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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Help please - resisting pressure from family to wean early...

10 replies

lurcherlover · 23/01/2011 19:10

DS is 12.5 weeks now and growing fast - 15lbs, tracking the 75th centile. My mum (a scientist who should know better!) and MIL are both firmly of the opinion that I should be weaning him before 6 months (I am exclusively breastfeeding). He is fed on demand and cluster feeds a lot (which MIL interprets as my milk obviously not satisfying him, or why would he be hungry again half an hour after he last ate?) We had Sunday lunch at my mum's today with everyone there and I had DS on my lap while I was eating - he was looking intently at the food and Mum and MIL were both saying "see, he wants some!" (Er, he's a baby - he likes looking at everything!) At one point my Mum said I should give him a bit of mashed potato, and I don't think she was entirely joking! I kept saying (through gritted teeth) that he won't be getting anything before 6 months, but they both keep telling me that you should take official advice with a pinch of salt, that they gave their babies food at 4 months and it didn't do them any harm, that bigger babies need weaning sooner, etc etc. It's only going to get worse as DS gets older - I think deep down they both accept that 3 months is a bit young for food, but once he hits 4 months they're going to be going on about it constantly. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been through this - what arguments can I use that will shut them up? I do the smile nicely, "thanks for your ideas but we're doing it this way" type of thing, but it doesn't shut them up! DH is very supportive, btw, but they don't listen to him either!

Oh, and I already know I want to do baby-led weaning when we do start, but God knows how I'm going to convince them he isn't going to choke - MIL was talking today about how to make nice baby purees....I didn't have the guts to tell her I'm not planning on pureeing anything!! Ideas on how I can tackle that one??

OP posts:
EauRouge · 23/01/2011 19:15

Oh dear :( That does sound awkward. I think you'll just have to be firm but still polite. Could you say something like 'I have done plenty of research and decided to do BLW and I would appreciate your support'?

Or you could carry the BLW book around with you and every time they suggest early weaning you could read them an excerpt and offer them things you've printed off the net, I bet they would soon stop Grin

Lulumaam · 23/01/2011 19:19

ask them for their reasons to wean early..

esp if your mum is a scientist !

just keep repeating you are doing BLW and that's that, and then change the subject

you don't have to convince them of anything, it's your decisioN!

JiltedJohnsJulie · 23/01/2011 19:20

lurcher I've weaned 2, one at 16 weeks and one at 23 weeks. Was aiming for 6 months with number 2 but she decided to give BLW a try by herself Grin BLW is by far easier in my opinion, and I don't really get that bigger babies need weaning earlier. How can pureed veg have more calories than bm?

It seems to me that you know all the facts and have a supportive DH which are both big plus points.

Just keep doing what you are doing. Smile, nod and do what you want to do.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 23/01/2011 19:20

x-posted with Eau and Lulu.

doricpatter · 23/01/2011 19:26

My mum, usually very diplomatic, said "I think you'll find it a struggle to hold off solids until 6 months". Red rag, bull Grin. I pointed out that when they're hungry it's because they need calories and there's more plentiful easily digestable calories in my milk than there is in some carrot. Re purees, I said that because they were allowed finger food at 6 months there was no need for them, which is perfectly true and impossible to argue with. Food is for fun until they're one!

Porcelain · 23/01/2011 20:04

BLW is so much easier. DS started at 22 weeks, I started early as he was already helping himself to my food at any opportunity Blush, but the good thing about BLW is they physically can't get it in there, chewed and swallow it until they are ready.

It's so much more chilled and fun watching him explore his food himself rather than chasing spat out puree around his face with a spoon!

I think it's a case of nod smile, he's growing fine on milk thanks, and when you start BLW they will see how much he enjoys it.

Lynzjam · 23/01/2011 20:15

Oh I'm in the same boat here. Will be watching this thread too see if I can get ideas.

Milk is their main source of nutrition. Anything else is just a wee taster. What is the rush to start them on solids? That headline in the news has not helped. I feel I'm being pressurised now!

pearlgirl · 23/01/2011 22:38

I remember reading on here that just because a baby is looking at food/drink intently it doesn't mean you should give it to them - I used the line "I am sure he would be just as interested if it was a glass of wine and surely you wouldn't expect me to give that to him."to counter the one or two comments I got about waiting until 6months to start introducing food other than milk. Mind you with ds4 it is as likely to be the phone, the tv remote or paper that he was gazing longingly at,as he has decided these should constitute a large part of his diet.

MrsCJOLG · 23/01/2011 23:27

Hi I was just about to post about the very same thing. I've had Mum, MIL and several friends all hound me about this in the past few days. Its made me really question what i am doing and what i want to do ie: BLW.

My DD is 20 wks, she is EBF, currently going through 4 month sleep regression, which not one of my friends has heard of ( all got kids) I've tried the polite "hhhmmm maybe", "I'm not sure introducing solids will actually make her sleep." "well we all make our own choices as to how to raise our children" Etc... But I'm feeling the pressure I'm made to feel like I'm starving my DD ........ and the horror on their faces at BLW!

I agree with pearlgirl this evening I could have fed her the muslin, a remote, my iPhone and the duvet.

Why is everyone so fixated on getting them onto solids?
How on earth did our ancestors survive without sodding baby rice!?

Sorry I'll calm down now.-Blush

JiltedJohnsJulie · 25/01/2011 12:35

You could always get them to read this Grin

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