What exactly has changed????????

BernadetteN

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/18/nbabies118.xml

Well this bit from UNICEF supports the idea of not concentrating just on pureed food and encouraging lumps early on into weaning.

The only babies I know who are still being spoon only pureed/mashed food at the age of over one are the ones who were weaned earlier. Not very scientific I know but I'm convinced the later you leave weaning, the easier and quicker it is to get a baby to feed itself and to eat a larger variety and more textured food. The only downside I can see to weaning on lumpy food and finger food is the danger that you feed a baby only toast and carrot sticks!

milkfloatquack

HEV - I would try and get hold of an ANNABEL KARMEL book, as she's quite an earth mother type, so her books assume starting weaning at 6 months. Don't stress about the 2nd stage food - even the jars only reckon on it being from 7 months plus for 2nd stage IIRC, and a few months here or there doesn't really matter, last century I have heard it was common for babies not to be weaned until 9 months plus. I think it's a crying shame that the conflicting advice has put you off making your own baby food.

POPPY - As other posters would say, I would try and give it at least a couple more weeks, just in case it's a temporary growth spurt. Otherwise - it's your baby, and it's easy enough to find books that give you the info, rather than relying on the HV - I used the Miriam Stoppard book to wean my DS, it was nice and slow - week 1, 1 tsp baby rice for 1 meal per day, week 2, 1 tsp baby rice for 1 meal per day, week 3, 1 tsp baby rice for 1 meal, 1 tsp plain fruit or veg for 1 meal.

andypandyy

years ago i gave my baby weaned food at two weeks old as hwe was a big baby always hungry (even in hospital he had two bottles) my HV was v good about it she new i was giving him this and she said i no my baby better than anyone else.
And now his an big healty adult. Still big eater, but not over weight.
Go with your instincts

Ellie2758

so, how come in the olden days when babies were weaned earlier the instances of diabetes was lower? isnt it more likely to be the KIND of food that you wean your baby onto that leads to health problems later on?

I saw a mother giving a baby less than 9 months old WOTSITS to eat yesterday.:eek:

fsdss

Ellie2758 wrote: »

I saw a mother giving a baby less than 9 months old WOTSITS to eat yesterday.:eek:

thats nothing ......i was working with a mum last year that was giving her baby (6mths), shop bought pre-packed frozen meals - lasagne etc. mum couldnt cook and all the family ate what they could zap in the microwave.

TheWaltons_3

Health visitors are pests - mine all but quotes from her text book.

The latest... is give my 7 month olds CUPS.

:rotfl:

I can't even give my 22 month old cups !!!!!!

cazziebo

It's so confusing isn't it! Don't think I could have a baby now (well there are obvious reasons for a start!)

I had my two dds early 90s and only 2 years apart. The methods for breathing during labour changed (I was taught to count first time, second they wanted me to imagine my rib cage moving...! counting got me through 26 hours with no drugs so I stuck with that one.)

the other change was in breastfeeding. I'd fed my first for a year and seemed to get on okay. Second time around I was told feed from one side only at a time - couldn't cope with that at all. Very big hungry baby so after a few days of unbearable lop sided ness I went back to my "own" way. She's now a very healthy 5ft 10.

HVs can be great for guidance, but at the end of the day mum generally knows best. (having said that I seethe inwardly when I see babies in prams with packets of crisps grrr - and as for rusk in bottles double grrr!)

Enjoy your bundle of joy!

isaacsmum

The guidelines aren't "made up" to make life hard for you, rather they are research based!!!!
In fact, 6 months plus for weaning is more like what used to happen before the evil baby food manufacturers tried to part you from your money as soon as possible and before we had blenders!
Weaning early is not good or progress or a sign of an advanced child - it is not a race!
Children who are weaned early are more likely to develop diabetes ( that is late onset type 2) heart disease, obesity, allergies...shall I go on?
You may think your children are ok and maybe they are now - but what about their future health - you may not be here to see that - or you may as it is suggested that the generations of children now will die before their parents due to these diseases!
Please consider carefully before you put your childs health at risk - all for the sake of having to breastfeed - lets hope you are doing that at least- a bit more frequently - it is only for a very short time (even though it feels for ever) in your child life. Kick back, enjoy the feeds, get some rest in the day, and don't rush your baby just for your convenience!

isaacsmum

ps The Waltons
cups are advised from birth and babies can drink form them quite well - it may be messy, but then it is messy whether starting a cup at birth or 3 years old!

moogyboobles

Yes I agree babies can handle cups at that age, mine have. If you having trouble try a doidy cup instead. I prefer to avoid the sippy cup thing because of the concerns of overuse and oral development. But as I breastfeed that shouldn't be a problem anyway.

To the original op nothing has changed really in 4 years, we are just cottoning on to the fact that perhaps babies know what they need, instead of baby food companies telling us what our babies need.

The 6 month thing isn't new, the advice was 6 month when my middle son (now in school) was a baby. In fact he weaned at 8 months, when you have allergies in the family that's quite common.
I have baby led weaned my last two sons, conventional puree way the eldest. It now just looks odd to me to spoon feed a baby quite capable of doing it himself. Why make more work for yourself. It's also helping create a healthy attitude towards food if they are in control.
Babies are ready for food when they can pick it up and feed themselves. The maturity of the gut and kidneys to handle food appears to coincide with these other developmental milestones.
You often see young babies unable to sit up and pushing mush out of their mouths, take the hint!
Yes babies are hungry, and big, and need breastfeeding alot, almost feels like 24/7. That's how it's supposed to be. Sadly for some it's not convenient but that's just the way healthy babies are. I take it as an opportunity to sit down, catch up on DVDs, read...etc cos soon baby is mobile and you'll be wishing those days of being able to nurse away most the day. Bonus is it's good for them too. There are more calories and efa (to build that brain) in breastmilk that the same volume of solid.
If you look on youtube and various blogs (I have one about blw) you can see how capable babies are of feeding themselves normal food.