Weaning babies in different cultures and times.

[Feberin]

Uh, BLW isn't exactly like the nazi-esque PP stated. I planned or pureeing homemade food for LO, but as a nurse did a ton of research on the best method and came upon baby led weaning (which has nothing to do with breastfeeding, but is based on the european term wean, meaning adding solids). I hate to say it, but I am lazy. Making extra food separate from what we ate to feed him sounded like a pain in the ass. So he ate what we ate. And he still does. When we went out to eat at a restaurant, he went to town on bits of whatever we ordered and was content doing it. He got 99% of his calories by BF at 6 months, about 80% at 8 months and about 50% at a year. When we weaned from nursing at 13 months, he transitioned beautifully. It is just a way of doing things, not any better in method overall than purees.

That's how I feel about it too. I've breastfeed both of mine. My son until 19 months and my daughter is still going at 11 months (which is why I'm awake at 3 am) with no plans of weaning. I started my son on purees at 6 months then switched to a more baby led weaning approach around 7 months. I pretty much did baby led weaning with my daughter starting at 6 months but do spoon feed every once in awhile for things like yogurt.

[Blahblah]

All public primary schools in NSW are nut free. I sometimes buy my kids a nut free chocolate spread and have to write "THIS IS NUT FREE CHOCOLATE SPREAD, NOT NUTELLA" on the bags or the teachers will confiscate it.

It's really not that big a deal complying though, and it's certainly worth it to give the parents of children with allergies peace of mind and to prevent accidental exposure.

Yeah, the ban is the same here is SA as well. I have no problem complying with it either. One kid is allergic to dairy, wheat, eggs, peanuts, bananas, strawberries. Her parents must be a nervous wreck every time she leaves the house.

[Celtic_Thunder]

My daughter started on solid foods around 5 months. She was just so damn hungry all the time, my milk and formula together couldn't keep up, lol. So I started giving her some baby foods.

[LadyBlue]

I haven't had time to read the whole thread yet

I've got 4 kids born in 2001. 2005, 2009, 2012. All in Canada.

Eldest the suggestion was rice cereal, then purees, starting between 4-6 months, when tongue thrust was gone and they could sit on their own.. Mix the cereal with either breast milk or formula to make it really runny. I didn't really like the whole cereal or puree thing, but didn't have any better ideas. I started him at about 5 1/2 months. His very first food was mashed up banana, then we switched to cereal/purees.

By the second, I'd started hearing about skipping the cereal because, apparently babies don't make the enzyme to digest it until a year or even later. Plus, the iron in it interferes with the absorption of the iron in breast milk. The suggestion was now 4 months for formula fed babies and 6 months for breastfed. I tried about 7 months, but even then he wasn't really interested until after 8 months. He had some purees, but we did some baby led weaning things too.

3rd, same recommendations. He started SCREAMING when we ate around him about 5 1/2 months, so I handed him something to eat and he was happy. No purees, no rice cereal. Same thing with number 4, except I tried to really limit grains at all until he was over 1. I'm still limiting them a bit.

There's actually now a campaign to get rid of rice cereal http://www.drgreene.com/whiteout/ which I find interesting since my only child with weight issues is also the only one who had rice cereal.

They all nursed between 32-40 months, although my eldest had a 2 week nursing strike at 11 months due to a sore in his mouth and only nursed to sleep/at night after I got him back nursing.

(edited because my youngest decided to help)

[Drina Adams]

BLW wasn't a fad for us - i just couldn't be arsed pureering food and then spoon feeding it, so when another mum recommended it, we jumped at the concept. From talking to parents with more than one, it seems the second and subsequent children get a more BLW weaning approach anyway, because of time and other constraints. I certainly don't think we're being trendy, hip, cool parents by not making tiny pots of pureed foods and spoonfeeding, we took the lazy way out and it worked.

[Adrienne83]

I have a six and a half month old son, that just went to the pediatrician on Monday. He was born at 39 weeks and 2 day via c-section (oh noz!!!!111111eleventythree) and weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces. This kid just refuses to gain weight! He was 13 pounds 12 ounces on Monday. At our four month appointment the pediatrician dx'ed him as Failure to Thrive because he wasn't even on the growth chart at the time. What he lacks in weight he makes up for in sleeping, as he started sleeping 6 hours straight at 6 weeks, and currently sleeps about 11 hours straight now. The pediatrician (at four months) wanted us to either wake him up at night or do rice cereal or purees. I refused (and still do) to wake him up at night, so off to food we went. He wouldn't eat the recommended first feeding recipe from a spoon, so we just added a tablespoon to the random bottle of formula that this breastfed baby would get. His bottles are still the slow flow ones, and the liquid isn't thick enough to clog it. At about five and a half months we started with the purees and we found out that he has his mommy's tastes, lol. He loves what he loves now, and even gets all excited and jumpy when he sees the food and spoon. We waited for purees because he wasn't ready. He's just not a big eater. Thankfully we got the FTT taken off his records on Monday.

Every baby is different, ya know?

[lilith]

BLW wasn't a fad for us - i just couldn't be arsed pureering food and then spoon feeding it, so when another mum recommended it, we jumped at the concept. From talking to parents with more than one, it seems the second and subsequent children get a more BLW weaning approach anyway, because of time and other constraints. I certainly don't think we're being trendy, hip, cool parents by not making tiny pots of pureed foods and spoonfeeding, we took the lazy way out and it worked.

That's what I don't understand about these mums of many and their strict baby routines.

I read all available information with my first child, and generally followed recommendations, although I did trust my instincts with things like co-sleeping. With each subsequent baby though, I was much more willing to let the baby lead the way with things like food and toilet training. I don't understand how these women have a dozen babies and don't realise that baby will generally tell you what it needs and when it needs it, and that most babies do just fine that way, no schedule or strict routine needed.

[OkToBeTakei]

I was 5 when my sister was born and I used to steal her Farley's Rusks for myself :lol:

I found some in a garage on my way home from work a few weeks ago. I bought them to show my kid as we were in Portugal last year and found these biscuits that tasted exactly the same. She loved them but had no frame of reference to the rusk comparison.

I ATE THEM ALL in a 15 mile drive :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Drina Adams]

That's what I don't understand about these mums of many and their strict baby routines.

I read all available information with my first child, and generally followed recommendations, although I did trust my instincts with things like co-sleeping. With each subsequent baby though, I was much more willing to let the baby lead the way with things like food and toilet training. I don't understand how these women have a dozen babies and don't realise that baby will generally tell you what it needs and when it needs it, and that most babies do just fine that way, no schedule or strict routine needed.

I drove myself batty trying to get baby into a routine and worrying because she wasn't in one, and my attempts to implement a loose routine of Eat, Activity, Sleep, You failed dismally. Then I gave up and just fed, played, put her down when she fell asleep or seemed cranky, and she settled herself. By four/five months she regularly slept through the night and has a loose nap schedule, but she won't sleep unless she wants to, and I'm better at realising the signs. I won't even try a routine with the next one, I'll be going on baby's cues, combined with what suits us as a family to do.

[AVENues]

My daughter started on solid foods around 5 months. She was just so damn hungry all the time, my milk and formula together couldn't keep up, lol. So I started giving her some baby foods.

Have you tried offering her the "other side" too? I've just learned this from this topic. Something I've never heard of. I always thought people only breastfeed from one boob. :roll: You haven't forgotten to offer her your other boob, have you? Maybe she did not want to start eating solids, after all. (JK...)

[August]

BLW wasn't a fad for us - i just couldn't be arsed pureering food and then spoon feeding it, so when another mum recommended it, we jumped at the concept. From talking to parents with more than one, it seems the second and subsequent children get a more BLW weaning approach anyway, because of time and other constraints. I certainly don't think we're being trendy, hip, cool parents by not making tiny pots of pureed foods and spoonfeeding, we took the lazy way out and it worked.

That's the point, many many people feed their kids mostly finger foods, they don't need a label, and strict rules, and to post on a message board to check if what they are planning for lunch fits the correct label before they give it. Like I said, yoghurt needs a spoon, so how evil can spoons be?

[OkToBeTakei]

That's the point, many many people feed their kids mostly finger foods, they don't need a label, and strict rules, and to post on a message board to check if what they are planning for lunch fits the correct label before they give it. Like I said, yoghurt needs a spoon, so how evil can spoons be?

:lol:

A bit like 'attachment' parenting and 'wearing' baby. Practices that have been around for centuries.

[2xx1xy1JD]

I have a six and a half month old son, that just went to the pediatrician on Monday. He was born at 39 weeks and 2 day via c-section (oh noz!!!!111111eleventythree) and weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces. This kid just refuses to gain weight! He was 13 pounds 12 ounces on Monday. At our four month appointment the pediatrician dx'ed him as Failure to Thrive because he wasn't even on the growth chart at the time. What he lacks in weight he makes up for in sleeping, as he started sleeping 6 hours straight at 6 weeks, and currently sleeps about 11 hours straight now. The pediatrician (at four months) wanted us to either wake him up at night or do rice cereal or purees. I refused (and still do) to wake him up at night, so off to food we went. He wouldn't eat the recommended first feeding recipe from a spoon, so we just added a tablespoon to the random bottle of formula that this breastfed baby would get. His bottles are still the slow flow ones, and the liquid isn't thick enough to clog it. At about five and a half months we started with the purees and we found out that he has his mommy's tastes, lol. He loves what he loves now, and even gets all excited and jumpy when he sees the food and spoon. We waited for purees because he wasn't ready. He's just not a big eater. Thankfully we got the FTT taken off his records on Monday.

Every baby is different, ya know?

I'm glad that he's doing well now, but I'd be concerned about recommending to anyone else that they ignore a doctor's recommendation to wake a baby for feeds if the baby was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. In some babies, the sleepiness can actually be caused by lack of food.

[theologygeek]

I was reading Erica *smile* *controlfreak* Large families on purpose. That woman gives me the creeps. That smile makes me think she wants to eat me :(

Anyway. She has the how we fed our kids weaned on to solid food, actually I'll translate that to how I controlled my children's stomachs as I control everything else in their micro-managed lives.

largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2013/05/feeding-baby-part-3-how-weve-introduced.html#comment-form

I was told oats were an absolute no-no. NEVER to put anything in the babies bottle (she adds rice.) 4 months was too young when I had my child. Now I do realise that this type of advice changes ALL the time. As a friend of mine with a 10 yr old and a new baby commented recently 'It's amazing my 10 yr old survived what with all the changes.' :lol: I never used any type of 'baby' product. So I can't say it would be influenced by products.

My child's first 'solid food' was pureed steamed pear at 7 mths.

Do people in different cultures have different practices? How much does 'medical' advice play a part? Finance? Books? Gurus? Friends, family?

Some of the comments on the post were interesting.

I didn't listen to doctors about times to start solids, etc and went by my kids. My oldest was eating solids with a spoon at two months. I do remember the doctor saying something like "We don't even consider solids until the baby is taking 8 oz bottles at every feeding, and your son is too young for that." I told the doctor that he was crying for more food after he killed the 8 oz bottles at every feeding and the doctor said "Oh." lol I put rice cereal in bottles for the second kid. My kids are all grown now. They were never picky eaters. I never forced them to eat. They all ate like bottomless pits and still do. It is not unusual for them to have (each) four dishes of pasta, 8 meatballs, garlic bread, sausage, and salad at one sitting. My youngest had that last night and said "I'm eating light tonight." LOL None of them are overweight. They eat healthy, but are not fanatical about it. They will have sweets, take out, and junk food every now and again too. You haven't lived until you've seen my kids at an all you can eat buffet. There were never food issues because I didn't create them for my kids. Some things the doctor did say that I agreed with were 1) never talk negatively about your child's eating habits even to another adult, such as "My son is a picky eater." 2) Have the Depression era attitude-You want to eat, fine, if you don't, fine because it's more for the rest of us. 3) Never talk about your weight in front of your child or complain that you are putting on the pounds. 4) Teach the child to listen to his body and stop eating when he is full.

[Conuly]

And the peanut allergies being such a big thing seems really recent. I certainly had never heard of someone having a peanut allergy when I was a kid in school in the 70's. It seemed to be kind of becoming a thing that some kids had when my kids were in school in the 80's - 90's -- and now there are whole schools that are peanut free, bans on peanuts in some class rooms etc....

My understanding is that we really don't know what is behind the increase in allergies, nor why some areas have more than another.

For example, peanut allergies are comparatively rare in Eastern Europe. Equally severe celery allergies, though, are on the rise. There is just so much we don't know about allergies, hence the dramatic reversal in recent baby feeding advice.

[August]

:lol:

A bit like 'attachment' parenting and 'wearing' baby. Practices that have been around for centuries.

And also have message boards full of neurotic women checking if something fits the official code before they do it. Sane people don't need to be in the club and earn a label, they just do stuff.

[Conuly]

And also have message boards full of neurotic women checking if something fits the official code before they do it. Sane people don't need to be in the club and earn a label, they just do stuff.

Panicking over how to raise the baby isn't new either, especially if you and your parents, in laws, or neighbors disagree.

[Adrienne83]

I'm glad that he's doing well now, but I'd be concerned about recommending to anyone else that they ignore a doctor's recommendation to wake a baby for feeds if the baby was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. In some babies, the sleepiness can actually be caused by lack of food.

The recommendation was to either wake him up for an extra milk feed or to introduce rice cereal or purees. We started with the rice and purees, so we didn't ignore the doctor's recommendation at all. On Monday he got the FTT taken off his medical record, and he just woke up for his 11 hour sleep. Even the pediatrician said he's just a good sleeper. When he was born he was at the 25th percentile. The reason he was DXed with FTT is because he wasn't at the 25th percentile anymore at four months. The pediatrician said he's gaining wonderfully now. I really have no idea why he was DXed with FTT before any intervention was tried, but, it's all good now. :dance:

[Mama Mia]

Anyone noticed this fad of feeding big kids purees in bottles? I heard two women at the playground the other day saying how they'd bought refillable pouches so their kids could have multiples a day. Seems like a recipe for slamming down calories before your brain realises its full to me. I used to keep a few in the car, until I saw how quickly my kids ate them and wanted more, which doesn't seem to happen with a bowl and spoon.

They make the distinction because there is a big difference. A purely formula/solids fed baby has the gut flora of an adult, a purely breastfed baby has a unique gut flora which is more like yoghurt (you can smell the difference). They suspect that a large number of the differences between formula and breastmilk fed babies are due to the gut flora, so for studies they have to specify which it is. At some point between exclusive breastmilk and exclusive formula/solids the flora tips to the other kind, but it's not set in stone, and it can tip back. That's why they have to separate partial and exclusive breastmilk.

It's not putting a value judgement on people, it's a basic biological difference.

The bolded to me, misses the point. For research purposes it might matter, but to regular moms trying to feed regular babies the push of the term "exclusively breastfed" can make them feel like they aren't doing it good enough if the give their baby a bottle of formula once in awhile for whatever reason. And once you aren't "exclusively breastfeeding" then why not just keep increasing the number of bottles of formula anyway ?

I'm as huge of a hard core breast-is-best proponent as they come -- but I think this kind of distinction really has a negative impact on encouraging breast feeding, particularly with women who are already struggling.

[Feberin]

There's actually now a campaign to get rid of rice cereal http://www.drgreene.com/whiteout/ which I find interesting since my only child with weight issues is also the only one who had rice cereal.

I forgot to mention that when I posted. The whole anti-rice cereal thing going on right now. I look at as not the best in terms of nutrition but not exactly harmful either.

[Adrienne83]

I forgot to mention that when I posted. The whole anti-rice cereal thing going on right now. I look at as not the best in terms of nutrition but not exactly harmful either.

From what the pediatrician told us, apparently rice cereal is to be used to help a child gain weight. Not to make a child sleep through the night or extend the time between feeding, but basically as empty calories. I just assumed normal weight babies would need or get it, ya know?

[FiddleDD]

I forgot to mention that when I posted. The whole anti-rice cereal thing going on right now. I look at as not the best in terms of nutrition but not exactly harmful either.

I'm very interested in nutrition, so although I don't have kids I've read a lot about it. I do think it's intriguing. I doubt I would choose to feed it to my kid, but unlike the crazy gung ho peoples on the 'net, I also don't necessarily think it's harmful. It's like cake, not good for us, isn't going to kill us if we eat it once in awhile. :-)

It does seem pointless if there isn't really much of a nutritional benefit though. And when I used to feed it to my nieces and nephews it always creeped me out a bit, the stuff looks and smells kinds nasty IMO. It makes more sense to me to just feed babies whatever soft stuff the family is eating.

[2xx1xy1JD]

From what the pediatrician told us, apparently rice cereal is to be used to help a child gain weight. Not to make a child sleep through the night or extend the time between feeding, but basically as empty calories. I just assumed normal weight babies would need or get it, ya know?

The iron in the cereal is needed by babies, but otherwise, white rice cereal really doesn't have much other nutrition. It's a way of introducing texture and something other than just breast or bottlefeeding.

One question, then, is what nutrients might a baby be lacking if they are filling up on empty calories?

[Blahblah]

Babies have been fed on all sorts of diets over thousands of years. Some new expert will trot out a new study next year and everything will change again.

Far as I'm concerned, the best thing you can feed your kids is common sense.

It shouldn't be such a stressful thing. There's an entire industry feeding off parental guilt and it's diabolical.

[OkToBeTakei]

Babies have been fed on all sorts of diets over thousands of years. Some new expert will trot out a new study next year and everything will change again.

Far as I'm concerned, the best thing you can feed your kids is common sense.

It shouldn't be such a stressful thing. There's an entire industry feeding off parental guilt and it's diabolical.

Totally agree!!

Common sense was not working the day my BIL absentmindedly tried to feed my niece pavlova at 8 weeks.

Also when your child reaches for food is not always a good indicator, the first thing mine reached for on the dining room table was her Dad's Chateau Neuf du Pape :lol: