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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

"Weaning party" at 3 1/2 months... WTF??????

30 replies

geordieminx · 07/08/2009 10:47

Friend has been invited to a "weaning party" by her HV, its more of a meeting/chat but her baby is only 14 weeks old. Apparently the invite them early incase they deciede to start weaning at 4 months???

Why the fcuk are HV's doing this when it is clearly against every recommendation in the book.

Grrrrr

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 07/08/2009 10:49

they do that here as well, weaning talk at 14 weeks. it's crackers, but it does reflect what most people actually do. (and why do they do it, errr, because their hv starts talking about it? ) [circular]

Original poster
geordieminx · 07/08/2009 10:52

I think we are in the same place Aitch

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 07/08/2009 10:55

can she not reply saying "no thank you, I am already weaned"

AitchTwoOh · 07/08/2009 10:57

lol, geordie. your name confuses.

Original poster
geordieminx · 07/08/2009 11:01

I like to have an air of mystery!

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 07/08/2009 11:04

are you saying that in yer funny accent? [ant] [dec]

Original poster
geordieminx · 07/08/2009 11:06

Why aye man like

OP posts:
RedDeadFail · 07/08/2009 11:06

Maybe in some ways it's a good thing though in principle utterly wrong and sad that it's necessary. Some parents will want to wean at 4 months because they did it with their others/their friend did it/I was weaned at 12 weeks and it didn't hurt me. Perhaps the 'party' can convince these parents to wait or at the very least act as damage limitation and make sure it's not rusk in a bottle or gluten.

Will they offer a 'my child has gut issues' party at a later date I wonder?

RedDeadFail · 07/08/2009 11:07

Oh look. It's Ant and/or Dec.

Original poster
geordieminx · 07/08/2009 11:10

((((Hatches an evil plan to invite all mothers of 3 month old babies to a weaning party with free cake and coffee then bombard them with info about early weaning causing allergies/gut rot etc))))))))

OP posts:
starynight · 07/08/2009 11:11

i just got my appointment to talk about weaning dd will only be 13weeks dont get why there doing it so early when only last week hv was telling me to hold it of untill 26weeks or as close to it as i possibly can.

norktasticninja · 07/08/2009 11:15

It sounds like madness. Maybe they do it as an opportunity to reinforce the 26 week message?

KingRolo · 07/08/2009 11:16

I my area it is at 4 months too so they can tell you, quite categorically I found, not to do it until they are 6 months old.

PatTheHammer · 07/08/2009 11:17

When visiting my SIL recently in the South-east she told me the HV's in her area are still suggesting starting at 17 weeks unless a history of allergies. She was a bit and explained in the case of her DS there was a family history so she would be weaning at 6 months. She was told there was no need and waiting till 20 weeks would be sufficient !

I understand everyone does things differently and their baby is their choice and all that but I do think that HCP should be advising using the most up to date guidelines otherwise what is the point in having them!

pushmepullyou · 07/08/2009 11:31

They do them where I am too, but when I went it was actually to tell me NOT to start weaning . Apparently they try to get in early to put off the 4 month baby ricers

Jack2601 · 07/08/2009 20:24

One of our community nurses came out to see me to do a 'weaning talk' when DS was just over 3 months old. She was telling me about not weaning til 6 months and then gave loads of useful tips/hints/ideas for this and that, ideas for finger foods at 9 months blah blah blah........ all very good but as DS was still getting up for feeds in the night, I was still adjusting to motherhood and was pretty much all over the place, you can imagine how much of it I remembered when the time actually came to wean him!! Why they don't come out later is beyond me!!

pinkspottywellies · 07/08/2009 21:44

I had a letter inviting me to a weaning talk when DS was 23 weeks. I said to the HV that considering most people do it earlier than this wouldn't it be wise to get them in earlier and tell them not to start yet!

I think dd was about 14 weeks when they did the session and said not to start til 26 weeks. Well at least 17 anyway.

ruddynorah · 07/08/2009 21:47

i had this when dd was about 3.5 months. the talk was all about blw and weaning at 6 months. however, most mums there had already started.

CillySunt · 07/08/2009 22:38

I didnt get this thankfully. But maybe because my hv knew I was well into blw with dd and wanted to do the same with ds. I have educated her somewhat on blw

stripeysox · 08/08/2009 13:12

I'm a HV and talk about weaning at the new birth visit, doesn't mean I'm expecting people to start shoveling baby rice into 10 day old babies. I don't go on at great length, just mention why it's best to wait till 6 months, and that BLW weaning fits in with developmental stage and is lots of fun for baby etc. Most parents are very interested, especially dads, and start doing their own research so they're fully prepared by 6 months.

dawntigga · 08/08/2009 19:25

I got this, I'm going you never know there may be something I haven't ferreted out and since they've cancelled baby cafe I need to talk to some adults.

GoingBLWButYouGottaDoWhat'sRightForYouTiggaxx

Reallytired · 08/08/2009 19:35

I had my midwife talking about weaning recommendations an hour after my baby was born. I hadn't yet established breastfeeding, yet alone considering introuducing solids. I am sure that no one expected me to start baby rice either.

I think having a weaning talk at three and half months is a great idea. I can't see what the fuss is about. You don't even know what the hv is going to say.

pigleychez · 09/08/2009 22:19

[shocked] at everyone getting weaning talks. Im the SE and no one has ever mentioned/ spoke to me about Weaning to me at all.
I took DD to the clinic to be weighed every month so plenty of opportunities.

Thankfully my Childcare and Education degree came in useful and of course MN in finding things out for myself.

We started BLW at 6mts and loved every minute. DD is now 12mths and eats like a horse!

lobsters · 10/08/2009 15:18

We had the weaning talk organised by HV, I found it quite useful, esp the what to give/ what not to give talk. And they were very clear about not starting before 6 months. You didn't go at any particular point, you had to book yourself on it.

As it was a small group, they also told us all the stories about the weaning groups at the other side of town, where they found a babies bottle full of coke (drink, not the powder)

meep · 10/08/2009 15:25

I had a 16 week check by HV and she brought along all the weaning blurb at that point. I simply said I'd been through it before with dd1 and would wait until dd2 was 6mo. I suppose it was her last definite visit with me so wanted to make sure I had the info I needed.