CHARLOTTE Crosby has been cruelly mum-shamed after revealing she started weaning her daughter at four months old.
The 32-year-old, who welcomed her first child with partner Jake Ankers last year, told fans she couldn’t wait to get started and her little one is now enjoying a number of solids.
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NHS guidance recommends that parents gradually introduce solid foods from around six months – alongside Breast milk or infant formula.
Quizzed about her decision to let Alba try food, Charlotte explained: “So a number of reasons but the main one being that I was so excited to give it a try so when I saw that Ella’s pouches have suitable from four months, I dived straight in. My man also said we should.
“We started Alba around 4.5 months. There’s lots of foods that should be totally avoided before six months so we just made sure we stayed clear from them ones. And off we went into the wonderful world of messiness.”
After sharing her weaning routine with fans, she added: “After a month and a bit I started giving her things to hold and eat herself like banana, avocado, toast, carrots, yorky pud.
“Because she’s done over a month now of getting used to different tastes and thicker consistencies and swallowing them I feel much more confident when she’s having more solidly baby led things.”
Her decision has sparked fierce debate amongst her fans, with one questioning: “Why are people like Charlotte so eager to put their children at risk. Its really not hard to do research to see the risks of early weaning. God knows what else she is probably doing that isn’t recommended.”
A second added: “They all rush weaning and it’s just so odd? What’s the big deal waiting for two months?”
While a third said: “Anything before 4 months should only be done on advice from health care professionals. Its recommended 6 months for a reason but people like Charlotte always think they know better than professionals.”
Weaning advice from the NHS
NHS guidance recommends that parents gradually introduce solid foods from around six months – alongside breast milk or infant formula.
This is what The Sun’s GP columnist, Dr Zoe Williams previously advised parents to do.
Waiting until six months will give babies time to develop properly so they can cope with solid foods, the NHS said.
Your baby is ready for solid food if they can:
- Stay in a sitting position, holding their head steady
- Coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth
- Swallow food, rather than pushing it back out
However, there are some behaviours that can be mistaken for signs of being ready, according to the Start for Life weaning hub.
These include:
- Your baby chewing their fists
- Wanting extra milk feeds
- Waking up more than usual during the night
These are normal baby behaviours and not necessarily a sign of hunger, or being ready to start solid food, the NHS stated.
Starting solid foods will not make your baby any more likely to sleep through the night, but a little extra milk might help until they are ready for food, it advised.
It’s only at around six months old that babies start to need solid foods as well as breast milk or first infant formula to meet their nutritional needs.
Why wait until your baby is around 6 months to wean?
- Breast milk or infant formula provide the energy and nutrients needed until around 6 months
- Your baby will have time to develop so then can cope with solid foods
- Your baby will be more able to feed itself
- They’ll be better at moving food around their mouth, chewing and swallowing
This may mean your baby may not need smooth, blended foods at all, but can can have mashed, lumpy and finger foods, NHS guidance said.
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