# My MIL wanted to give DD a CHICKEN BONE!!!



## aklidberg (Oct 19, 2005)

Oh my gosh, I almost had a heart attack. My MIL and FIL spent lunch with us yesterday, don't get me wrong I love my inlaws. My MIL is a little crazy though. We were eating chicken and she starts talking about giving DD a chicken bone to suck on!!!! She said that is what they used to do when she was raising her kids (she is my DH step mom).... Anyways I quietly pulled my DH to the side and said SHE IS NOT GIVING DD A CHICKEN BONE SO TELL HER. He did thankfully. And she didn't say anything else about it.

Ironically my MIL was just telling me to never put a "leash" on my DD when she is walking all the time. I wouldn't do that anyways, but MIL was saying that a leash is for a dog, and then turns around wanting to give my DD a BONE!!!!! DOGS EAT BONES






























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## shayinme (Jan 2, 2005)

I think this is common with folks of a certain age and generation. I know my Dad and his folks beleive in that sort of thing. Its supposedly cute to have bebe sucking on bone







:







. Frickin crazy if you ask me.

Shay


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

How old is your baby? I don't see anything wrong w/ this. My sister and my best friend both did this with their kids. Starting around 9 mos, I think. They both removed the gristle and gave it to the baby. Babies LOVE chewing and sucking on bones and it's good for them! Dr. Sears recommends doing this in the baby book. Why are you freaking out over it?


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Both LLL and Dr sears suggest a chicken drumstick as an ideal early food.
Just take out the pointy bone that is attached and let baby go to town.
I gave them to my kids by the time they were eating solid solids, maybe 8 months or so.
Joline


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## Beeblebrox (Apr 6, 2005)

I think the reason that she's freaking out is because some might see it as a chocking hazard. Some bones might be too small and slippery. Or, they might splinter. Granted, I haven't come to this point in my parenting yet, but that might why the OP is upset by it.


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## kaillean (Jul 22, 2005)

A baby would need pretty strong jaws to splinter a bone -- I'd only give large ones though -- like a drumstick.


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## Hells_Belle (Oct 16, 2005)

It's a pretty traditional baby gumming thing. It wouldn't worry _me_, personally. The widely known chicken bone hazard I'm aware of only applies to dogs - you should never give a dog a chicken bone because dogs have very strong jaws and teeth relative to their body weight, and if they splinter the bone, it can obstruct the throat. Babies don't have the teeth or the jaw strength to make it a hazard.


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## BlueStateMama (Apr 12, 2004)

I was going to mention the Dr Sears recommendation too. When DD is maybe 9 or 10 months or so, I'd let her gnaw on a larger (strong) chicken bone. I'll clean it off except for a few shreds of meat and I think it would keep her (happily) busy while we eat dinner!

I actually can't remember when it's OK to give meat (like chicken)...is it 9 months? 10 months? Anyone?


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

I think it depends entirely on the source.
My ped suggested we start meats almost right away (mentioned It at 6 month appointment)
A few others recommend meat earlier than 9 months because it is a natural source of Iron and protein. (I'd rather give my child meat than iron drops that's for sure)
I have heard it also recommended in some circles to wait till 9 months or even a year. I think it all depends on who you read.
JOline


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## aklidberg (Oct 19, 2005)

Ok, Well call me stupid, but I have never heard of giving a baby a bone. Thanks for the info, but I think that I will not be giving DD a bone. You can give you babies bones until the cows come home. I have heard of people choking on a chicken bone.

Oh I don't have a dog, so you don't have to worry that I will carelessly give him a chicken bone. I was just saying that because of the leash thing. You know, give a dog a bone. My gosh...............................

I didn't know I was going to get attacked for posting a thread, I know better next time................................


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## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

I read the above recommendations, and gave my ds a leg bone last time we had chicken. He seemed to like it; it was easy to hold, and nice to gnaw on with his poor sore gums. We laughed because he looked like a little cave baby, walking around and waving the bone!









BUT- he lost interest in it and dropped it, I forgot about it, and one of the dogs ate it. That's not good.


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## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

No one attacked you (certainly no one called you stupid!) We're just letting you know that it's OK to do, since you hadn't heard of it.







A chicken leg bone is very strong, cannot be splintered by a baby, and cannot choke a baby, given the shape. It doesn't seem that odd to me; babies love teethers, and this would have been the natural thing to use, don't you think? I mean before The Age of Plastics...


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## sistermama (May 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aklidberg*

I didn't know I was going to get attacked for posting a thread, I know better next time................................

Where in this thread did you get attacked? All I saw was some people agreeing with you and others saying that they have done it before. I certainly didn't see a single person attack you.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

I try to keep the chicken bones from my dog too. But I have three toddlers eating at the same time and the dog is quicker than me!
THank goodness he hasnt had a problem yet, but he has eaten them countless times. I keep hoping to guess who will drop first! (best is remembering to put the dog outside till after dinner)

To the OP. I dont think anybody meant to attack you. It is just that we were trying to communicate to you that we dont see what all the fuss is about. Of course you have every right to choose what your child should and should not eat. But you presented the situation to us, perhaps hoping for some commisseration, and found that we have different opinions. THat doesnt mean it is an attack.
Joline


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## Attila the Honey (Mar 15, 2003)

Yeah, I've seen plenty of babies gnawing on bones before, actually. We never did it because we are vegetarian, but if you are a meat eater it doesn't seem like a bad thing. As long as you are talking a bone like a chicken leg and not, you know, a chicken wing (which seems too small and could be a choking hazard).

You didn't get attacked! Sheesh.


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## mama_b (Dec 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aklidberg*
Ok, Well call me stupid, but I have never heard of giving a baby a bone. Thanks for the info, but I think that I will not be giving DD a bone. You can give you babies bones until the cows come home. I have heard of people choking on a chicken bone.

Oh I don't have a dog, so you don't have to worry that I will carelessly give him a chicken bone. I was just saying that because of the leash thing. You know, give a dog a bone. My gosh...............................

I didn't know I was going to get attacked for posting a thread, I know better next time................................

I don't think you're stupid.







I would also be worried about choking. Plus, even though I eat meat, the idea of my baby sucking on a dead chicken's leg bone is just gross.


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## parkermgg (Oct 6, 2004)

We were going to try it, but I couldn't handle the thought of it either.


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## aklidberg (Oct 19, 2005)

i didn't say anyone said I was stupid...it was just a saying "well call me stupid". Sorry. I like all the ideas. Just not one I would choose. Thanks for the replies....









This has become an active thread though


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## ryleigh'smama (Aug 10, 2005)

We gave dd a chicken bone at about 7 and a half months, we cleaned it off really well and she LOVED it. She is 8 months now and she is not into solids much at all- but she'll always go for a chicken bone








Oh- I only give her drumstick's so it's big enough that she won't choke. To each their own....


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## shannon0218 (Oct 10, 2003)

Yep, my dd eats chicken bones too. I'd far rather see her with that in her mouth than a hunk of plastic. (or one of the dog's rubber bones--don't laugh, it happens too often)


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## ryleigh'smama (Aug 10, 2005)

Or the dogs paw...


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