Chocolate Easter egg for baby?

[InpatientGardener]

Name changed as outing.. inlaws have just asked DP if they can buy 6 month old DD who was 6 weeks premature a chocolate Easter egg. When he pointed out she hasn't got any teeth yet they said she can suck on it. We said no, she won't be having chocolate for a long time. We've just started weaning. I'm not going to change my stance on this but we're both really bemused that they would even think this was ok. So..would you give chocolate to a 6 month old? Is this a normal request?

I wondered about the baby rice too.
I don't have an issue with it but it doesn't go down well at all on here usually.
Tbf Dd is almost 20 and back then it was the thing to start with, and really was a slight thickener with their normal milk to help them to get used to being fed from a spoon, which was also the done thing.
It's not something I'd feed now.

Not really fussed what Mumsnet thinks of baby rice, I used it as a starter for DD and it actually helped get her taking bits in because it's mixed with her normal formula, so a familiar taste. And personally I'd rather give a pointless filler than a big hit of caffeine and sugar..but each to their own.

@InpatientGardener

They wanted to watch her eat it apparently..so that wouldn't have worked sadly!

That's weird. All about their entertainment rather than if baby would like it.

@InpatientGardener

Name changed as outing.. inlaws have just asked DP if they can buy 6 month old DD who was 6 weeks premature a chocolate Easter egg. When he pointed out she hasn't got any teeth yet they said she can suck on it. We said no, she won't be having chocolate for a long time. We've just started weaning. I'm not going to change my stance on this but we're both really bemused that they would even think this was ok. So..would you give chocolate to a 6 month old? Is this a normal request?

I allowed it at 6 mths so DS could experience a bitter taste profile - it was a 90% dark choc egg. He quite liked it and it led to him accepting other bitter veg really well afterwards. He’s 15 mths now and gets a piece of proper chocolate on special occasions. If you brush everyday (we started from 3 weeks), give proper chocolate, and don’t give it often it’s not necessarily a bad decision. But the decision is yours to make not anyone else’s.

I'm not fussed either, it just suprised me, that's all.

@IHaveBrilloHair I confess it was my mum who suggested it so it probably is a generational thing, but I have several friends who used it to start as well, probably suggested by their mums too

@Festivemama

So bizarre! I wouldn't allow it either... my in-laws got our 5 month old an egg but said that it was for us to eat, they just wanted to get her one for her first Easter.

YANBU there is no reason for a baby to eat chocolate in my opinion, plenty of time for that so why give it now when they are more than happy with yogurt/fruit.

That's cute

@GintyMcGinty

Whilst I wouldn't give a whole easter egg to a 6 month old - a wee taste wont do any harm.

You do know babies don't need teeth to eat food? I am surprised you've been told to go bland with weaning just because she is premature. My second was also 6 weeks prem and I was told to crack on. We started weaning at 6 months doing blw so she was eating the same food as us whether that was roast dinners or curries.

You might want to read up on the Bliss website. There is tons of useful info on weaning prem babes.

Yes, I was going to say this. Blw is recommended for premie babies. Both DNs were born at 30 and 32 weeks and weaned at 5-6 mths real age (not adjusted) - blw was recommended for both by the pediatrician to counter the risk of obesity later on.

@InpatientGardener

They wanted to watch her eat it apparently..so that wouldn't have worked sadly!

Written down this is creepy. I find this performing grandchildren business a lot of GPs go in for today weird

Yanbu

Yanbu. My son had a kinder surprise egg when he was 2 for Easter. Now he's 3 I will get him his first easter egg. My 9 month old will have a hot cross bun!

The health visitor practically insisted I did when Dd was 16 weeks.
It just doesn't seem to be the done thing now.
When Dd has kids she'll probably be horrified!

Stick to what you've said and don't let them guilt or bully you into changing your mind. It might seem like a small thing to some but once you let them get their own way with something it can make them a nightmare forever, never listening when you say no about things and thinking they know best.

With our sons first Easter he was almost a year and his grandparents got him those squeaky tomy eggs and he loved them!
They got our daughter a teddy I think for hers.

@GrumpyHoonMain that's interesting, no HCPS I've seen regarding DD have mentioned this, I'll look into it.
@jackieweaverfever I know, I've been on alert for this and determined DD will only do or have things if they're best for her, not to please family or meet others expectations.

@TheUnwindingCableCar I will, after we'd said no we then got the guilt tripping/comparison to what other family members allow but like you say, it's good to have some boundaries early on. It does make me doubt myself though which presumably is the intent!

Oh, we've had this, I just say thank you that would be lovely then eat it myself.

"DD will only do or have things if they're best for her, not to please family or meet others expectations." - this is such a good point. I always try to remember that people can give us/say/suggest/ask whatever they want, but at the end of the day it's up to me what I give her or do. So I just stay pleasant and non-committal and then do whatever I think is right.

My baby will be 5 months at Easter so not weaning yet but if anyone gets her an egg or buttons, I’ll probably try hold off until she’s been weaning a few weeks (but I doubt my will power will let me, I’ll probably eat it by then) and then just let her lick melted chocolate off my fingers/have a little suck then eat it all myself.
I expect that by next Easter, she’ll end up with a pile of little eggs that I’ll have to (happily) share with her!

Gawd, all a bit puritanical on here. GP wanting to see grandkids enjoying chocolate is not so strange, happy kids are nice to see. Kids like chocolate, a tiny taste won't kill them or give them some kind of massive hit of sugar and caffeine.

OP ask your IL what they fed babies back in the day - they probably started at 3-4 months and things like tinned chocolate pudding, rice pudding, sugary rusks etc were fine for babies. I'm not saying we should feed babies that now, but get a bit of perspective. My mum used to give us a baby bottle of tea with biscuit crumbs in it to thicken it up!

With DC I would give a tiny bit of choc (6 mo would probably get a choc button or two) and I'd eat any surplus, DD is 4 yo and I'd let her have a couple of kinder egg size things at a time. Your daughter will discover chocolate one day and love it and want more, I don't think excluding it 100% in early days will prevent that. Giving loads of junk is obviously bad but a tiny bit won't hurt. Taking pleasure in food is ok!

It’s up to you and great that you are enforcing good boundaries from the start, but personally I do think that a range of foods means just that and I’d happily give a chocolate button or two.

That’s partly from my own experience of never having sweet stuff as a child and then going mad for it when I was able to.

It would be a button or two though not a whole egg!

We got these as an egg themed present instead www.argos.co.uk/product/4028868?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixwliirqp&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7cacid:629-618-1342%7ccid:9563523543%7cagid:102230963750%7ctid:aud-641224040777:pla-888936054649%7ccrid:423314715056%7cnw:g%7crnd:370140899372906721%7cdvc:m%7cadp:%7cmt:%7cloc:9046775&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=9563523543&utm_term=4028868&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=102230963750&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0caCBhCIARIsAGAfuMz6GjYXEgM1sd5DKsd9YvEXNIW28bbZtHozV0Ib5-R-QdLvojCS6UaAtrLEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
It actually got played with quite a bit. DS also got a chocolate button egg, he got 1 or 2 buttons and I got the rest of the egg, though it's entirely up to you to set the boundaries your happy with for your baby.

Your baby your decision.
I had similar views as you when oldest was young, he didn't have a lot of chocolate and none til around 12 months (first Christmas) he is obsessed with sweets and chocolate.
My youngest was probably fed it much earlier by the oldest, she isn't bothered will take it or leave it and asks for fruit or yoghurt for pudding.
I also started both on baby rice followed quickly by mashed veg and then the youngest just stole food from everyone's plates which probably helped turn her into the fab eater she is now

Any Easter eggs my 16 month old gets will be gladly enjoyed by myself 😂