So I just had a discussion with HV about my nearly 25 week old ...

[sheeplikessleep]

I was asking about his poos, which are very watery, bubbly, usually greeny and explosive. We got onto talking about weaning (which I haven't started yet, wanted to wait until next weekend, when he is 26 weeks).

She insisted 24 weeks is 6 months, I said I thought it was 26 weeks.

She also said weaning should help with his poos (i.e. make them less watery).

Also said that it should help him to sleep more (he is waking anywhere between 2 and 4 times a night, always has done).

And that if we don't start soon, that we will miss the 'window of opportunity before he loses interest in food'.

No discussion about any of the signs of being ready for weaning.

Is she unusual in her advice? I'm interested to know. I know that she could be giving much worse advice (it isn't that bad in scheme of things), but why are they so keen for babies to start weaning ASAP?

Thanks

She's unusual in her advice as many HV's I've come across seem to suggest weaning at 4mo

Ha ha, you're right Jareth! I've never heard the line "if you don't start soon, they won't be as interested in food".

No, that's the usual, poor advice that I'd expect from most HVs.

How are you going to wean- purees or blw?

Oh and 6 months is half of a year, a year is 52 weeks (the last time I checked), so I make half of 52 = 26.

I waited till 6 calendar months - she'd have hated me! :o

I thought the guidance said 'during the 6th month'
Or it did a couple of years ago anyway, which made it around 23-26 weeks
I dont believe there is a magic switch that flicks after the mythical 6 months- which could be 64 weeks or 6 28 days or 6 *30 days... or whatever really
Americans are pregnant for 10 months you know, as they consider 4 weeks to be a month, as in lunar month not an invented Gregorian distinction.

I have heard about it being important for them to chew at a certain age for speech development, but I have no idea on the science behind it

LOL, If you miss the window of opportunity, does that mean you'll have to breastfeed him for life?

darn it and the bold
That was meant to read

6 x 28 days
6 x 30 days

PMSL @ losing interest in food! HV's are graduates with some medical training - they should be capable of giving out sound, evidence based advice, but they seem to just spurt out utter rubbish - why?

DTG - I think that's more to do with moving swiftly away from completely smooth purees (if you bother at all) and onto lumpier things/finger foods.

OP - I don't think your HV is unusual in that she is spouting bollocks and outdated information!

I think its being a bit autisic to think that all babies are ready for food at a precise point in the calender. We know that our little ones vary in the pace of their development and I am sure its the same for food readiness.

Can your baby sit unsupported. Is your baby mouthing objects. my daughter had her first taste of food at just under 24 weeks. She grabbed a handful of curry and put it in her mouth.

If you miss the "window of opportunity" what it means is that your child will never be spoonfed. She will want to do everything herself. No, you will not have to breastfeed for life.

when i had ds1 the guidlines was between 4-6 mths
when i had ds2 the guidelines were 6mths
ds1 born 2003 ds2 born 2005
alot of people know when there children are ready to be feed and go with what you feel is best for your child

Because by around six months of age, your baby's energy and nutrient requirements become difficult to meet with breastmilk or formula alone. Also, giving solid food from around six months is important for learning to chew and accept different tastes and textures.

I'm sure waiting til next weekend is fine if thats what you want to do. I'm equally sure 24 weeks is fine too. IME Health Visitors are a strange breed btw. Tis you're baby - go with what you feel is right.

HVs are (in my experience) some of the most bizarrely prejudiced and wrong-headed people acting a professional capacity. Why are you seeing a HV anyway? Do what you think is right - not what some numpty tells you is the right thing to do. I haven't seen one since my DS was 8 weeks' old. What's the point?

reallytired can I just point out that you might have wanted to reword your sentence in the light of some of the hurt that has been on MN recently. I don't doubt you meant no harm.

Guidelines are clear - 6 mths. But in practice, it's daft to think that every individual baby is 'ready' at the exact same date. As a public health policy, 6 mths is fine, and is evidence-based, and does no harm.

6 mths is indeed 26 weeks and is defined as such in the HV's own guidelines, common to all HCPs, which she should have read (google department of health infant feeding recommendation for a PDF which explains 6 mths is 26 weeks, and which also explains the 'window of opportunity' is a myth, as is the sleeping connection.

You could print out a copy of these recommendations - which date from 2004 though I think the statement about 6 mths is May 2003. Then show her them and say how puzzled you are that what she said was so different.

Link to PDF:

www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk/en/docs/FINAL_QA.pdf

Thanks Alibabaandthe40nappies, that sounds familiar now you say it. We sadly were on purreees till just afetr one year due to severe reflux and gag reflex, but the boy never stops talking so it didnt harm him luckily

Tikitok has it changed, I swear Birth Matters said 'during the 6th month' ? I would have got it early 2005.

I watch last nights BB and come back to all of these posts :)

Crikey - we're going to do purees, which we did with DS1. I am doing two things differently this time though - more veg, less fruit and more finger foods alongside the purees. I'm also going to start with mashed, rather than purees. BLW is tempting, as I am a v lazy mum (not saying all BLWers are lazy mums, IYSWIM :)).

LOL - breastfeeding for life :) He is grabbing things now (nearly got a choc digestive from DHs hand earlier and nearly put it in his mouth), but isn't sitting unsupportied yet (he is fairly steady).

Thanks for posting link Tiktok - I'm reading it now ...

There has never been official NHS/DH guidance or recommendation that said 'during the 6th month' - I am absolutely 100 per cent sure of this, sorry!

However, there are many publications and websites, and it's perfectly possible you read it somewhere.

It was '4-6 months' from the 1980s (I think) and then it changed to '6 mths' in 2003.

Sounds like you've got it sorted sheep.

I think most blwers would admit that they are a bit lazy (myself included). Well, may be not lazy, just wanting to not make it harder than it needs to be.

The WHO guidelines on infant & young child feeding, which is what the NHS ones are based on, defines 6 month as 180 days.

And I agree with crikey that laziness was one of the main appeals of BLW for me. :)

Being on dc4, I laugh at the HVs tbh.

Ds1 - "You have to wean by 4 months, it's really important that they get started by this time, otherwise you miss the window of opportunity".

Dd - "Between 4 and 6 months, yes the WHO says 6 months, but this is for African babies".

ds2 - "Not before 6 months, but make sure you start dead on the 6 months, they need the calories".

Ds3 - he's only 3 months, so who knows what they will be saying.

I was weaned at 8 weeks, because that's what my mum was told she should do, my first food was bone and vegetable broth. By 3 months I was having 3 solid meals a day, including pureed meat....however I was not impressed when my dad suggested ds3 at 7 weeks should be on solids.

I was given the same advice from my HV when DD was 22 weeks, started weaning her then on pureed fruits/veg, now she is 26 weeks and eating pretty much what we eat as well as finger foods with no problems.
I would say 6 months is 26 weeks but was told the same as you that the recommendation is no later than 24 weeks. Really though, what difference is 2 weeks going to make?
Also, dont count on weaning making your baby sleep better, we are still up at least 3 times a night with DD, weaning has made no difference at all to her sleeping patterns!