifelaundry · 27/07/2009 18:35

I can remember agonising over the ingredients label on the calpol bottle too. And I still give my DD natural yoghurt with fruit puree I've made myself - but sometimes I give her sugar laden fromage frais when I haven't the time / energy to make it.

I understand what you're feeling but a little sugar is not a bad thing. Clearly you're not going to be the sort of mum who gives her kid a 2 litre bottle of full sugar coke for breakfast (I'm a teacher and a boy in my form was given that for breakfast once His shirts were always filthy and he was much smaller than the other boys his age ) So whatever you give your baby to eat I'm sure will be well balanced overall.

GirlsAreLoud · 27/07/2009 18:40

I was like this when I first weaned DD too -

and I still don't really buy anything for DD with added sugar - From the top of my head plum baby muesli and porridge doesn't have sugar, if you want rusk/biscuity type things the organix ones are sweetened with fruit juice and not sugar, sainsburys fromage frais were the only kids youghurts I could find without sugar.

But I am very relaxed now about letting her have a taste of anything I am eating that is sugary - she had a little bit of my blueberry muffin in Starbucks today. I can't see the point in going ott about it, but I wouldn't routinely buy things with added sugar as I think it can all add up that way.

GirlsAreLoud · 27/07/2009 18:42

LIZS I don't think the OP means fruit sugars, she says she's talking about refined sugar doesn't she?

moondog · 27/07/2009 18:44

If you don't buy processed foods, then you avoid sugar generally.

I don't mind a bit of sugar but I want to control it not give my kids 'fun' yoghurts full of thickeners and sugary stuff.

Beta is right-the sugar in a bottle for colicky baby does work.

sarah293 · 27/07/2009 18:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

4madboys · 27/07/2009 18:45

not unreasonable, you can get baby yogurt without sugar in, maybe its mumsown?

i have a recipe in a weaning book "the immmune boosting cookbook" which is sugar free for rusks.

you can also make your own plain yogurt and then add fruit puree, or chopped up fruit.

i agree there is too much sugar in lots of foods, esp those aimed at babies/toddlers and young children.

drives me mad, so i cook from fresh, make my own sauces etc and i bake so although the kids get some sugar i know what kind it is and you can use fructose and other less refined sugars in baking.

i do agree that a little bit doesnt hurt, but whilst they are still tiny you can control what they eat and its good to help instill good habits

shootfromthehip · 27/07/2009 18:46

I think you are being a wee bit PFB but then I did the same thing myself with my DC1. You should chill a wee bit about it- eg the medicine.

Apparently Sainsbury's own fromage frais has no sugar in it if that helps.

So YABU in imho

sarah293 · 27/07/2009 18:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

moondog · 27/07/2009 18:48

Noone needs 'baby yoghurts' ort 'baby fromage frais'.Complete marketing bollocks.
But 500g of plain live stuff for about 60 p and put what you want in it.

clumsymum · 27/07/2009 18:51

Sugar-free paracetamol would be a no-no for me..

They have to sweeten it with something, and we know the effects of sugar, whereas the other commonly used sweeteners are more of a mystery long-term.

Personally, I'd rather give sugar than aspartame, especially to an infant. I have the other problem now that DS is older, getting paracetamol/ibuprofen syrup that doesn't have artificial sweeteners.

As far as the other foods and treats are concerned, I agree with the others, a little sugar now and then won't hurt (and you obviously like sweet things yourself).

monkeyfacegrace · 27/07/2009 18:55

My son was given sugary water as pain relief while he was in scbu, I was told it released his natural endorphins (sp?). But I was like OP with my first, now she is 2.5 she's totally got a sweet tooth like me, and I have no problem with my son (8mths) having munch bunch and custard!

anastaisia · 27/07/2009 19:05

YANBU

I'm so laid back about most things but food, while you can still control it, is one of the things I do go OTT on. My reasoning is that soon enough they will be exposed to things by other people who want them to be given 'treats' and THEN I can continue them in moderation, but until they know it exists I don't want them to want it.

With a little one I stuck to fruit, veg, pulses etc and used to give plain yogurt with fruit (chopped up or to dip, didn't bother with purees) rather than special baby or children yogurts.

I wouldn't have worried too much about sugar in medicine but I go the feeling you weren't so much complaining about it being in it - as about the whole trend to flavour or sweeten things for children rather than just let them learn to like 'normal' flavours. (Understanding that children do often have a preference for sweeter tastes anyway)

I do agree though that when something does need sugar I'd rather have proper sugar than sweeteners.

sarah293 · 27/07/2009 19:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
lowrib · 27/07/2009 19:25

Thanks for all your responses.

It would seem I am being a bit PFB then!

Although I must say I am surprised there aren't more anti-sugar responses.

My problem isn't whether to buy things with refined sugar in - that's simple, I just don't buy them. It's more what to do when well meaning friends and relatives buy this crap kind of stuff. I'm considering whether I put my foot down and say no while he's really so little, or turn a blind eye as long as it's not often.

The 18 sugary fromage frais in the fridge for example weren't bought by me.

OP posts:
moondog · 27/07/2009 19:27

Lowri, yes and you will battle with that one all your life I'm afraid. I hate it when other people give my kids crap I wouldn't give them in a fitr.

GirlsAreLoud · 27/07/2009 19:29

at other people doing your grocery shopping for you.

No one has ever attempted to feed my almost one year old anything.

Northernlurker · 27/07/2009 19:34

It's sugar not crack. Sure it's up to you what you feed your child but you really don't have to police his every mouthful. What do you think will happen he if he eats a few of those fromage frais over the next few days?