A mum has defended her decision to feed her baby daughter McDonald's at the age of six months, claiming she 'loves' the food.
Jamie-Leigh Gibson, 18, first spoke out about her daughter's diet after seeing a story online about another mum who had been shamed for letting her baby eat KFC.
She commented on the article on social media, writing: "My one-year-old was eating McDonald's at six months... she loves herself a handful of chips and a burger."
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Gibson, from Antrim, Northern Ireland, has since told The Sun that she had experienced a backlash online after sharing her admission.
Speaking to the newspaper's Fabulous magazine, she said: "No-one in my family and friend group said anything rude or mean, but on the comment section of the KFC post, a lot of older women weren't impressed that so many of us in the comments had given our kids fast food before they were toddlers.
"But it didn't bother me as I don't know them personally."
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According to the NHS website, the maximum recommended amount of salt for babies and children is: up to 12 months - less than 1g of salt a day (less than 0.4g sodium); 1 to 3 years - 2g of salt a day (0.8g sodium); 4 to 6 years - 3g of salt a day (1.2g sodium); 7 to 10 years - 5g of salt a day (2g sodium); and 11 years and over - 6g of salt a day (2.4g sodium).
Gibson said that, despite people's concerns, her daughter Aniyah is 'healthy and happy', and claimed she has a varied and balanced diet.
"Me and my daughter's doctor know she's healthy and happy if a child is happy and isn't showing any health issues," she said.
"I don't think people who don't know you should have a say in what your child eats."
Gibson continued: "She's also breastfed so gets plenty of nutrients.
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"For breakfast she will have porridge or toast.
"Lunch is egg or beans with toast and for dinner she likes anything with mince - but she also likes chicken and veg."
She added: "McDonald's is just a treat.
"Aniyah loves McDonald's even now; she enjoys when she gets a Happy Meal."
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The mum said Aniyah also loved Burger King, where she worked part-time after her daughter was born, explaining that she started with just 'a handful of chips'.
"I never had salt on them then she got her first tooth at five months so we gave her half of a plain kids' burger and she was eating away at it," she said.
"It's not what she has all the time but, even now at 16 months, when she does get it she prefers the burger bap and chips dipped in sauce as a treat if we go out shopping."
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