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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

6 month weaning equals fussy eater?!!

20 replies

PanT · 15/03/2008 09:40

I heard this week that if you leave weaning until 6 months it can lead to a LO only liking sweet and bland food due to breast milk being naturally sweet and that if you wean earlier this can be avoided and they will eat the whole variety.

I understand that every baby is different and there are no hard and fast rules but I would just like some personal experiences please as I want to wait unil 6 months to wean my 4 month DS but I am getting very confused!!

OP posts:
TheAntiFlounce · 15/03/2008 09:41

that's just bull. follow the government stipulated NHS guidelines, and keep that phrase in mind when people (inc Hps) question.

sophiebbb · 15/03/2008 09:42

Rubbish rubbish rubbish!! My 15 month old weaned at 6 months and is now eating anchovies, olives, octopus, spring onions, fish like it is going out of fashion obviously amongst all the other obvious things like fish fingers and baked beans!!!

hercules1 · 15/03/2008 09:42

It's crap. Dd eats a whole range of food that a lot of 4 1/2 wouldn't touch.

TrinityfeelslikeahopelessRhino · 15/03/2008 09:42

load of nonsense I reckon
I have waited till 6 months with all threee of mine and they all have completely different likes and dislikes and all eat a good amount of svoury food and have done from the start

meep · 15/03/2008 09:44

I weaned at 6mo and she likes sweet and savoury. She can be fussy when she wants but also refuses both. She's also happily eaten non-bland food and she won't entertain the idea of bland baby rice

Lulumama · 15/03/2008 09:45

mine were weaned at 5 and 6 months respectively,both eat everything... whole range of fruit & veg, sweet, spicy, sour, the whole range.. and have done from an early age...

it is safer for the baby's gut and especially if you have any allergies in the family , to wean later

ninja · 15/03/2008 09:46

I don't think that's the case at all and certainly not for myy dd and friend's kids - at 6 months you're more able to give whole foods rather than mush and can give more of a variety - Avacado was one of my daughter's favourite - definitely savoury, also cucumber, ....

Breast milk has a bit of the flavour of what you eat so if you eat a variety I'm sure your DS will!

Plus there are health problems associated with weaning before 6 months and lets face it it's so much easier to wait!!

Catz · 15/03/2008 09:46

My DD is only 8 months so early days but I waited till 6 months and can't find anything she doesn't like yet. Last night she was eagerly digging into the same butternut squash with garlic and chili (only a bit to be fair) that we had. She also loves broccoli, spinach etc

Aitch · 15/03/2008 10:38

i don't see the logic, really. what's the difference if the baby is four months or six months and has only ever eaten milk? why would those two months make the difference? who told you this? they're talking rubbish, tbh i'd question all of their advice from now on.

BumperliciousIsStillNotDressed · 15/03/2008 11:02

Rubbish rubbish rubbish.

DD was weaned at 6 months and there is very little that she doesn't it. There is absolutely no logical reason for that statement!

Don't bow under pressure PanT, do things the way you want to

BumperliciousIsStillNotDressed · 15/03/2008 11:02

Rubbish rubbish rubbish.

DD was weaned at 6 months and there is very little that she doesn't it. There is absolutely no logical reason for that statement!

Don't bow under pressure PanT, do things the way you want to

terramum · 15/03/2008 14:32

Yep that's bollox. Who said it?

If anyone can cram the "whole variety" of foods into a baby between 4 & 6 months of age then I'd like to meet them...I still haven't managed to eat everything & I'm 34

If you introduce natural, foods with good variety of flavours, colours and textures rather than bland, processed beige stuff like baby rice, rusks etc then that will go a long way to ensure the baby will grow up with balanced eating habits.

Babies often prefer naturally sweet things when they first start solids because they are biologically pre-disposed to - it protects them from eating poisonous things (which are often bitter or sour) and because bm is "sweet". That doesn't meant they will grow up craving artificially sweetened foods or those with added sugar. They will only crave these if they are given them. My own DS had no refined sugar until he was over 2 years old & whilst now at 3.5yrs he does enjoy a bit of chocolate or biscuit occasionally, he mostly asks for things like bananas & apples, carrots etc. Someone did a study many years ago that showed children given access to a wide variety of foods both good and bad actually ate quite a balanced diet all by themselves.

Original poster
PanT · 15/03/2008 19:22

It was on a phone in on the TV and the nutritionist (can't remember her name!) agreed and said this was quite common.
Glad that you are all proving her wrong!

Processed muck is banned from our house so DS will be getting lots of fresh organic fruit, veg & meat. Definately going to wait until 6 months and thinking about BLW too.

OP posts:
yomellamoHelly · 15/03/2008 19:32

Also rubbish imo. Ds2 is now 14.5 months and eats anything and everything (started weaning at 6 months - properly weaned at 10.5 months).
Ds1 was weaned at 17 weeks. Will now happily eat cereal, toast and spaghetti bolognaise - major headache.
I think all parents of fussy eaters would like to know why they are that way (then maybe we could work on changing it), but the age of weaning is a red herring I think.

farfaraway · 15/03/2008 19:41

Well sure there is no reason but has been true for me. DD1 weaned at 4mths (as per advice then) and she ate everything offered. So easy - she just opened her mouth and ate. DD2 at 6mth - you would think we were offering her worms by her reaction. We tried BLW, we tried purees, we tried different chairs, we tried everything - she just did not like food. Now at nearly three she eats anything but the 6 - 18mth period was hell. DD3 at nearly 8 mths is not so bad but will only eat sweet stuff and refuses to open her mouth or even hold something savory. I am refusing to get stressed and letting things flow.

So for me at least the six month rule is true. But may be more down to baby's character and likes than age. DD1 at 7yrs is still an eating machine with hollow legs.

Habbibu · 17/03/2008 20:43

What programme, PanT - can we all email in and rant? DD refused second spoonful of delicious chocolate dessert at a wedding this weekend, and will eat brutally sharp oranges...

FasterPussyCatGrrrl · 18/03/2008 14:51

It was the Wright Stuff. She also said weaning should be done between 4-6mths

GerrardWinstanley · 18/03/2008 15:11

what day was it on? I feel the urge to complain to [email protected].

wonder what qualifications this nutritionist has?

Aitch · 18/03/2008 20:31

are you sure it wasn't annabel karmel? it sounds like her sort of schtick. she's a qualified harpist, i believe...

FasterPussyCatGrrrl · 19/03/2008 10:14

it wasn't her- i know her smug puree-making face. Some woman i've not seen before.

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