I know some of you will think im silly...

[littlemiss83]

Maths and physics is the worst! They assume you will know as well, and then get a right huff on when you try to help but think your wrong!
And back to feeding your kids, feeding a teenager is sometimes just as bad as a toddler as you worry about all these eating disorders and if you've given them any food hang ups over the years from your own dieting! I just try to educate my DD about food choices and tell her a bit of everything is good in moderation but half her friends are dieting at 14 and living on energy drinks, she tells me she eats properly at school but you just never know!

It must be worrying. I said to my LO we are going to start eating healthy after xmas & from now on only 1 treat a day after dinner but only if she's been good, we starts talking about calories, she'd only went & told OH how many cals were in his can of coke & he pulled me up for teaching her things she shouldn't know. I said no harm in her knowing what her calorie allowance is. I best not mention anything again just incase she starts being obsessed with it. Its hard to get the balance right, you dont want to restrict yummy food too much incase they end up eating it behind ur back or gorging on it when given the chance & you dont want to restrict too much incase they go the opposite way. Parenting is one massive task isn't it. I thought i'd been thro the majority of it with LO being 7 1/2 but it seems its not over til the teenage years are gone.

 

[Mummy2Adam]

My eldest is 4 in June and things have changed dramatically too, i used to make Adams bottles up and leave them on the side and that was right. I do it for Lexi and im doing it wrong
They make things so confusing by changing things so much, stubborn mummies like me dont listen anymore and do what they thinks best for their LO on an individual basis.
Also i think it makes a massive difference that Lexi is my second born too, i know as a first time mummy with Adam i tried to stick to the guidelines as much as i could, you could wean at 4months not 6(i still did it slightly earlier to be honest) but seeing the guidelines change so much makes you wonder whats right and whats wrong - this country never does things easy!
As for schooling ive got all that fun to come in september when Adam starts, not looking forward to my little man growing up even more x x

 

[Sarah13]

Maths and physics is the worst! They assume you will know as well, and then get a right huff on when you try to help but think your wrong!
And back to feeding your kids, feeding a teenager is sometimes just as bad as a toddler as you worry about all these eating disorders and if you've given them any food hang ups over the years from your own dieting! I just try to educate my DD about food choices and tell her a bit of everything is good in moderation but half her friends are dieting at 14 and living on energy drinks, she tells me she eats properly at school but you just never know!

It must be worrying. I said to my LO we are going to start eating healthy after xmas & from now on only 1 treat a day after dinner but only if she's been good, we starts talking about calories, she'd only went & told OH how many cals were in his can of coke & he pulled me up for teaching her things she shouldn't know. I said no harm in her knowing what her calorie allowance is. I best not mention anything again just incase she starts being obsessed with it. Its hard to get the balance right, you dont want to restrict yummy food too much incase they end up eating it behind ur back or gorging on it when given the chance & you dont want to restrict too much incase they go the opposite way. Parenting is one massive task isn't it. I thought i'd been thro the majority of it with LO being 7 1/2 but it seems its not over til the teenage years are gone.

My daughter is always looking at calories and her latest thing is her BMI and adding up how many 'healthy' things she's eaten in a day and I've noticed she's always weighing herself too. She's def eating but I'm keeping a close eye on her and def dont mention diet stuff just healthy choices but I still worry as I think she's lost about a stone in the last year and so only 7 stone odd now (she's 5ft 4) I'm hoping it's just part of being a teenage girl and being body aware but there is so much peer pressure on them to be skinny as well.
We've been looking at her red baby book and comparing to Kynon at the same age, she was on 91st percentile as a baby, dropped to 50th as a toddler and now below the 25th!

 

[lewisca]

I'm in the same camp as u m2a . Listen to the guidelines so I know what's happening but ultimately listen to my baby !! I have a 5 year old who was weaned at 12 weeks and bottles made up for the day and u could wean at 4 mths. next one is 2 and half and u weren't allowed to make feeds up and weaning should b done at 6 mths ! He too was weaned at 3 mths ! Neither are overweight or have an allergies ! Rhea is showing signs of being ready to wean too so when I feel the time is right for us both I will do it and don't think she will wait much longer either !! Plus I'm naughty and make feeds up and keep them in the fridge ! So I'm probably the naughtiest mummy !! Xx

 

[Mummy2Adam]

Is so hard isnt it hunny, you want to do everything right for your baby but to wait till 4/6 months, whatever it is at the minute, is going to make them so unhappy.
Since introducing a small amount at lunch time Lexi is a completely different little girl, she is alot more settled and has gone back to 3hour feeding not 2hr and screaming for more! x x

 

[Lilelephant]

I'm in the same camp as u m2a . Listen to the guidelines so I know what's happening but ultimately listen to my baby !! I have a 5 year old who was weaned at 12 weeks and bottles made up for the day and u could wean at 4 mths. next one is 2 and half and u weren't allowed to make feeds up and weaning should b done at 6 mths ! He too was weaned at 3 mths ! Neither are overweight or have an allergies ! Rhea is showing signs of being ready to wean too so when I feel the time is right for us both I will do it and don't think she will wait much longer either !! Plus I'm naughty and make feeds up and keep them in the fridge ! So I'm probably the naughtiest mummy !! Xx

I make my feeds up and put them in the fridge lol I can join the naughty mummy club lol

 

[hopefulmummy]

I do agree that you should def listen to
Your baby and use your instinct, but also a fine line between that and thinking you know more than the experts. I'm
Not saying that's what anyone is doing, but I don't think Saying " mummy knows best" is always best.

I'm just as guilty though - Arthur wouldn't sleep on his back, so we put him
On
His tummy, against all advice. But when you haven't slept in 2 months and that helps, you have to use your judgement!!

 

[Mummy2Adam]

Which is were im coming from Lexi was screaming between bottles, not getting the naps she needed during the day because she was feeding every 2hrs, surely all that isnt good for my baby so along with the signs she was ready, i did what i thought was best for her.
This thread wasnt written to tell everyone not to follow the guidelines because they are completely wrong because that isnt what i was saying, i written because it was what i had decided for my daughter on an individual basis and also for other mummies to read if they are in the same situation.
We all make choices in life whether it be for our kids or ourselves and there are always going to be people that disagree but i think aslong as you have choosen those choices with the best interest of your kids/yourself then your not doing anything wrong x x

 

[misscrazycooki]

I weaned my son early as he was screaming the place down when I tried to sit down and eat. Even if he had been fed a bottle. Still does it now. What ever mummy or daddy are eating he wants some. I gave rice at about 3 months and he was hit and miss with it. He was properly weaned at 4 months with jars then I made my own food till 6 months then hit the jars again as I was struggling as I moved out from partner and got a little lazy

Now he has a mixed varied diet of prebrought meals and homemade x

My son was never fat and barely drank alot of milk just wanted food so I gave my choice to wean. He is a lovely boy now, Still on the average line for his age group in height and weight. I believe I did the right thing and a good job

 

[lewisca]

Is so hard isnt it hunny, you want to do everything right for your baby but to wait till 4/6 months, whatever it is at the minute, is going to make them so unhappy.
Since introducing a small amount at lunch time Lexi is a completely different little girl, she is alot more settled and has gone back to 3hour feeding not 2hr and screaming for more! x x

It is hard and I constantly feel like i'm doing something wrong by one of them !!
Feel guilty for not breast feeding but its just something I couldnt face and with my history of pnd didnt want to put myself under an more pressure !!
I'm sure i've heard recently that there is talk of bringing the guidelines back down to 4 mths to wean. think lastest research suggests that the 6mth rule is only really of extra benefit to those in third world due to hygiene standards or something !! think it was on this morning programme just before i had Rhea.
Rhea is constantly chewing on her fist and seems to b losing interest in her milk plus she stares at me the whole time I'm eating and makes me feel guilty !! she is doing well on her growth and already have her on hungry baby milk !!

I know that research is there for a reason and use it in my work as I'm a nurse but I also beleive in using your judgement. Yes some people do abuse the mum knows best saying but alot of the time we do !!

Like M2A says it is a very personally thing when u decide to wean your child but I for one have found this post helpful and reasuring as I too have weaned slightly early with all my kids. xxx

 

[tinks77]

Only you know your baby and what she needs, if I remember rightly she's always enjoyed her food
I think if it was too soon for her you would know by how it affects her and from what you've said she's loving it x

 

[Rósa]

Did you try hungry baby milk at all before giving her rice?

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

I do agree that you should def listen to
Your baby and use your instinct, but also a fine line between that and thinking you know more than the experts. I'm
Not saying that's what anyone is doing, but I don't think Saying " mummy knows best" is always best.

I must say I do agree with this. I wrote a post a few months back about how I'm sick of being told 'it never did me any harm' and I just wanted to scream; what's all these years of research for, then?! They do it for a reason!

BUT on the other hand I think we're all the same and probably 'mix and match' with what advice/guidelines we choose to follow - some people will refuse to wean their child before 6 months because of the guidelines, but at the same time won't follow guidelines on the side of the milk formula. So you could argue about it forever.

We all just want the best for our LO's and the endless conflicting advice is enough to drive you bonkers

 

[clairebear22]

Jack is 7 months old on Friday, I started weaning him at 14wks so slightly earlier than i'm 'supposed' to because he's always had a poor milk intake, from birth he has never ever had the 'average' daily milk intake for his age and even now only drinks 4oz on average per feed. He's also very light (16lb 1oz last Thursday). He loves his food and we've never looked back. I cook all of his food myself he's never had a jar (not that i'm against them I just love cooking) and follows just under the 25th percentile. My Nephew is 11 days younger than Jack and is mainly still on milk and is 22lb+. He'll have 1-2 jars of food a day. Jack has brekkie, lunch & pud, dinner & pud and is still skinny! Sometimes bigger/smaller babies is in their genetic make up, sometimes they're 'over fed' which is easily done considering they can't tell you they're full. Every baby is different so i'll always go with my gut instinct when it comes to Jack's well being. If you want to feed her 'early' then you do that, only you know Lexi and what she needs x

 

[littlemiss83]

I do agree that you should def listen to
Your baby and use your instinct, but also a fine line between that and thinking you know more than the experts. I'm
Not saying that's what anyone is doing, but I don't think Saying " mummy knows best" is always best.

I must say I do agree with this. I wrote a post a few months back about how I'm sick of being told 'it never did me any harm' and I just wanted to scream; what's all these years of research for, then?! They do it for a reason!

BUT on the other hand I think we're all the same and probably 'mix and match' with what advice/guidelines we choose to follow - some people will refuse to wean their child before 6 months because of the guidelines, but at the same time won't follow guidelines on the side of the milk formula. So you could argue about it forever.

We all just want the best for our LO's and the endless conflicting advice is enough to drive you bonkers

I agree & also, there seems to be a trend with what ppl's friends & family do, for example... my mum did this & I was fine, but alot of ppl's mums smoked when pg years back & it didn't do them (the babies) any harm, but it doesn't mean its ok now, ppl would literally be nasty to you in the street if you smoked in public nowadays when pregnant, and ppl dont tend to argue with the "evidence" that it causes problems (smoking i mean)...just an example

 

[jules84]

I know that was just an example but I don't really think weaning and smoking whilst pregnancy can be compared. Smoking was seen as 'ok' but is now completely NOT ok whereas weaning guidelines go back and forth if I'm making sense? xx

 

[littlemiss83]

I wasn't saying early weaning is the same as smoking, I mean with regards to ppl saying....my mum did that & i'm ok. smoking used to be more than ok, doctors used to advise women to smoke when pregnant, its madness I know, but smoking was the first "controvercial" thing i could think of to compare early weaning to. Both are recommended not to do though. someone would be a bit silly to say...nhs is right about not smoking & wrong about weaning (again...im not saying they are in the same league but you get my drift)

 

[jules84]

I wasn't saying early weaning is the same as smoking, I mean with regards to ppl saying....my mum did that & i'm ok. smoking used to be more than ok, doctors used to advise women to smoke when pregnant, its madness I know, but smoking was the first "controvercial" thing i could think of to compare early weaning to. Both are recommended not to do though. someone would be a bit silly to say...nhs is right about not smoking & wrong about weaning (again...im not saying they are in the same league but you get my drift)

I understand,

TBH I would welcome studies going back to our parent's generation's where smoking and early weaning was advised, I think it would help so many people to know if actually smoking DID cause mc's and deformities even fatalities. And the difference in children who are early or late weaned. I imagine its not been widely done because it would be a humongous study that would cost a lot of money but it would definitely be fab to know.

I know people who have weaned early on advice from health professionals and then obviously others are completely against it.

Definitely a personal choice topic isn't it lol xxx

 

[jules84]

Basically what I question is how weaning has went from 4months to 6 months BACK to 4 months and BACK to 6 months, that's what I don't understand although I'm sure none of us do haha! xx

 

[Mummy2Adam]

Did you try hungry baby milk at all before giving her rice?

Yes hunny, it didnt make any difference
She was born a big baby whether that has anything to do with her always being hungry i dont know, a week ago she was weighed and she was 14lb 1.5oz's so she is continuing along the 85 line.

Like i have said before we made the decision by looking at Lexi as an individual, i never jumped two feet into it, we sat down and decided what we thought was best for her. If people disagree with it thats fine but you have to remember that choice you might make for your child people will disagree with and thats part of being a parent.
People can offer their advice and throw the guidelines at you but at the end of the day they dont live with your child and cant tell you what is right and wrong on an individual basis! x x