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?

OK, I get the point re:research - that there's no answer. But not impossible there could have been research after the fact, like with mothers who took ads when PG.

Am genuinely still puzzled about what the thread is about. How do you define early weaning? The 8 weeks/12 weeks examples?

phew. thought it was pointed

i do think emotional abuse is worse tbh....but i guess we agree to disagree on that...

No, just ditzy! Can totally see why it would've looked like that though - was cringing when I saw your recent post and realised I'd missed your earlier one! Bloody long thread - who started it anyway?!

And I think emotional abuse is worse too.

Might start a thread...actually, maybe not...!

mummytosteven, it was discussed somewhere else, but i think the problem is that looking at data retrospectively is too fraught with difficulties to compare like with like. when they start, wheat did they start with, were they ill at teh time, did their grandma give them chocolate buttons every time mum's back was turned, is there a family history of whatever issue etc etc. i think that was it, anyway. i've had a look for the explanation but i can't find it.

Yes, retrospective research with stuff like weaning is hard.

Imagine retrospective potty training research - we were all dry by one if our mothers and grandmothers are to be believed

yes, there are too many variables really to do any decent retrospective research. much of the recommendations are based on theorising.
which is fair enough, if you are convinced by the theories

Am I following this right? It's impossible to do retrospective research, obv. impossible to predict the future... so what are the WHO guidelines based on? [confused emoticaon]

I'm at being mentioned several times on this thread

Nightynight - I am extremely sensitive to any suggestions that we can and should all breastfeed exclusively to 6 months. If you ever were bored enough to go search on my name you would see this from my many posts on the subject (my regular name's Twinklemegan btw, not my Easter one which I must change back). But even I can't see such an implication in this OP. In fact, Hunker has recently posted some really interesting threads on breastfeeding and I think she and some (not all) others really do acknowledge the problems faced by many women, you and me included.

I did actually wean my DS before 6 months - I had to make a decision at the time because DS was being very sick on just milk. It did help, thank goodness and we haven't looked back. I don't feel especially guilty though because it's not as if he was being exclusively breastfed, or in fact breastfed at all by then. I don't think Hunker is referring to that kind of situation in her OP.

And the reference to "shovelling" is tbh the only way to describe it in the context of a 12 week old, as there is no way they are physically ready for solids at that age.

Sophable, you dont appear to have acknowledge my comments to you.

well, it depends what you mean by "research".
it is possible to show trends/tendencies in retrospect, but this is not as scientifically sound.
some of the recommendations move from established theories, in particular re the permeability of the gut.

VVV what you on about? we had v interesting back and forth about early attachment further down!!!!!

lady????

I dont often get angry with threads on MN but this one has really F**d me off.

I have half read, half skimmed this thread and all I can say is:

How dare you be so judgemental!

I was advised by my GP to start weaning DS at 13 weeks (now 17 weeks)! At 8 weeks DS had been in hopsital with breathing problems bought on through a floppy larynx and a cold. He actually stopped breathing and was rushed in by ambulance. And it has happened about 5 times since, although thank God I have managed to get him breathing again.

It turns out the prime cause is because DS is such a hungry baby he actually feeds too quickly and gulps air, which with his larynx problem means he often catches his breath, panics and stops breathing - twice he has been so bad as to turn blue! So by feeding solids he doesnt gulp air and the larynx cartelidge is forced to open and close rather than flapping around with liquid on it! Not medical description but best I can do as a really cross layperson!

Sod the bloody guidelines! And bllcks to anyone who thinks otherwise about me! I would rather have my gorgeous living baby than think about the alternative!

HV and GP support me and I use a mixture of home pureed fruit and veg, petie filous and baby rice!

And I have to say all the mums I speak to in RL - regardless of thier babies health were early weaners too! And most people were weaned early years ago and not all of us have digestive problems, in fact I would say a large percentage are fine!

And before you go on about BF not gulping as much air etc. My boobs are ornamental I have not been able to feed either of my DC's as I had no real milk supply - and that runs in my family! Sould I have employed a 'wet nurse'

And FWIW when DD was born guidelines were for weaning were 3-4 months!

Sorry for the aggression but I am so cross right now!

LowFatMilkshake - I don't think anyone was deliberately being judgmental where there are medical reasons, although I agree things did get pretty heated back there.

Haven't read the whole thing becuase it's nealry 550 posts and i'm a bit pissed, and can' be arsed, so if I'm repating anything, apologies.

Both DSs were "underwight" at 4 months.

Both times I was told to wean them

Both times I said no, I'll wait until 6 montyhs

I will tell you about what I heard at"bably clinic" the othwer week

HV was talking to some braying woman about weaning. Said woman had been giving her DS solids from 4 months and now he is 5 months. The HV said "Oh, you need to drop some of his breastfeeds now, because when you start weaning, solids are far more important than milk"

I wanted to say "What a laod of fucking bollocks you poisonious old witch" buty I refrianed.

This sort of thing worries me greatly you know

I'm, going now because I'm rtalking shit

Haven't read the whole thing becuase it's nealry 550 posts and i'm a bit pissed, and can' be arsed, so if I'm repating anything, apologies.

Both DSs were "underwight" at 4 months.

Both times I was told to wean them

Both times I said no, I'll wait until 6 montyhs

I will tell you about what I heard at"bably clinic" the othwer week

HV was talking to some braying woman about weaning. Said woman had been giving her DS solids from 4 months and now he is 5 months. The HV said "Oh, you need to drop some of his breastfeeds now, because when you start weaning, solids are far more important than milk"

I wanted to say "What a laod of fucking bollocks you poisonious old witch" buty I refrianed.

This sort of thing worries me greatly you know

I'm, going now because I'm rtalking shit

so in answer to the question 'why do you want to shovel food in?' the answer is 'because my child was desperately ill and it was the only thing we could think of to help him. which it did'. who would judge that? that's a good reason for early weaning. not unlike my cousin who i mentioned further down the thread, who has weaned her boy early because he has had terrible reflux and she'd tried every other thing but he was losing weight.
i know this is bound to be a sensitive area for you LFM, but really, take a step back... this thread was not directed at you AT ALL.

nearly 7590 even

fuck 750 posts

God, I'm drunk

Sophable, i asked you if you had any more research papers you could link me IIRC.

LowFatMilkshake - I think your is the sort of response I assume Hunkermunker is after. The question she is asking is why would you wean early when the advice says not to, your post perfectly demonstartes why you weaned erly. No need to get irrate at all.

Thats all well and good Twinkel - but if I was seen in RL feeding my DS by someone who thinks as others on this thread I would be tared with the same brush as:

"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"

"first smile gone, no rolling for a while, so summat to do?"

And would others think as Hunker that I was abusing my baby?? Or helping him stay alive as is really the case??

Sorry but some people have to look beyond guidleines and get of thier soapbox!

It's all well and good to have an opinion, but to acutally condem a whole group of people like this is a bit off

Also haerd anothe woman when DS2 was having his 4 month vaccination saying
"Oh yes, I have stared tarquin on solids because he is so advanced. I think he needs it"

She was also a brayer.

Thare's lots of brayers round here

pmsl at IGW!!

Milkshake, You did have a good reson for weing your baby earkly.

But there are lots who don;t to be honest.

When face with a situation such as yours, I say bugger all prinicple and fuchk waht everyone else thinks because you atre doing what's right

However, weaning because your baby looked at a carrot once with interest at 3 days old isn't a valid reson in my book.

I'm pissed up, so not verey eloquwent, or indeed, sensivitive