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?

No, no here is fine. Am always interested in research and finding out new things

Will read that link....

oh no i have been uncovered, damn....

OH thats got quite a few studies referenced, I cant read all of them now.

There is certainly mention on stuff that I have read (will try and find so i can link) that cognitive development takes off between 3-4 months, ie, that a baby understands a difference in environment, or an action enough to react to it.

It does say that between 6-10 weeks it is vital to meet a babies needs in order that it mustnt feel neglected, which I knew already, not mentioning any names , so yes, that is important. Absolutely.

But all things being equal, weaning a baby is, a choice, whereas behaviours that you display to your baby isnt something you consciously choose to do. Breaking lifetime habits are far more difficult to do, because they are ingrained and we dont realise we are doing them (as displayed in your post regarding your son telling you to stop whining when you cried), rather than simply Just Not Weaning.

Failure to thrive is one of the most common reasons for infants being hospitalised, and allergies and bowel conditions are steadily increasing in the UK, so, from that point of view nutrition is paramount in my mind.

Im not dismissing the importance of emotional development at all, just saying that it is not somethign you'd be as reactive to as you would the sudden changes in nutritional development in early months as hinderences in emotional development are not really possible to detect at the time.

Am happy to read more if you have more links? This stuff fascinates me.

I've always thought failure to thrive had a strong emotional part in it - something to do with not responding to your child appropriately

Hunger in a baby is a reflex rather than an emotion. Whether a parent understands the crying that accompanies that reflex, or simply ignores it is something else. Certainly if you just Fed the Baby milk it would solve both problems, no?

I would certainly say that leaving a baby to cry because you want it to sleep at a certain time is Not Ideal.

All issues pertaining to parenthood are strongly linked to emotions for the parents though.

its not rocket science is it

No, it really isnt.

I think the less we mention rockets at the moment the better though.......

Emotional in my vast experience

OMG how did this happen?I'll tell you shall I?Someone decided to re hash the same old thread in a different disguise because they have nothingbetter to do.Caring about babies and their feeding is to be commended but it is none of your business what other people do and guidelines are that GUIDES not written in stone.This is horrible and against the spirit of MN I am not surprised Cam has left BTW I bottlefed my ds and weaned him at 4 months Stone me now!

Or "rehashing the same old thread" because some people are intent on starting to wean their child at 8+ weeks despite guidelines, or because there are new members all the time but the message remains the same?

There is quite a leap between 8 weeks and 26 weeks dont you think noddy?

As for CAM leaving - I think it is much less to do with this thread than it is her being 'called' on her behaviour and attitude towards people and not liking it.

Unless of course it is more acceptable to tell people to fuck off, over and above repeating Dept of Health and WHO guidelines?

REad the thread - Cam has been bullied off

If anyone is intent on weaning their child at any age it is no one elses business.Even the word intent has the tone of disapproval

whooooooooo caaaaaarreeeeeesss? When other people wena their babies is dull, dull, dull.

Noddy - I'm with you. What an unpleasant and patronising thread this has been. Even without reading a word of it (which sadly I've wasted 5 mins of my life doing) the title is enough to tell you about the holier than thou attitude that was going to appear. Just another sorry example of those who feel they are bigger, cleverer and just BETTER than others.

oh and sorry if this posts more than once, computer having a 'moment'

MN seems to be full of right know it all's these days, pain in the arse.

Tis true. I am a smart arse. I am what I am. It really truly does upset me when people willfully ignore advice for very spurious reasons (I dont think I need to expand on that). I really cant help that. If caring is a fault, then I hey ho thats me.

I wont apologise for re-itering the most up-to-date advice. AND there is no good reason why this subject shouldnt be discussed often. Things do change here and there. There is always something to learn. And women will keep on having babies wont they .

In fact, I learnt one or two things last night. I found sophables posts very interesting last night.

That is not caring it is meddling

no, it upsets you when people ignore 8you8 advice. why don't you just stop advising people anyway?

oops that should be your

(impact lost but message clear)

How is it meddling?

It's not my advice zookeeper, its the advice of the DOH and the WHO.

But, thank you.

haven't read whole thread ( not surprisingly!)

I started a thread about 4 mths back asking which was more preferable - early weaning or adding formula for someone going back to work and not able to express fully?

I think the feeling was ( with a lot of breast feeding counsellers input) that on no evidence they would base it on but empirically solids ( whole fresh food) was better than formula.

Having said that, we're talking abou 5 mths and not 12 weeks.

Because it is none of your business what other mothers do wrt feeding their children.It is not as if you are the only person who has the information it is just that others choose their own way and you don't like it,you use words like intent and wilfully as if they are being disobedient childrenIt is really quite laughable Get off your high horse