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Weaning

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

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Original poster

ok this is what a HV said yesterday

24 replies

bumbly · 21/02/2008 08:38

when i explained that my lo has approx 800-1000ml of milk a day

turned 7 months now

weaning going erractically

sometimes eats sometimes doesnt - usually 2 meals a day sometimes 3

she angrily looked at me as if i was devil

and said that the "child" needs to cut down on milk now immediately or it will be end of world and he will be anaemic

now that is completely different to what mumsnet folk say ie do not worry milk is main nutrient supply

why was the hv so angry at me??

OP posts:

FAQ · 21/02/2008 08:39

how many oz's is that??

Original poster

bumbly · 21/02/2008 08:41

more than 1/2 pint

approx 3/4-1 pint i think

OP posts:

belgo · 21/02/2008 08:42

that's about two pints a day, 454ml is one pint I think.

belgo · 21/02/2008 08:43

according to my measuring jug, 1000ml is one and three quater pints.

belgo · 21/02/2008 08:46

usually two meals a day, sometimes three, sounds fine for a 7 month old. And as much milk on top of that sounds fine.

My dd2 was 17 months old before she became aneamic, but she was eating practially no solids at that point, so a very different situation to yours.

In my experience, if your baby is doing well and is happy, you don't have anything to worry about.

LIZS · 21/02/2008 08:47

It sounds quite a lot of milk, but roughly 4 8 oz feeds which I think is still fairly normal for hsi age. She's mad, if she were that worried she'd suggest a supplement. What about trying fortified yogurts and cereals (with some fruit as vitamin C aids iron absorption) for breakfast or tea if you are concerned. Do you have to continue to see her her advice is inconsistent at best and unhelpful and undermining at worst ?

Original poster

bumbly · 21/02/2008 08:52

hi lizs - this was a hv at weighing clinic not my hv

a totally new one

OP posts:

Original poster

bumbly · 21/02/2008 08:52

hi lizs - this was a hv at weighing clinic not my hv

a totally new one

OP posts:

castlesintheair · 21/02/2008 08:53

Some babies just prefer milk. My 4 year old has always been a milkaholic, whereas my other two are more foodies, and she's certainly not and never has been anaemic.

Is this your first dc? Personally, I'd ditch the hv - you don't have to see them. Unless they are helpful (which she isn't by the sound of it) they can just make you feel inadequate. Stick to MN - far more supportive and informative IME.

castlesintheair · 21/02/2008 08:55

x-posts. Do you need to get your DC weighed? My 14 month old hasn't been weighed since she was 2 months. I haven't been invited to have her weighed and I see no need to. I can always bung her on the bathroom scales if I'm worried, which I'm not

Lulumama · 21/02/2008 09:01

your HV is scaremongering

are you sure she was angry with you though? I know you have had a lot of worries about your little one and you feel anxious...

if he is having formula, the follow on milks contain more iron , so i would not worry about aneamia

eating 2 -3 meals a day at 7 months is normal

drinking a fair bit of milk at 7 months is normal

his main source of nutrition for the first year is milk

you are doing nothing wrong

if he eats broccoli, apricots, a bit of red meat now and again, cereal with iron in it, i.e a normal balanced diet, you have nothing to worry about

7 months old need milk!

my 2.5 year old could drink 2 pints a day if i let her !

HollyPutTheKettleOn · 21/02/2008 09:08

My ds is nearly 8 months and still on mostly bmilk. He has one or two meals a day, if that. Yesterday he has some cereal for breakfast and half a currant bun for lunch! I tried to give him some pasta for dinner, but he wasn't interested.

I had a mental hv the other day telling me he needs to be on 3 meals a day by 9 months otherwise he will have speech problems!

In those situations I think nodding and smiling and then doing what you want is def the way forward! He is content and happy and a right little chubster!

Your lo will not become anaemic and mine will not develop speech problems...'tis a load of tosh!

SpacePuppy · 21/02/2008 09:09

it's cow's milk that inhibits iron absorption, my ds was on 32oz a day up until he was a year old.

FAQ · 21/02/2008 09:10

oh it only works out at 4 8oz feeds a day! God knows what she'd have made of DS3 at 7 months then - up to 6 8oz bottles (occasionaly 7!) in any given 24hr period!

Lulumama · 21/02/2008 09:10

cows milk should not be the main drink before around 12 months old anyway....

a babies iron stores start to deplete at 6 months, they are not suddenly empty the day that the baby reaches 6 months

belgo · 21/02/2008 09:10

children who constantly drink cow's milk, and constantly have cow's milk in their stomach, are sometimes at risk of inhibiting the absorption of iron.

(if that's of any use)

Original poster

bumbly · 21/02/2008 09:57

holly

that is exactly what hv was like - saying he wouldnt talk etc

but he is garbling away so dont know what she was on about

and yes she was annoyed with me - angryish - lizs - most odd

i am always very polite and simply say can i ask questions as am a bit concernec/interested/curious etc

but no not having any of it - lo should be on 3 meals a day with some milk and that was that!

OP posts:

Original poster

bumbly · 21/02/2008 09:58

ps why apricots??

OP posts:

vesela · 21/02/2008 11:21

Pathetic. Don't let it get to you, bumbly!

Re. the apricots - they're a good source of iron, as are prunes.

vesela · 21/02/2008 11:23

It's very easy to make purees of dried apricots and prunes btw.

DD has two prune ice cubes a day (I hope that's not too much) because she gets constipated.

WigWamBam · 21/02/2008 11:24

You know what's probably going on?

She is probably one of these HVs who advocates weaning at 4 months, and so expects a baby to be eating three meals a day by 6 months.

Avoid the HV. You'll feel much better.

Greensleeves · 21/02/2008 11:26

she is a penis.

BURN the red book.

If your baby is ill, take it to a doctor. Otherwise, tell 'em to mind their own.

AitchTwoOh · 21/02/2008 14:06

i must say i agree with greeny on all counts. and dd was on 5 or even 6 bottles a day (80z) until 13 months. she also ate well (which is to say erratically because they ALL eat erratically) so it was of no concern to me whatsoever. bumbly, i hope your confidence is growing here, you know that there was no reason for her to treat you like that, she was just flapping her gums.

Bekkie32 · 22/02/2008 10:12

I would be only too happy to have a baby consuming sooo much milk!!!. The minimum is 500 - 600mls per day. So long as the little one is getting used to eating solids aswell, that is o.k.
Atleast you still have room to cut back on the drinking amount (IF NEED BE in the future )if for example, after the age of one, he was not eating enough food. All babies are different - some are really hungry and others are not fussed - seems you have a nice hungry baby, who is also healthy - be proud...!

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