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Original poster

Whatever you think of the WHO guidelines, you'll be shocked!

257 replies

hunkermunker · 05/06/2005 17:26

Well, you might not be.

But I was.

Superdrug's Little Star brand of weaning spoons say suitable from 3 months!

I emailed them and they said they'd pass my comments on to their buyers - wtf?!

OP posts:
Gwenick · 05/06/2005 22:26

nah - going back to watch the rest of The Sky ONe programme on Gangs.

Cam · 05/06/2005 22:32

knickers

aloha · 05/06/2005 22:37

Sorry Bobbybob.
Seems obvious to me. Weaning at - though more particularly before - three months may cause health problems in babies. There is research to substantiate this. Babies are uniquely vulnerable in that they cannot protect themselves or decide things for themselves, therefore as a society we try our best to defend them from possible harm.
Therefore a company that is in the healthcare business should not be marketing weaning spoons to feed solids to 12 week old babies. And of course they aren't marketing them to give milk! They are for feeding babies solids.
Therefore a responsible company that takes health seriously should not label them as suitable from three months. It's not rocket science.
Parents do not always know best, otherwise they wouldn't chainsmoke over their babies, would they? Or put whisky in their bottles (yawn).
However, I have done some research into this and looked at studies and as far as I can see, there is no evidence of harm caused by weaning at the end of four months (beginning of five months) rather than at the beginning of six months. There is no proven benefit to it, but no proven harm either.

Original poster
hunkermunker · 05/06/2005 23:09

Am amazed that people thought I was criticising their parenting decisions!

OP posts:
Original poster
hunkermunker · 06/06/2005 19:34
OP posts:
mytwopenceworth · 07/06/2005 09:05

i dont think there is anything wrong with weaning early. every child is unique and the guidance is based on the average child. children walk at different times, say their first word at different times and, i believe, are ready for weaning at different times. for eg, my ds weighed 10 and a half pounds when he was born, he looked HUGE compared to the other babies! he was very hungry compared to smaller newborns and i had hell trying to keep him satisfied on my milk. so my health visitor advised me to mix a little of my milk with a spoonful of baby rice at his late evening feed and give that to him for a bit more substance! i did and he loved it and it really helped him to settle instead of wanting more milk every 30 mins!!!! so he had a bit of baby rice from about 13 weeks as opposed to 16 weeks. i think he needed it, hv thought he needed it and hv said at time, listen to your baby he will tell you his needs.

chipmonkey · 07/06/2005 09:58

Am amazed this thread is so long, hunker!

Gwenick · 07/06/2005 10:00

every child is unique and the guidance is based on the average child.

That's very true but MEDICAL evidence now shows that weaning 'too' young can damage ANY babies gut (and FWIW best friend had 2 10lb babies (not at the same time LOL) and neither was weaned until 5 months (she just gave more milk).

Original poster
hunkermunker · 07/06/2005 11:55

Chipmonkey - me too!!

OP posts:
beatie · 07/06/2005 12:39

I tend to agree with those who believe that Superdrug should be adhering to promoting best practise instead of trying to out-sell other weaning spoons which say from 4 months plus. Whilst most parents won't take the from 3 months packaging to mean 'weaning at 3 months' is fine .... there are plenty pf parents out there who will want to wean at 3 months, perhaps based on bad advice from elsewhere, and Superdrug should not be affirming such a decision.

mytwopenceworth · 07/06/2005 13:05

gwenick, so what you are saying to me is that my heath visitor gave me advice that will cause physical harm to my baby? if medical advice is that it is harmful, should i make a complaint against hv??

Gwenick · 07/06/2005 13:07

Yes your HV gave you advice that Could harm you baby.

mytwopenceworth · 07/06/2005 13:09

gwenick, could i talk to you privatly, now have concern but dont want to talk on main thread, if you mind its perfectly ok, no prob.

Gwenick · 07/06/2005 13:24

I'm not saying it 'will' have harmed your baby, just the medical research now shows it 'can' be dangerous to wean babies too early......lots of people are absolutely fine despite being weaned MUCH earlier than 13 weeks, but then again others aren't.

It's a bit like smoking or breastfeeding (hmm strange combination there!) - we 'know' (through medical research) that breastfeeding babies are 'in general' healthier, have better immune systems etc etc than bottlefed babies. But there are some very sickly BF babies, and some very healthy Bottlefed babies (I've had that scenario with my DS's). With smoking we 'know' that it's bad for your health and causes cancer, but some people go through their entire life smoking and never suffer the 'consequences' of it, while others are struck down with lung cancer and other smoking related illnesses.

Hope I haven't cause worry "I" am NOT a medical expert, but the 'facts' I'm quoting are just ones I've read places............

mytwopenceworth · 07/06/2005 13:28

oh, sorry, thought you were indicating you were medical and had specialism, my misunderstanding, request withdrawn!!!!

jangly · 09/06/2005 21:56

Superdrug sell baby foods. They're bound to want you to start weaning as early as possible. They, and most big businesses, think only of profits.

mears · 09/06/2005 23:31

Just to let you know peeps that as long ago as 1987 (when I had first DS), breast feeding was advised exclusively till 6 months. My bible was 'Breast is Best' by Andrew and Penny Steinway. I didn't actually manage it until my fourth baby, due to the fact I did not have total confidence in my ability to do it. The guidance from my HV at that time was to start solids when DS was 14lbs. I declined to do that and decided to wait till 16 weeks. I actually didn't start any till 24 weeks.
It wasn't till I had 4th baby when I decided come hell or high water she was not getting solids till 6 months that I saw how increased breastfeeds got her sleeping through the night again, a sign I had used before as needing solids.

Early weaning is not recommended because of the possible lasting effects into adult life. Starting solids at 6 weeks may have done you no harm as a toddler but you may well develop blood pressure problems, heart disease, chronic bowel problems etc. as an adult - the list is endless.

I agree superdrug should change it's packaging and just take the age of it. Suitable for weaning would cover it.

JulieF · 09/06/2005 23:53

My friend found some infant formula reduced for a quick sale at £1 a box today in Superdrug. She asked for the manager, kicked up a stink, threatened trading standards and in the end they removed it

Sil went for an interview with them last week and cam out of the whole thing thinking, do I really want to work for this company?

I too am appalled at the weaning spoons thing and would question whether this is allowed or not.

Original poster
hunkermunker · 15/02/2006 21:02

They've still not changed the packaging...

OP posts:
Flossam · 15/02/2006 21:03

Hunker, you obviously have too much time on your hands!

Can just imagine you skulking around the shelves in superdrug, back stooped, shuffling towards the evil spoooonssss.

Original poster
hunkermunker · 15/02/2006 21:04

LOL! Well, if I go in to check for cut-price infant formula, I may as well check out the evil spooooons while I'm at it

OP posts:
goldstarlover · 15/02/2006 21:07

i have those spoons! so does lockets....

and i touched your baby!

Flossam · 15/02/2006 21:08

dur dur derrrr!

VeniVidiVickiQV · 15/02/2006 21:13

Ah. So this is the thread....pmsl

VeniVidiVickiQV · 15/02/2006 21:13

Ah. So this is the thread....pmsl