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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Why is there such a discrepancy between what the Government advises (weaning at 26 weeks) and what HV's advise (16 weeks)?

52 replies

beatie · 31/01/2006 13:18

I cannot speak for all Health Visitors so perhaps should not generalise so much, but there is certainly that discrepancy between governmental advice and the advice dished out by the 2 HVs at the clinic I attend.

Overheard today:

HV: I see you already have another child so you'll knwo all about weaning.
Mum: Yes, but at that time they said to do it at 4 months and now it has changed to 6 months
HV: Hmmmm. Well, I defy anyone to hold out to 6 months.
Mum: Well,yes, he is quite big
HV: I say to do it at 16 lbs or 16 weeks.... which ever he reaches first

So, now I'm left thinking like I should just not mention that I am holding off until 26 weeks. Why are Health Visitors allowed to keep dishing out their personal opinions? Would we tolerate other health professionals advising against the latest research?

OP posts:
motherinferior · 31/01/2006 13:21

I don't think many HVs actually keep up with training, and I also suspect there is a strong feeling of 'I know babies, I've been working wiht babies for 112 years, all this silly new advice out there, harrumph, don't tell me how to wean a baby' etc complete bollocks.

WigWamBam · 31/01/2006 13:21

I think they probably dish out that advice simply because they have been dishing it out for years without anyone answering them back, and because the older HVs have been recommending it to the younger HVs the cycle doesn't get broken.

SecondhandRose · 31/01/2006 13:22

Mine were weaned at 10 weeks, think DS would have eaten his hands if left that long.

chocolateshoes · 31/01/2006 13:22

My HV said 'we used to advise weaning at 4mths but everyone started at 2, so now we advise weaning at 6, so you'll wait til 4'!!!!

motherinferior · 31/01/2006 13:23

Also, weaning gives them a project that they can advise (aka make you miserable) about. The idea of just letting you saunter along jamming nork in gob as and when doesn't really appeal, I think. HVs in my admittedly very limited experience like you down there every week bunging the poor baby on the scales and getting all het up if they dip an ounce and generally appealing to their superior knowledge.

Ask what a centile is, that's my top tip, gets a lot of them all confused

lucykate · 31/01/2006 13:25

i held out til nearly 7mths with ds, he just wasn't interested until then. my hv never tried to persuade me otherwise, her advice was just keep trying and he'll take it when he's ready, and that only started once he'd reached 6mths. prior to that there was no pressure at all. in my area they seem adament about 6mths being the age to start.

Original poster
beatie · 31/01/2006 13:26

I realise this must be a difficult area for them if they believe they are right, based on many years of experience but this HV didn't give the mother she spoke to the chance to consider waiting until 26 months.

She made it sound like waiting until 6 months is the wrong thing to do.

OP posts:
motherinferior · 31/01/2006 13:27

I seriously think it does give them a sense of purpose. Ditto the weighing. The fact that most babies seem perfectly OK not being weighed or forcefed puree does slightly make their role a little more, er, questionable.

bamboo · 31/01/2006 13:41

Can someone point me to where the Govt advice re 26 weeks is please? I'm seeing my health visitor to get ds weighed soon and would like to go in with all the facts in case she mentions weaning - he's 22 weeks at the moment and I don't want to start weaning for at least another 4 weeks as we're off to Portugal on holiday and I don't want that hassle while we're away.

prettybird · 31/01/2006 13:51

Department of Health Booklet

I also found this advice from the Deparmtent of Health to Trust Cheif Execuitves, wth the information for Helath Porfessionals - so it could be sueful to wave that too!

Enid · 31/01/2006 13:52

"I don't think many HVs actually keep up with training, and I also suspect there is a strong feeling of 'I know babies, I've been working wiht babies for 112 years, all this silly new advice out there, harrumph, don't tell me how to wean a baby' etc complete bollocks. "

thats kind of what I say in my head to myself

bamboo · 31/01/2006 13:53

Thanks prettybird

FairyMum · 31/01/2006 13:55

I cross the road when I see my HV. The old bat.

grammaticus · 31/01/2006 14:04

my HV told me it was only 16 weeks because that is how long smp lasted - only once the government put that entitlement up did the recommendation change. she also said 26 weeks may be best if baby completely breast fed but most babies not by then, so her advice was tempered by that knowledge and she said wean before 26 if baby seemed hungry.

i didn't take any notice, it was my 2nd baby then, and i weaned about 18 weeks because the gaps between feeds were getting shorter and he was grabbing at our food and chewing his hands.

frogs · 31/01/2006 14:11

Agree, HVs make it sound as if you'd have to be a self-sacrificing, lentil-eating, knit-your-own-sanpro hippie mum to wait till 6 months, because it would make the baby want to feed every 20 mins day and night from sixteeen weeks onwards.

Well I'm not, and it didn't. Go figure.

CorrieDale · 31/01/2006 17:55

My HVs, despite toeing the 26 weeks line, give inaccurate advice about the signs of needing solids so everybody weans at just over 4 months [shocked]. And when I turned up at clinic and was asked if he was on solids yet, to which I replied "We start on Friday", I was asked why then? I said "coz that's when he's 26 weeks ", and HV was completely amazed (and congratulatory until DS landed on the scales and hadn't gained 'enough' weight!) Which was, I believe, entirely owing to how active he is and nothing at all to do with the 'delay' in introducing solids. I was at pains to point out that although it had been tough when he was 16 weeks because of the growth spurt, the toughest part of sticking it out to 26 weeks is the external pressure to 'get some food in his little tummy'. Don't know if she took the hint!

mummytosteven · 31/01/2006 17:57

my HV and other local baby health professionals are perfectly aware of DOH recommendations, but like to get babies weaned by 5 months as "there are developmental advantages to weaning at this age". sigh. my HV also advised that DS should be on 3 meals a day and finger food at 6 months. Good job I knew not to take her word as gospel by this point!!!

mummytosteven · 31/01/2006 17:58

bamboo - why not just wait till after your holiday to get DS weighed. problem solved! as long as your child is healthy, I really don't see the need to get them weighed every week or two!

edam · 31/01/2006 18:09

Spot on Enid - I challenged the CPHVA (health visitor's association) about this and they flannelled about HV's not getting protected time for training. Well, I'm sorry, but it's their professional responsibility to keep up to date. And the advice isn't brand new anyway - you'd expect even the dimmest HV to have noticed it by now.

Suspect MI's right about their motivation.

Tinker · 31/01/2006 18:43

My HV's have been great.

Just wanted to post that.

Tinker · 31/01/2006 18:45

lucykate - think we're in the same area - SK?

hunkermunker · 31/01/2006 18:50

Ah, an HV thread, my favourite

However, my new one is...ahem...fab

Old one as much use as having a convo with a roll of carpet though.

NotQuiteCockney · 31/01/2006 19:11

One of our local HVs told a mum to wean at 12 weeks, as her baby seemed unsettled. An HV who advised holding out to 16 weeks would be a blessing.

SecondhandRose · 01/02/2006 18:49

Surely it depends on the weight of your baby?

kama · 01/02/2006 18:51

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