Advice to Polish parents in the UK about weaning babies?

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide

♀

Jan 29, 11, 22:03 #1

I am a student nurse in the U.K. I am looking at the cultural differences between Poland and U.K.
I want to give advice to Polish parents in the U.K about weaning. Can you tell me at what age you start weaning your babies, and what foods you give them. I know that babies drink tea both fennel and camomile. any advice and information or direction to a site for further info would be great. thank you

♂

Feb 3, 11, 14:22 #2

The classic book of Polish child-rearing is called "Małe Dzieczko". It's a 1950s publication, so I don't know if it's still in print.

Following my wife's family habits, we started giving mashed baby carrots from our garden at age 3 months, followed by baby rice a little later.

Unfortunately, Polish mothers are as eqqually confused about feeding as English mothers, thanks to the moron professionals.

Particularly damaging, by the way, was the utterly moronic take on the "breast is best" campaign. Essentially, mothers who can, should and do (even though it takes getting used to). Others who can't, were forced in 1990s UK hospitals to breastfeed - resulting in hernias among starving new-born baby boys (like my son - hernia operation aged 10 days). Quite simply, the "professionals" had clearly taken leave of their sense. My wife had to stop me from suing ...

Child 2 was checked out of hospital asap, against medical advice (because they tried mistreating her too). Absurd.

Then I was ordered by my then headmaster to go to work immediately despite having arranged in advance for a couple of days off. He was a darling of Nu Labour too - Chris Gerry (google him - and he looks like a cross between Rowan Atkinson and Ed Milibean).

alexw68

Feb 3, 11, 14:27 #3

Ain't nothing better than a mum's instinct - even that of a first-time mum who's probably a bit confused and is feeling her way into it.

Apropos Polish attitudes: we went to a post-natal, quite progressive series of lecturettes in Poznan - if the chap's name comes to mind I'll post it - and the quote I'll always remember is:

"Forget the advice from your Mum's generation - listen to your Grandmother"

Communist-generation mums were completely disenfranchised, with babies being taken away at the moment of birth and put into incubators often - the practice hasn't entirely vanished, inasmuch as newborns are separated for up to 3 hours while a set of largely unnecessary tests is performed. In the UK as you know it's heart, breathing, that 10-point thing, dose of vitamin K and back you go to Mum.

♀

Feb 3, 11, 15:39 #4

Hi-
While I am not Polish, I live in Poland, have given birth in Poland and have breastfed in Poland too.

In my experience, it was assumed that I would breastfeed my children. I suppose that if I had not been planning to breastfeed my children, I would view that as pressure to breastfeed. All medical professionals that I encountered (throughout the first year and on) encouraged me to breastfeed as long as possible (even during the time I had mastitis and an operation). The expected norm seemed to be 6 months with supplemental cereal. The next additions were carrots, bananas, plums, etc. It was not unusual to meet other moms in the waiting room of the doctor's office who were still breastfeeding their 2 year olds. I fed my children to about one year plus or minus.

That's talking about the medical professionals...my mother-in-law was another story. Not only did she criticize my breastfeeding (as a fact), she criticized how I breastfed. She was sure that my children were starving and whenever I exited the room tried to feed them something entirely inappropriate (tomato soup made with smoked ribs and cream with rice - yummy but not for a 1 month old baby). There was a lot of talk about "in my day..." and she couldn't believe I was exclusively breastfeeding for 5 months. Additionally, some of my friends fed their babies things I thought were inappropriate such as mashed potatoes with butter and salt for a 3 month old. Basically, Polish moms get mixed signals from friends, family, media and doctors.

I also feel that Polish moms go overboard with the teas and juices. I didn't give my kids anything but milk or water until they were over a year old and I have never seen a need for "herbatki". Anyway I read a research study which concludes that fennel/dill tea actually causes gas in babies.

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Feb 3, 11, 15:49 #5
ChrisPoland: and salt for a 3 month old. never give a baby salt.

♂

Feb 3, 11, 16:08 #6

Interestingly, I've never met anyone apart from my (English) aunt who knew how to wind a baby!

It's a classic move that you should try with a teddy first. (For babies that can hold their own head up, even shakily.)

1. Sit baby on your left thigh.
2. Hold baby's lower jaw with right hand (make a V, thumb on one side of jaw, fingers on other side)
3. With left hand on baby's back gently lean baby forward. No need to rub.
4. Huge belch should come pronto.

Put an end to all that baby on your shoulder / break your back nonsense. This works fast and painlessly.

ChrisPolandThreads: 3 Posts: 143 Joined: Oct 15, 09 ♀	Feb 3, 11, 18:06 #7
Wroclaw: never give a baby salt I know, that was my point. And get this, my m-i-l salted her grandson's jarred baby food!!!!

MEMBER ♂

Feb 3, 11, 18:16 #8

ChrisPoland:

I also feel that Polish moms go overboard with the teas and juices.

and there frigging expensive, when you start buying the little jarred purees too there about 5 PLN each for one measly meal. My wife was into all that crap and i just said look your not going to get better than buying the veg and just making fresh puree at home.

The point is Poles do not like to scrape on these types of things, they think paying for this utter shite is the right thing to do. Once we started home made puree we never went back to the jars.

alexw68	Feb 3, 11, 18:25 #9
Wroclaw Boy: Once we started home made puree we never went back to the jars. A-men. Not, in our case, that it was our decision: little fella wouldn't look at a puree jar after his first carrot, trout and potato surprise.

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,478 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER ♂	Feb 3, 11, 18:29 #10
I found or rather my wife found that the jarred products caused constipation.

alexw68	Feb 3, 11, 18:31 #11
Wroclaw Boy: I found or rather my wife found that the jarred products caused constipation. Me too. My fault for eating the bloody stuff just because he wouldn't.

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂ [Suspended]	Feb 3, 11, 19:49 #12
alexw68: A-men. Not, in our case, that it was our decision: little fella wouldn't look at a puree jar after his first carrot, trout and potato surprise. Did you never give him some truly horrible mix to eat, just to see if he would?

alexw68	Feb 4, 11, 01:01 #13
delphiandomine: Did you never give him some truly horrible mix to eat, just to see if he would? You clearly haven't tasted trout, potato and carrot surprise.

VarsovianThreads: 91 Posts: 568 Joined: Nov 23, 06 ♂	Feb 4, 11, 12:37 #14
Wouldn't feed it to my neighbour's dog!

moya	Oct 4, 11, 14:07 #15
hi did you find any resources written in Polish for advice about weaning I am health visitor and am struggling to find something thanks

62 [Guests - 46 / Members - 16] users on live forums now

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 22:34 / May 26
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Republic of Poland Online	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members