Sorry, it's yet another example of terrible weaning practise....

[LentilMoussaka]

I'm sorry as I'm sure everyone is sick of the links to other sites but this was just too appalling to let it go. The baby being fed mash and gravy is 3 months old but I suppose it'd be ok if it was baby gravy .

The really sad thing is when she asked for advice even the people who did it early themselves said not to start yet as there was no need.

Why is every forum apart from mumsnet totally full of people who want to stuff food into tiny babies?

You hear it all the time in rl too. Things are changing, but it will take time.

One of the others: "Dont tell the others but last night he had one of them spanish donuts with the glaze on dipped in our hot chocolate" at 19 weeks

All the people I know who weaned early in RL only did baby rice and fruit/veg purees though. They were aware that some foods were to be avoided.

This kind of thing just makes me want to scream, if I said what I really thought I'd definitely get barred from the site so I thought it was better to let off steam over here....

Wtf is baby gravy?

Is it gravy made out of babies??!?!!?

I'd imagine it's a mixture of emulsifiers, E numbers and anti-coagulants - with no added salt

I think gravy made out of babies might taste nicer!

A friend's sister came out with us the other day. Her DS is 19 weeks and another friend asked if he was on any solids yet, and she replied "oh, yeah, for ages!"

What can you say that's not going to start an argument and might make any difference?

I'm going to a feedback session at my local childrens centre to ask for training for anyone who helps at our baby play, because I'm really fed up of hearing - from the staff - "Oh I weaned mine at 12 weeks and they were fine" and "all 2 of mine slept on their fronts and are perfectly ok" I feel like I spend half my time giving lectures about various guidelines and why they are there!

'Why is every forum apart from mumsnet totally full of people who want to stuff food into tiny babies? '

because we rock and theyve not discovered mn yet.

To be fair I probably would've weaned ds at 17 weeks were it not for MN (on advice of crap GP!)

Same here (only crap HV), I didn't even know the NHS advice was 6 months til I came on MN. Amazing that even HCPs don't want to tell people the NHS advice...

I would have weaned at 4mths too on advice of HV who suggested giving her baby rice before her milk to help her put on weight...She was putting on 4oz per week anyway and perfectly healthy, happy (and sleeping at night).

I am so glad we waited. She is loving food which I don't think she would have done 2 mths ago. We are doing purees but she is able to hold the spoon and feed herself.

If I had not found mumsnet, I would have had no idea why it is a good idea to wait (unless you have a proper issue like reflux) and I also would have had no idea at all about breast feeding.

I know this is saying the same thing as everyone else but I'm glad to be able to let off steam about this.

My DD is not the youngest in our NCT group (she's five and a half months) and yet she is the only one who has not had any solids yet.

The other Mums look at me almost with pity every week when I say we've not started yet, we're waiting for six months, as if it's a sign that my DD is lagging behind their babies and not developing as quickly. Argh.

I would really like to say 'Look, it's the best health advice we're following, why on earth aren't you?' as there has been absolutely no good reason for any of them being weaned early.

I can only conclude that in these cases it is done for the parent's own pleasure.

I myself I am really looking forward to introducing solids at six months, just as It I look forward to other milestones. It's exciting and I am relishing the prospect of seeing her experience new sensations and tastes. I think it will be fun.

But as an adult I am able to postpone my pleasure at her growing up just a little bit more because it just might be better for her health.

I do struggle not to say anything and I don't want to be judgemental of other parents - that's the last thing any of us need. But I'm finding it hard to stick to that principle on this issue, so feel better for ranting here.

Essay over.

We're the last at our baby groups as well - it's strange because it seems like ages since the first people started.

The difference in DS over the last 2 months makes me far more certain we're doing the right thing. At 4 months he couldn't sit properly, was still very slumped when I tried to prop him up. Now he can sit provided I'm there to catch him when when he starts to wobble and he's grabbing all his toys and putting them in his mouth so hopefully he'll be capable of doing the same with food (planning to BLW).

I'm actually quite nervous now we've only got a week to go but very glad I havn't been sieving carrots for 2 months already!

WRT other people commenting on you not starting weaning yet, I just say that we have a family trend towards mild-moderate allergies/intolerances so we are going with the guidlines and waiting. That seems to work and doesn't get anybodys back up, (yet!)

I have started to wean ds now, (27 weeks) and he does really like it!! He's also not slumped over like he was at 4 months. We have had allsorts, his fave at the moment is fine beans(long green things!!) and salmon!! Also chewing on cucumbr pieces seems to help his gums(and my nips!!)

I understand that medical advice is "a good thing", but it does change all the time.

My dd is 13, and when I had her the advice was to bf until 4 months and then wean. Consequently this is what I did! Should I be horrified at what I have done to her? Have I damaged her in some way? I expect that had the advice been to wean after 6 months then I would have done so, but it wasn't.

Mind you, my mil had dh on solids at 6 weeks!! This was the advice 48 years ago! Poor little thing probably couldn't even hold his head up!

guidelines not guidlines!!

G&B - obviously we all do what's best for our children, so no I don't think you should be horrified at weaning your kids at 4 months. However, now we know more about gut maturity and allergies we know it's better to wait. I think what people here are concerned about is that HCP's (who should know better) are giving out advice that it's ok to wean at 4 months, when we know from research that it's much better to wait till 6 months.

WRT the sitting thing, my ds didn't sit up alone until he was about 7 months, and was totally uninterested in food until he was the best part of 10 months (i think I have a picture of him at about 9.5 months shovelling spaghetti into his mouth!) - my HV was ready to despair! I'll definitely be waiting to wean with this baby too - it's so much easier when they can just have milk! I don't get this excitement to wean, sure it's kind of fun watching them try new flavours, but mostly it's just more hassle IMO!

Surely the "guidelines" are just that, "guidelines"??? nowhere does it say you absolutely must NOT feed your baby anythig other than milk until they are 6mths?! As already suggested these change all the time as new research is done so for some people it can be very confusing. I didn't know why you are advised 2 wait until i researched weaning. a lot of people don't have the resources 2 do this so go purely on the advice of others. cut them a bit of slack & help them rather than judge them!

as with all health guidelines,the info is out there but cannot compel adherence

health choices are complex,individual volition,peers,age,class all factors

face it very few people for example dont adhere to guidelines on exercise,diet,smoking,alcohol either. so paediatrics isnt so different

i am not sure all the emotive language helps stuff food etc.in fact it probably alienates and makes the message bearer a bitty preachy and holier than thou. although i am sure this isnt their intention

hate to break it to you but MN also has mums who do wean early too.this them (implication other lesser forums) and us (guideline reading saints) isnt really helpful.

interestingly there was a thread going "oh i like to give the baby/toddler a wee sip of alcohol" with many affirmative responses.dont see any indignant why dont they adhere to guidelines musings about that

I'm not judging mothers. They choose to do to their babies what they feel they must.

My issue is with the HCPs who advise early weaning for no medical reason (eg reflux) like my GP who was astonished that I hadn't started weaning at 17 weeks, because she did with hers! When I mentioned the DoH and WHO guidelines she seemed surprised. I don't think there's any excuse for that, tbh. If I had followed her advice I would have potentially been exposing my baby to serious harm for no reason at all. As it is, my ds has eczema which I am sure is down to my introducing raw cow's milk too early (again, on advice of HV) - ok, eczema is non-life threatening and is not an allergy as such, but it still could have been avoided had I been given the correct advice.

Makes me cross at uninformed HCPs, not judging of mothers who trust that an HCP knows what they're talking about.

poor advice is bad practice yes i agree, and threads bellyaching and judging is bad too

I dunno SM, I think that these threads do serve a purpose, to an extent - although I agree that pointless judging and sneering at other mothers for their choices (which may or may not be based on crappy advice) does not. It was a thread like this which made me realise that my GP was talking bollocks, and if someone else can read this and get some advice from it then I think it has served a very useful purpose!

Before you all get too judgy please remember that the evidence base suggests weaning before 17 weeks is dangerous and that there is no evidence of any benefits in weaning before 26 weeks. This does NOT mean that giving your lo puree at 19 weeks is risky, just that there is no point.

I agree with the purpose of these threads as i found mumsnet looking 4 advice & other peoples experiences. as a HCP myself, (not in paediatrics may i add, i'm clueless in that area,hence me being here!!) its almost impossible 2 keep up with everything, especially 4 a GP as they have 2 know a little about everything & cannot give the time or commitment to know everything about everything! if that makes sense?! HV however r a different kettle of fish, it is there job to know everything about children 0-5 & therefore should at least know the basic guidelines for such big issues as weaning, even if it is only the recommended age!!