'Makes me rage': Mum's anger over latest health 'warning'
By Victoria Owens|
OPINION -- A health expert is warning parents against buying "concerning" baby food products that are high in sugar.?
The Food for Health Alliance is warning that ready-made pouches don't meet nutritional guidelines, raising concerns parents are being 'hoodwinked' into thinking they're healthy.
This makes me rage a little as a mum.?
That's all well and good for the five per cent of mums who aren't time poor or sleep deprived. But what about the rest of us who are just trying to do a good enough job with our kids to get through the day?
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I don't know a single mum who doesn't resort to using these pouches, whether it's every now-and-then or every day.
We're well aware these products have been designed to prey on the other 95 per cent of us who are time-poor and sleep-deprived.?
Of course we know fresh is best. We're tired, not stupid.?
But to warn against using them at all feels to me like we're underestimating mums just a little and adding yet another item to the never-ending list of things we're doing wrong as parents.
It's not like we WANT to give these pouches to our kids. We know it would be far more nutritious to lovingly hand-make our children's meals from scratchกญ but who's got the time? Especially if you're running here, there and everywhere doing mum stuff.?
Before we started solids, I had the best of intentions with how I would feed my baby จC I even got us a thermomix with the aim to puree all her meals myself.
But life got in the way and it makes me think this warning doesn't really take into consideration the mental load of being a parent.
"Of course we know fresh is best. We're tired, not stupid.?"?
Alongside a full day of work, I also have to fit in making lunches, getting my son off to daycare, breastfeeding my baby, getting baby to sleep, getting baby to appointments, paying bills, organising family events, feeding myself จC and that doesn't even include if you throw something else into the mix like sickness.
My day has zero fat in it, so if I can avoid peeling, cutting, steaming and pureeing fruit and vegetables, then I'm going to take it.?
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Am I being hoodwinked? No. I'm not na?ve enough to think I can just feed my baby a pouch of fruit and be done with it. I balance the good with the so-called bad, just like I do with my own diet.?
Sure, she might get half a pouch of puree for her lunch, but she's also getting some yoghurt, a few chopped up veggies and a bit of last night's penne bolognese to munch on too.?
But that's on a good day. Then there are the days she's sick or doesn't want to touch what I've served her, and as a busy working mum, I don't have time to wrestle with my daughter's culinary requests.?
If I know she'll happily suck on a pouch to fill her tummy and help get her to sleep, is that really so bad? Am I actually doing a disservice to her palate and tastebuds for years to come??
I try to do my due diligence, like many other parents. I check the ingredients and predominantly try to buy the organic options, but at the end of the day I'm always going to stock these pouches in my cupboard.
If there's nothing in the fridge or pre-prepared for Lily, then she's getting one, no question about it.?
The alternative would be a hungry, crying baby and a stressed and frantic mother. Is that scenario really best for my baby? All the developmental research I've read so far is about ensuring she has a relaxed and loving environment around her.
I agree there do need to be more rules around the nutritional value of these products, but until then can we just trust that us parents are using our common sense??
We don't need another authority making us feel like we're bad mums and dads for resorting to this quick fix.
As Maggie Dent says, aiming to be a good mum or dad is important, but research actually shows that being good enough is how you ace it.
