It's not rocket science - "it may cause harm to wean early, it does no harm to leave it till 6m" - WHY do people still want to shovel baby rice in at 12 weeks (or earlier)?

[hunkermunker]

I have come up with some ideas as to why people wean early:

they have competitive baby syndrome and are annoyed someone else's baby rolled first, so they want to get theirs onto steak and chips via baby rice and one fruit or veg a week for months

Well, an idea. Any more?

Ah yes, you arent wrong because you are wrong, its because hunker is "popular"

but what about both soph? why shouldn't we aim to support our children emotionally as well as nutritionally? i don't understand your point, tbh.

psml

pmsl

Okay, I havent read all this thread, but I would like to say that I love the fact that Hunker cares.
That is NOT meant to sound sarcastic.

BUT on the OP - I dont think it is competitive baby syndrome. There are loads of reasons why people wean early, three of the main ones I know of are:

• Health Visitor recommendations (including my own). It's very hard to stick to the full 6 months when you have the HV saying it wont hurt your baby to wean early, "so long as you just use rice" etc.

• Family pressure - when you're tired, confused and not sure where to turn to, sometimes it is the experienced elders of our families we listen to, who, of course, follow the line of "tut, 6 months, you were weaned at x and it didn't do any harm"

• Conflicting info on the web - some sites will tell you to look for signs like "taking an interest in food" etc so if you do search it can confuse the situation.

YES I am aware of the government advice. But the government also says not to smoke when pg, and I see loads of people doing that, the government says breast is best, but some people dont try etc etc.

Anyway, again, Hunker - keep telling us, I'm sure we'll all eventually get the message

[stops ignoring Sophable]

Sophable, I can't help that people post to support me - although the fact that people DO might tell you something (namely that I'm not the chippy fucker you've painted me as all the time).

The reason I post, as you said, somewhat aggressively sometimes regarding this subject is that I feel strongly about it - I post a lot about breastfeeding and weaning - it interests me. I like that people have access to good quality support and advice. I like to think I provide it on other threads, threads you clearly haven't read. If you have time, you might want to search out the posts I've made over the last couple of months about breastfeeding and see the ratio of supportive to aggressive.

The reason I started this thread was because I'd been reading posts from people on here talking about weaning at 8 weeks - or waiting a bit and weaning at 12. For no reason other than they wanted to. So perhaps I was a bit frustrated when I wrote the OP - do you never get frustrated when people are doing things you think are way off-beam?

I think her point was that mental health is more important than physical health.

Although, as with a few folk here she didnt read the title or thread properly, namely that the issue surrounds babies as young as 8-12 weeks> So, it wasnt actually relevant to this particularly discussion.

Thanks Elf

Cam, yes, I had seen that re the Generation Game. Wonder if they'll have a cuddly toy on the conveyer belt? Jim'll Fix It meant to be coming back too.

my point originally was one about emphasis aitch. Reflected in the tone and amount of these kinds of post.

Sorry, didn't mean to make you blush!
You gave me some very good advice when I was confused about weaning

Sophable, I think that it's because I don't read lots of posts saying "I'm going to shout at my baby from 12 weeks, because they're a big baby and to be honest, he has rather a stupid look on his face" - if I did, no doubt I'd get irate about emotional abuse too more often.

actually, in answer to the OP (the what?!), my cousin's wee boy was born in Nov and has only just regained his birthweight. he seems to have the most dreadful reflux, absolutely terrible.they started giving him baby porridge last month and he does seem to be able to keep it down and his cheeks are pinking up as a result. seems to me that's a good reason to wean a bit early but knowing my cousin as i do, i'm sure she'll only have done it having tried everything else. i am so glad that it seems to be working out, and any potential cost in the future must be balanced against his health at the moment.

hunker i have no idea if you are a chippy fucker. I'm not commenting on YOU i'm commenting on what I take from the way that you repeatedly start threads and the way you express them about this subject.

and i made that comment in response you basically telling me to piss off off your thread!

so points taken (about your supportiveness and your interest). and of course i get frustrated. AND start contentious threads, AND wander onto ones that might be contentious.

my retaliation has been a little strong.

sorry.

VVV....are you saying that mental health issues aren't relevant to infants?????? you aren't are you?????

soph, i think that the weight of posting on a site for mums will always be skewed in favour of 'milestone moments' rather than something more intangible or even dare i say shameful than emotional abuse. it doesn't mean it's not important though, of course.

ffs sophable is entitled to her opinion. leave her alone. i hate the pack wolf mentality.

who is saying that sophable isn't entitled to her opinion? good lord!

frascati....hello....i don't know who you are....don't worry about me....you don't have to defend me, we'll be perfectly nice to each other on another thread...i think!

I am an old timer that has changed my name

Im saying its not as important as nutrition in babies under 6 months old. The brain is (according to my DD's Paediatrician, HV and a research study i read) simply not developed enough to absorb as much in the way of emotional development. It runs on reflexes mostly up to approximately 12 weeks. Then emotional development begins to take over.

we're being perfectly nice on this one, soph.

who? who? who?

who?

who?

I'll CAT you....

or should that be WOLF?

VVV

your paed is talking absolutely utter and total sh*te that any 1st year psychologist/psychotherapist/psychiatrist/early years student would be able to put them straight on.

there is compelling evidence to suggest that in fact what happens emotionally to a baby during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first 3 months (which some call the fourth trimester) creates synaptic pathways that can be set for life.

it is a if not the crucial time in emotional development.

this is as good a starting point as any

hunker apologies for tangential-ness....happy to continue this on another thread if you want VVV