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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Weaning in Greece

29 replies

mwro · 30/04/2007 07:53

Has anyone weaned their baby in Greece? I am so confused!

I understand that in England babies start with baby rice mixed with breast or formula milk but here they are advising me to start with a "vanilla crema". I'm not entirely sure what it is (and someone else told me it is v sweet - don't want to give sweet stuff to my DD). Help!!

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 30/04/2007 08:06

How old is your little one?

There's a lovely lazy way to wean, where you just wait until 6 months and give them table scraps more or less. Much much less work, and lots of fun. It's called 'baby-led weaning' ... lots of threads on it.

lucy5 · 30/04/2007 08:07

I'm in Spain and having similar problems. Ds hads just woken up so I will come back later. Sorry. There is a mum in Greece on here, I will have a think and try to remember her name.

ThatBeetroot · 30/04/2007 08:10

my brother lives in greece and their son just ate the fmaily meals - soups and stuff.

littlelapin · 30/04/2007 08:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PollyLogos · 30/04/2007 08:19

mwro hi I am the one who directed you to the baby massage classes! I am quite surprised that they are telling you to start with the crema (which I would avoid as it is very sweet and really not the best to start with) Who is telling you this, your paediatrician? (or your m-i-l)

I've always found them to have a pretty good 'programme'for weaning here although they do sometimes start them a bit younger than the UK. Usually here they start them with fruit, I always stewed the fruit and blended it but i think most greek mums just blend.

Its years since I weaned my kids but i can ask some of the girls I know here what they do if you like.

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 08:22

My DD is coming up to 6 months. The word "crema" has confused me as normally this means "cream" but I am not sure if they are using it interchangeably with the word "puree". Then someone else here said the just started straight off with fruit puree.

OP posts:
Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 08:26

Hi PollyLogos! Yes, I remember you - the massage classes were great! Thank you so much. They're also starting bay yoga there too now.

Re weaning, any advice would be appreciated! My paediatrician told me about the crema but all the other mums here (bar one - the one who told me to start with fruit) seem to start with that too.

My midwife (who is Scottish) told me the crema is v sweet and that's why I've got concerned.

OP posts:
Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 08:26

that's baby yoga - not bay yoga!

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PollyLogos · 30/04/2007 09:20

One of the girls I work with has a scottish midwife - bet its the same girl! I would ask her for advice and follow what she says.I left my e-mail on the other thread you had. Why don't you mail me and in the meantime I will find out what others do here.

LIZS · 30/04/2007 09:27

You don't have to start with babyrice or cereals . Try some stewed fresh fruit or steamed veg, pureed or ground to a pulp if needs be, blend with ebm or formula to cream it.

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 10:52

I received some sample "crema"s through the post and they all have sugar in - surely it can't be right to give a baby sugar?? Perhaps I should start with the fruit (but why do people say to start with rice and then move onto fruit?).

Everyone here seems to think I am mad (including my husband) for making such a fuss about the sugar thing.

Polly - I can't find your email address - how do I get it??

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Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 11:00

and what is "baby rice"?? Do you buy it in the supermarkets in England?

ps sorry for all these questions! Don't really know people with babies

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AitchTwoOh · 30/04/2007 11:00

i don't personally think there's much wrong with starting with fruit and sweet things (although maybe not custard) as milk is so sugay and that's what they're used to. i write the BLW blog lulu linked to, and if you scroll down to the early photos you can see my dd eating an apricot. good luck with everyhting, weaning's a blast. often literally.

MrsBadger · 30/04/2007 11:03

baby rice is like really finely ground rice which you just mix with EBM, formula, milk or water - think of it like the Readybrek of the rice world.
Tastes like wallpaper paste.

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 11:07

thank you Mrs Badger. Would most people agree that it's not good to start weaning with something that contains sugar or am I being completely over-the-top and neurotic?

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PollyLogos · 30/04/2007 11:07

This sort of thing is difficult here in Greece because you will get everybody giving (freely) their opinion!! However I would stick to your guns on what you want to do. Iam not against the crema per se but i'm not sure its the best thing to start with especially if you want to get your dd eating a balenced fresh food diet. Contact me at adele at in dot gr

AitchTwoOh · 30/04/2007 11:08

i think you are being eminently sensible. natural fruit sugar, as in from fruit, great, but what's the point of giving your baby a teaspoon or sugar in milk. (honestly, have a look at the BLW stuff, it's easy).

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 11:15

PollyLogos - have sent you an email so let me know if you get it!

Will have a look through the BLW website - thanks.

Glad I am not being a total freak about this sugar thing!

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PrincessPeaHead · 30/04/2007 11:25

ha ha when I was in greece with a 3 month old they were all trying to get her to try a little spoon of marmelatha (strawberry) or a little bit of very softly boiled egg

egg, strawberries and sugar at 3 months
ha ha ha I declined, happy to let them think I was a neurotic wierdo

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 11:34

that's hilarious!!!!!

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PollyLogos · 30/04/2007 12:31

E - mail arrived will answer soon.

PPH My husband's family always wanted to give my kids (as babies) sugar on a spoon (na tous glykainis)

Even now my mother in law if she does boiled eggs they are VERY softly boiled (the white is hardly set at all) but when I make pancakes she won't eat them cos she says I have not cooked them enough

PrincessPeaHead · 30/04/2007 16:02

ha ha ha

I love it all though

Have a trip to athens in a couple of weeks for 3 days BY MYSELF to sort out some things - hurrah! Looking forward to some souvlaki kotopoulo kai rizi

and some decent tomatoes

and a tiropita or two

Original poster
mwro · 30/04/2007 16:40

Yes, it's true that tomatoes are much better here!

How long were you in Athens Princess?

OP posts:
Skyler · 30/04/2007 16:52

Not quite the same but the tomatoes in Cyprus were amazing too. Not tasting of water like here.
The hospital in Limassol where I nearly had dd were in the habit of giving all the newborns glucose solution .
FWIW I just started the dd's on purees of veg and fruit that I just steamed myself. I wish I had heard of BLW before though. Just start with tastes not meals. As you have waited till 6 months there isn't too much to avoid though I would monitor wheat and dairy and egg and perhaps leave them till 8 mths. Honey should be left till after 12 months due to a rare but actual risk of infant botulism.
I didn't add any sugar to anything.
Rice cakes were a good finger food.
Good Luck and trawl the weaning threads here. There is loads of good advice.

PrincessPeaHead · 30/04/2007 19:27

I'm half greek
never lived there but go there often to see family etc etc
I dream about greek tomatoes
sigh