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?

Nighty, I am sorry, I don't see the implication you see on this thread. Of course there are instances where all the support in the world doesn't do it....I wasn't listing a comprehensive catalogue of reasons, just examples.

you dont think that it suggests second rate care to say that someone is "shovelling" food into their baby?

We all know that a very small percentage of women genuinely can't breastfeed. I bet that rises sharply when we are talking about exclusively breastfeeding a baby in Britain today until 6 months.

sober, I didnt rise to it for ages! but kept on seeing it!!

Right, I;'ve not read this thread, and I ain't coming back to it again. But I've heard it's reputation.
I am one of those mums who knew the guidelines, and introduced solid early for dd (didn't for ds - he was my first). 2/3 weeks early, but early nethertheless.
Why did I do it?

Good question ... I think I felt that I heard contradictory advice about every area of babycare, and at some stage you have to make your own judgements - for example I co-slept, despite being told by health professionals/read the current (at the time) advice that was not the 'safest' thing to do, becuase I believed there were good reasons to do it, and that it was the best thing for me & my baby.

I think I only know ONE person in RL who has waited til the 6 month guidelines (I am on the committee of the local NCT btw, so know people who you would expect to wait...) - in fact, I was made to feel 'odd' for waiting til 6 mths with ds. With both ds & dd I was presurised by health visitors to wean early.

With dd feeding every two hours day & night, I was ready to take the chance that WHO guidelines were just another bit of advice that I could ignore.

In retrospect, yes, I personally hugely wish I'd waited (one of the reasons I don't read these threads - enough guiilt on my own, thanks!) - clearly 2/3 weeks more wasn't going to make a difference, but at the time, it felt like a logical decision.
(From about 6 1/2 mths or so I did blw - dd's decision!)

Does that help anyone understand why this happens?

It's no secret that I don't think babies should be weaned at 12 weeks. The OP and title to this thread were written while I was frustrated from reading a thread where people were talking about weaning at 8 weeks, or waiting till 12. Hence the tone.

I'm sorry if you object to "shovel in" - however, if I'd used "spoon lovingly" people would've said I was taking the piss - no?

Clearly I think I'm better than everyone and have never struggled with any aspect of parenting though [untrue]

can you post a link to the thread that prompted this one?

It's at 700 posts already, Compo and I'm not keen to keep it going...

I'm not lying though (if that's the implication). It was a pretty current thread with babies that are about 12 weeks-ish old now on it.

God no, that was definitely not the implication!! Was just being nosey and can totally understand why you wouldn't want to link it here

LOL! [paranoia]

Have just been and read it again and it still annoyed me, so better I don't post it, I think

I've had a sift through this and wanted to add my friend started weaning her ds (now 12 wks)at 5 weeks on baby porridge (oat based)because her mother suggested it. Her mother also told her not so tell HV.
I voiced my concerns and horror and informed her why weaning not recommended til 6 months and she said was ok for me and my bother. Anyway she then admits has all sorts of stomach problems, nothing like Crohns but is prone to bugs etc.
Makes you wonder.
Anyway she stopped weaning him (had only been dooing for 4 days) so hopefully no harm done.

Nightynight...but in the threadtitle there is no implication whatsoever that the op was talking about FF mums...it's not about exclusively bf and waiting for 6 month, it is about waiting for 6 month no matter if you ff or bf...!

Also, may I ask ar the Cam that is referred to as being chased away and the CAM that posted after this was implicated by someone different C A M s then...now that is confusing!

Also, zookeeper, don't think many people had altered their name for this discussion...hjowever many of us had easter themed name, nothing to do wiht trying to hide behind a fake name or anything....

I was advised by my HV to start weaning DS1 at 3 months, he was 10lb 10oz when he was born, and was really big when he got to 3 months. He had been sleeping through, but then starting waking in the night for feeds again. This was 10 years ago though. I had no idea that this could be dangerous to his health

remember that 'could' is very much the operative word, though. chances are it will be fine.

hunker have i missed something or did you not respond to my post?

He has had behaviour problems, could that be linked?

Is this still going? blimey.

bit disheartening if you didn't tbh.

orf for lovely dinner with dh now though! huzzah

as far as i'm aware it's more things like allergies. hth.

Thanks Aitch

Bugger - I'd missed it - have been skimming threads and fire-fighting allegations of cohortism

So thank you, much appreciated - I can't apologise for the way I posted about this subject, because I was frustrated at the time (because, try as I might not to care, reading about giving 8wo and 12wo babies food does get to me), but I apologise for telling you to get off the thread - I kinda was, but only because so many people had totally misread the OP and thought I was judging their past decisions and talking about much older babies than I was.

I do agree with you totally that emotional abuse of babies and children is not good - I know I try very carefully to word what I say to the boys, but I don't always succeed in being as quiet as I might like ideally when I address them...

1. do we really have to use the word "abusive" for behaviour that wouldn't remotely interest social services.

1. what is the actual % risk (allergies/gult problems etc) of weaning at 4 months rather than 6.

it's 10 per cent.

but you'll have to read the thread to find out if that's true.

Not talking about weaning at 4m. Thread not about that. Just thought I'd mention that again.