sister always feeds niece the same thing.

[Annabelandgeorge]

My sister is currently weaning my 9 month old niece. I say 'weaning' but my sister only ever gives the baby the same pots of fruit puree. Along with breast milk there is nothing at all in the baby's diet. My sister just says breast milk alone will do until 12 months. My belief is baby's need a varied diet from weaning age so they get all the nutrients and to avoid fussy eating further down the line. Who is correct? my nephew who is only 6 weeks older is on a very varied diet.

I didn't ever breast feed but I'm inclined to say she is right. I don't think they do need anything other than breast milk but I wouldn't hard to switch up the fruits etc

Her child, her rules. In some countries, there's no choice but to wean children on the same thing everyday and to have predominantly breast milk as long as possible. It's probably not ideal but up to her. Just worry about your own children, if you have them.

Babies iron and zinc stores begin to diminish between 6 and 12 months so the baby needs more than fruit puree.

Get hold of something reputable which states this and show her.

What’s that old saying? “Food before one is solely for fun”?

Breast milk will provide all nutrients.

old being the operative word Beach

We know more now.

BM is fine until one. Ideally she’d expose to more tastes and textures but quantity of solid food is unimportant.

Food before one is solely for fun

Just because it rhymes doesnt make it true. Babies need extra nutrients after 6 months.

I think this is not ideal at all, why wouldn't you give lots of food at this stage if that food is easily available?

Honestly, I agree with you. Sugary fruit purées on repeat are storing up problems for the future but there's no way of saying anything without looking like a dick so I'd be inclined to leave it. Maybe offer her some other choices whilst at your house in a 'we're just having something to eat, do you and DD care to join? I have this (insert food)'?

I'm sure babies need more than fruit and breastmilk. They need a source of iron and they need to develop the ability to chew which they will not get from solely eating pureed foods. Does she give finger foods too as by that age they should have been introduced. Delaying gluten is also not advised as it can increase chances of coeliac disease.

Most baby purées don't have added sugar though... or is this a "natural fruit sugar are as bad as mars bars" thing?

Once pureed all the sugars are released. Not many calories or other nutrients in a fruit pot either. Baby needs protein, carbs, fats too

London if that was a question for me, it's hyperbolic to suggest I meant the baby might as well have mars bars but if she is exclusively being weaned on sweet purées, of course it's not ideal.
The mother is making excuses about the breastmilk providing all nutrients until 12 months. Why is she 'weaning' at all if that's the case?

Hi, maybe these articles could help:

www.bbc.com/news/health-48773636

health.usnews.com/wellness/for-parents/articles/2017-01-17/8-mistakes-to-avoid-when-starting-solids-with-your-baby

Btw I don't think exclusive fruit purées is great either, I was just trying to say that I don't think in and of themselves they're a problem, combined with other stuff.

Maybe the baby doesn’t want anything else? I had one that was a firm food refuser until around 9mths and even then it was a struggle. They would only go apple and pear purées, I slowly added fortified rice cereal but by god I had to go slowly or it was completely refused. They were not interested in finger food in the slightest either, no baby custards, no other foods. I would have hated to have some nosy parker judging me when I was doing my best. It took a long time to get them eating a ‘normal’ diet and then it was always limited as they wouldn’t eat a great range of food but did get everything they needed from what they would eat, as repetitive as it often was.

Should add that particular baby is now a strapping adult over 6 foot, very slim and healthy as a ox. No food allergies or issues but remained very picky with food as a child and still very picky with food as an adult. Sometimes it just is what it is.

Oh God, will that stupid jingle about "food before one" please just go and die a death already? It's just plain dumb and it is not true.

Her child needs to be eating lumps and pieces of food, so that she can develop chewing and swallowing skills and develop the muscles needed for speech. And she needs iron-rich foods, because their iron stores and blood iron levels will be depleting at this point. Meat, egg yolk, pulses, fortified cereals. A few weedy bits of pureed pear is not going to cut it. She should also be exposed to allergens in a timely manner--current data suggests that around 6mo is ideal for introducing things like peanut, egg and wheat.

9 months doesn't need it pureed, lumps or fruit and soft cooked veg in a net thing work well if choking is a worry.
Breastmilk is still the main source of calories and nutrition, but food needs to vary, we were always told introduce one new food each week once you get going with weaning.