The TV personality was mum-shamed after telling fans she's chosen to start giving her baby pureed food before the recommended age of 6 months

With lots of advice available, it can be difficult for parents to know when the right time to start weaning their baby is.

Some parents choose to wait until 6 months – which is the recommended age the NHS says babies should be weaned at – however other parents are led by brands which sell pureed food for babies age 4 months plus.

And now, former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby has faced backlash after admitting she started weaning her baby daughter at 4.5 months old.

Responding to a question from one of her fans, asking Charlotte why she's weaning before 6 months, the 32 year old took to her Instagram story to explain why she had started weaning baby Alba 'early'

She pointed out the food she was giving – an Ella's Kitchen mango purée pouch – states on the packaging it's suitable for babies 4 months and above.

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'I was so excited to give it a try'

Posting a snap of her little one being fed an Ella's Kitchen pouch, she 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 4 months, I dived straight in.

'My mam also said we should.

'We started Alba around 4.5 months. There’s lots of foods that should be totally avoided before 6 months so we just made sure we stayed clear from them ones.

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'A wonderful world of messiness'

'And off we went into the wonderful world of messiness.'

Charlotte went on to explain: '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.'

However, not everyone agreed with Charlotte's choice to start weaning her baby before the 6 month mark.

One critic said: '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.'

Another remarked: '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.'

On the other hand, others defended Charlotte's decision, with one writing: 'She probably did ask a professional. She's a brilliant parent.'

'You should wait until your baby is around 6 months old'

According to the NHS website, 'you should wait until your baby is around 6 months old' before introducing your baby to solid foods.

The website advises: 'this gives them time to develop properly, so they can cope with solid food.'

It also goes on to explain that breast milk or first infant formula 'provides the energy and nutrients needed' until your little one reaches 6 months, and that breastfeeding women 'should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement.'

It explains other reasons for waiting 6 months before weaning include giving babies time to develop 'so they can cope fully with solid foods,' that babies will be 'more able to feed themselves' by then, and that they will find it easier to move food around their mouths, chew and swallow.

Why is there conflicting advice?

The NHS urges parents to wean from 6 months, yet manufacturers sell foods for babies aged just 4 months.

Tracey Stone, Netmums resident health visitor said: 'What can be very confusing to parents is that marketing regulations allow baby foods to be advertised from 4 months of age, which is contradictory to health guidance given in the UK of weaning from 6 months.

'Global and national public health guidance continues to recommend exclusive breastfeeding or infant formula for the first 6 months of life.

'A report on fruit and vegetable based purées in pouches for infants and young children by First Steps Nutrition Trust (2018) states that the European Food Safety Authority is reviewing these regulations and labelling regulations may change to eliminate the confusion this causes.'

'Some brands already changing the labels'

'Some brands are already moving to labelling foods as for use from 6 months onwards to support to the advice for safe weaning from 6 months of age by health professionals, but not all,' adds Tracey.

'When babies approach approximately 6 months of age their energy and nutritional needs become greater than what is provided by breast or artificial milks.

'Their digestive systems are now mature enough to manage with things other than milk. Moving in the wonderful world of weaning needs to start around this age to meet these additional requirements, with their bodies now able to cope.'

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