The weaning window of opportunity

[hunkermunker]

Can you do me a favour, please? If any HV spouts this bollocks at you, can you punch her?

Thanks.

[suedonim]

I was taken in, hook line and sinker, by the 'window of opportunity' thing with dd2. My HV told me that I needed to wean dd between 4/6mths otherwise she'd miss the 'window of opportunity' to learn to chew. As it was 10yrs since I'd last had a baby I was quite taken in by this and thought 'Wow, the wonders of science, it's amazing what they've learnt about babies!'

I can't believe I was so stupid as to believe this, though as there was no internet then I'm not sure how I would have challenged it anyway. But I've since learnt that the 6mths idea was around even 10yrs ago and am sad I didn't know about it. As it was, dd was a slow learner and only had a bit of fruit gloop once or twice a day until she was quite a few months older.

[WeaselMum]

My hv weaning talk consisted of the usual encouragement to wean on baby rice once a day for two weeks, then pureed carrot, etc - as I expected - and then the hv brought out examples of all the jars on offer in the shops - Heinz, Hipp etc, saying that jars were brilliant nowadays, no nasties in them anymore, aren't they great? I found it bizarre to be officially encouraging mothers to spend money on this stuff and telling them it's just as good as homecooked food.

[WannaBeAPMummy]

Sad to say that 5 years later from this discussion, I got warned about the 'window of opportunity' by a hv today.

I am happy with my BF / BLW approach with my 8 month old, so when told to be careful using BLW as I could miss the window I just nodded and tried to look suitable chastened and like I knew what she was talking about to make her go away... and googled it once i was home!

Looks to me if this window does exist for introducing new textures and flavours then blw would be exactly what I should be doing, not the opposite, surely?

[OneLittleBabyGirl]

Yes because surely if the windows of opportunity closes at 6mo. Then we are all doomed to only eat puréed veg and baby rice. Makes a lot of sense.

[Emily271]

Latest research:
www.plum-baby.co.uk/our-advice/our-weaning-research/

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

I am so lucky with my hv compared to some of these! I was told well done at my last weigh in for holding off until 6 months as so many people start on rusk and rice early on in my area. She was totally supportive of my decision to a combination of purees and finger food too. she also advised me when I first met her to go on Netmums because you get terrible advice

[Totobear]

I am confused about when to start. I thought the guidelines said not before 26 weeks but then I went to a talk and the HV said not before 26 weeks but no later than 26 weeks...which...err means you have to start bang on week 26 or you will apparently end up with a child who will only eat biscuits or have food allergies.

Quite frankly, I think I will struggle to make it to 26 weeks with a 5 month old who is taking nearly 300 ml at a feed but I desperately don't want him to start food before if it means his risk of allergies is increased, especially as I have hay fever and he had some baby eczema.

Then, my friend whose baby is nearly five months has been told to give him baby rice already.

WTF is going on??

[SarryB]

My HV had no problem at all with LO starting on veg/fruit purée at 4.5 months. She said I could try baby rice, but it wasn't very beneficial (actually made his reflux worse), and not to give anything else untill after six months. I'm still amazed that HV's all over the country can have such different views on weaning.