Itsnothing to do with me but DB and SIL have 13wk old on mashed banana and petit filous!

[Yorky]

He is a big baby, 91st percentile so DB told me on phone last night. She has always had problems feeding but persevered and they seem to do well with mixed feeding, but when DB said that nephew enjoys his mashed banana and petit filous at 13wks I was
he is their first, but my first, now 21months, was exclusively BF till 6months as per advice.
I know there's nothing I can do, but can it be good for him?
Just ranting really

txt spk only makes sense if using a phone keypad lulu! good effort though.

(actually ds4 weaned early at 5 months too- but on advice of Paediatrician as not growing and we had tried all avenues! and that was excluding all gluten / dairy products until he is 3 years, no blasted petit crap, just breastmilk and healthy foods)
my advce:

if you are concerned about you babies development and considering not following the guidelines you eed to be referred to a Paediatrician and then if appropriate a dietician. Unless you yourself are one of these with a specialist interest in the area you are not qualified in a safe way to make that dx!

Exactly, upwind. As a post on the linked thread says, a sample size of, ummm, 'my two kids' does not an evidence base make.

If you weaned your child a long time ago then of course there is no need to feel guilty. In the same way as I don't think my gran was wrong to smoke around me when I was a kid - we didn't know then what we know now. But should you feel guilty if you wean early now and your baby develops problems? Absolutely.

The DoH guidelines are very clear : "Weaning is not recommended before your baby is six months of age because the infant digestive system, and kidneys, are not usually developed enough to deal with solid food."

It not exactly ambiguous is it?

what is not clear, is the effect of formula feeding and/or early weaning on adult health.

For example, how much can we attribute formula/early weaning to the early (pre-70 years old) onset of cancers of the bowel and breast?

People tend to look at the immediate (childhood) risks of formula/early weaning. Quite right, but I think the risk of long term damage needs careful scrutiny as well.

chapel, I am mystified about my supposed patronising of your professionalism - I think NNEBs are better placed than, and should be better trained than, doctors when it comes to the care of normal, healthy babies. Is it 'patronising' to think that????

I'm not personally offended (as if!) and I'm not having a bad day

OK I can't be the only one who didn't actually wean can I? Boy was exclusively breastfed until around 7 months and then I couldn't get a forkful of food to my mouth without a little hand swiping it, I figured at that point he was ready for food. Never mashed anything up, just gave him table food when we ate.

He kinda gave up the breastfeeding on his own at around 14 months as well, just couldn't be arsed to sit still for long enough IMO.

I think the early weaning is a bad idea and I would have thought that a nice big baby was proof that the milk is sufficient, after all how would they have gotten big in the first place if it was not?

Yo8u aren't the only one, ds2 swiped some food at 7 months-ish too. I was desperate not to wean...I liked him being all MINE

Indeed Highlander. I have no idea how long the current advice has been in place (5 years?) but it's only when this generation grow up that we'll really be able to assess.

Blimey I'm going to be ancient

I am just lazy Wisknit, path of least resistance ;)

LOL
That was an element of it too and the main reason I opted for BLW. Couoldn't be arsed with boiling and pureeing and freezing etc.

Have to say I am relieved that dd was born before current guidelines. Because she was severely hypotonic every breastfeed took over an hour (what with expressing foremilk, then trying to breastfeed, then expressing, the syringe feeding)- and she had to be fed every 3 hours. Only when she was weaned that I finally felt I could have time to look after myself. But since I didn't have the confidence to switch to formula even under these circumstances, am sure I wouldn't have had the confidence to start weaning even a day before the guidelines.

The boiling and pureeing no trouble- I just used the veggies that I was cooking for dh's and my supper anyway.

OH for crying out loud. Guidelines are guidelines to guide us. Each parent is responsible for their own child and i don't think ANYONE has the right to say that someone is putting their child at risk by early weaning. It's fruit for crying out loud not mashed haribo.

"i don't think ANYONE has the right to say that someone is putting their child at risk by early weaning"

erm, even if all the medical evidence points to that very fact?

it's not a matter of opinion - it's backed up by research. if you saw your friend put their child down to sleep on their front, would you not consider saying something, in a tactful and sensitive way?

My dd1 is now 12 and she was weaned at 4 month excatly which was the done thing in those days. I followed Annable Karmel to the letter and still have all her books advising fruit and veg purees during 4-6 months. By 6 months dd was on pureed chikicen soup and mash etc.
She devfeloped eczema at age 3 and still has it now. I wonder..............

I din't even know guidlines had changed when I had ds2 in 2005 and weaned him at 4 months.

My gut instint is that the lateer the better and brest is best but I shouldn't imagine it makes a whole worle of difference in the end. ( My ds1 now 10 was also weanred at 4 montsh and no ill effects).

My brother (now 42) was weaned at three weeks. He's six feet two, hardy and hardly ever had an ill day in his life.
Too much talk about it all nowadays and too many do-gooders telling Mums what to do. People need to do what they feel is right for their baby/ies.

Gateau, what an odd point of view, sorry. Informing parents of the research behind feeding guidance is 'too much talk about it'?...do you extend this to other areas of parenting, such as immunisation, safer sleeping options, education?

Just asking!

Of course people should do what 'feels' right for their babies - would this 'feeling' not take into account good, evidence-based information?

Glad your brother is healthy, naturally. Not sure what a case study of one has to do with anything, though!

There is too much talk about many areas of parenting these days; I stand by that statement.
Was just offering one case study as an example of how weaning started very early years ago. I don't have to qualify that to anyone; it was just chat for goodness' sake.

I take your point about 'chat', Gateau - but it did rather seem as if you were offering the story as a 'counter' to the premise that early weaning is not A Good Thing, so rather more than a piece of chat, maybe.

I am puzzled about any notion that there is 'too much talk about many areas of parenting these days'....rather undermines anyone's - including yours - contributions to mumsnet or any other bulletin board

Think what you want titok, but just get off my back. If me or anyone else wants to wean our babies at 2 weeks old, it's nothing to do with you or anyone else.
I don't give a damn how other people parent and I'm not quite sure why you do. I echo the current thread which is entitled "I don't give a feck when other people wean their babies."

Bit of advice for you, Gateau: if you think there is 'too much talk about parenting' these days, then stay off talkboards

'Cos you're gonna find a lot of talk about parenting on a parenting talkboard!

If you can't manage to do this (why not?), then learn to discuss the issues in a pleasanter way.

Just a tip!

I can say what I want on talkboards, Tiktok; it's a free world and nowt to do with you.
Now go argue with and TRY to talk down to with someone who's interested.

Given that the baby's already on solids saying anything is a bit pointless, unlwss you particularly want to start a family feud. So don't be tempted to say anything - I know you've said that it's not really anything to do with you, so not having a go at you, honest.

It's not the end of the world (really).