Zoiks! I've just had a stern talking to from HV for not having DS on 3 meals a day by now

[Shooflypie]

He is 6.5 mo and we have been pootling along for the last couple of weeks having tastes.

I offer him solids most (but not every) days - both BLW type things and purees - once or sometimes twice. TBH he is not v enthusiastic about either and spits most of it out.

I hadn't worried as it is early days - but my very nice HV said he should be on 3 meals a day by now. That I must 'press on' because there was only a short window for this. I was a bit taken aback and didn't ask to elaborate on WHY there is a short window (and what happens if you miss it!)

She mentioned that DS would not be getting any iron from my milk - but also not enough of any other vitamins either

And that I should put him on a baby vitamin supplement - I didn't know these existed.

Any thoughts?

I think you should tell her he is on 3 roast dinners a day with curry for supper, and carry on with whatever you are doing. Give vit supplements if it will make you feel better

I never had to use vitamins with any of mine, personally I think she's talking rubbish. I wouldn't expect a 6.5 month old baby to be on 3 meals a day, especially as you're suppoed to wait until 6 months to wean anyway. I did BLW with my 3rd child and he enjoyed it but at that age it's more about getting a feel for the food, the texture and handling it.

Their main source of calories will still be milk. I bf him until about 16 months as well and he thrived. They do say that food is fun until 1 so I really wouldn't worry at all. There is no "short window" in my experience either, utter rubbish. So if a child wasn't on 3 meals a day by, say, 8 months then they never would be? It's laughable.

fgs she sounds bonkers, you're doing fine

What a load of nonsense. Your milk is the best food for your ds. Even if he isn't interested in solids for another 6m, as long as he feeds plenty from you, grows, gains, develops, he will be absolutely fine. You have not missed any 'window' for learning to chew or to talk. She is talk old hat.

(Ds1, weaned 4m according to then guidelines
Dd, weaned 5.5m - too early according to new guidelines, but she was grabbing food off my plate.
Ds2, weaned 8.5 months because, like yours, he just wasn't interested before then.

All 3 healthy, fit, fantastic.)

Twaddle. The iron/vitamins thing is a common misunderstanding, but she should know better.

Short window???

So all those children who have grown up in poverty or during the war when food was scarce presumably don't know what to do when offered food?

What alot of pressure! I have heard the point about lumps being harder if you miss the window but I don't actually believe it.

I think you sound intelligent and relaxed and should follow your instinct. I know vitamin drops are available and more popular in other countries but I imagine are an expensive waste of money.

Am a HV too (and am a bit pissed at the moment but that's another story).
I want to shake your HV and say "FFS get a grip"

It's a load of twaddle - your DS is getting plenty of vitamins from you and iron too plus tastes from weaning.

There is a school of thought thta breastfed babies should have vitamins from 6 months (probably what your HV was banging on about)but personally I think they are fine with breast milik and tastes of food - they usually progress pretty quickly to adequate food.

She sounds barmy. Honestly. I wouldn't worry about it. DD 2.5 and still doesn't really do 3 meals a day, it is just not the way her appetite works.

It is such early days for him, its all about experimentation and taste at this age - I always remember what Aitch used to say - until they are one, its just for fun.

Jeez. was thinking about this as DD is 7 months, we are BLW and we have slowly worked our way up to eating twice a day. When I go for 8 month assesment am just going to tell them she's having 3 meals a day, even if she isn't. Saves the hassle eh?

That's reassuring thank you all. I have read before about iron and that there is another school of thought on this. But I did feel a bit wrong footed by the lack of vits/get a supplement thing.
I'd much prefer NOT to give him anything I don't have to.

This HV is YOUNG tho, so I thought she would have the most up to date training/advice.

I am a bit vague as to what the tongue thrust reflex looks like in action - so had wondered if DS spitting out most of his food was this. (In which case he really isn't ready for MEALS.)
Also he does this funny sort of shudder when he tastes something. (And I don't think my cooking is that grim ).

When my insane hv asked me if ds2 was on three meals a day (clearly as important as one's GCSEs) I said "Ohhh yes, definately. Baby porridge for breakfast, a nice sandwich for lunch, and chicken with veg and potatoes for dinner."

TBH in reality he got most of his food scavenged out of my hand.

Shuddering at new tastes is normal

Tell her to get stuffed - mine used to go on about this and I think its bollocks! Both my dd1 and dd3 were well over 9 months before they were eating three meals a day.

LOL Shoofly. Is she called Mary and looks like an aged Barbie doll by any chance? Because that's exactly what my HV said to me when DD was exactly the same age. She's now 9mo and not overly fussed about food now although she does get offered 3 meals a day. I decided to ignore her.

This bizarre "short window" seems to be quoted a lot by people who have had odd advice from Health Visitors. I see it quite regularly on here.

I mean, you can see the consequences, yes? There are of course, thousands of adults still surviving on milk ALL day EVERY day because they weren't weaned within the "short window". I always see them in restaurants, eating pureed vegetables and asking for a bottle.

Ha Ha LLPJ - my sentiments exactly!

Thanks everyone - that's really brilliant.
DS has just licked a bit of banana, so I will count that as his first meal of the day..