Baby Led Weaning

[Kitters]

Do I have this right?

You go straight from milk-only to giving LO small solids to play with/feed themselves? No in between baby rice or purée? At around 6months?

I really like the idea of this - that is baby exploring food for themselves. However I'm desperate to give DS something more substantial as I can see he's really ready for it, so I've been looking forward to giving him baby rice in a few weeks. Obviously he's nowhere near old enough to be handed a chunk of broccoli, so would purée in the meantime interfere with BLW at around 6 months? Most of the info I've seen about BLW seems to be aggressively against 'the mush', but I don't really get why?!

 

[amytrisha]

They say puree teaches them to swallow, rather than chew then swallow which could make it harder to introduce lumps and then solids. The idea of BLW is skipping that process and teaching them to chew right away so starting straight off with brocolli florets, toast, cucumber sticks.. Anything!
I'm not sure what to suggest if you feel your baby is gonna need foods soon as your a few months from the 6 months mark, do you have a good HV you can contact to ask for advice? I know a lot of people that have used puree from 4-6 months then BLW at 6 months + so it can be done x

 

[AP]

It can be done I know people can be really funny about what it's labelled, so don't let that put you off.

What makes you feel that your LO is ready for weaning so soon? (I'm not judging don't worry, I'm just wondering what we could suggest)

 

[Kitters]

Thanks, Ladies. That really makes sense about learning to swallow rather than chew.

I've just done a bit more research and the whole weaning situation seems a lot more complicated than I'd thought!

DS is 16 weeks, I'd thought about trying some baby rice a week or two after the 4 month mark (only with the ok from HV), as friends have done the same and the baby rice packets I've seen say from 4 months. This made me think it would be fine as I know guidelines on advertising surrounding baby nutrition is quite strict, no marketing for first milk etc. It's weird that baby rice can be advertised from 4 months when NHS guidelines and every article I can see online clearly state solids before 6 months are not a good idea, unless for medical reasons.

I thought he might be ready to try some baby rice because he's very interested in our food, EVERYTHING gets chewed, sucked and licked, he doesn't seem as satisfied by milk any more and has just cut his first tooth - I know the tooth thing doesn't really mean anything, but it is kind of food related ;-)

Of course it is absolutely not worth causing his digestive system any harm by giving him solids too early.

 

[AP]

Marketing isn't as strict as milk when it's comes to food. They say 4 months as that gives them more of a market. There's also no real nutrition in baby rice either.

Chewing and licking are often just exploring and comfort and not necessarily a sign of needing solids.

The guidelines are from 6 months to avoid any allergy and digestive issues. That's not to say anything will happen if you start earlier, but there's an increased risk ykwim?

It's worth chatting with your HV but it doesn't sound to me you need to think about starting soon (but I'm only over the Internet so I don't know your LO )

Xxx

 

[amytrisha]

I agree with AP My LB was on 7oz bottles every 3 hours before we weaned at 6 months, people were pushing me to wean early saying he was starving aha. He wasn't! He was fine! I just fed him his milk on demand and waited til the 6 month mark so I could start BLW straight away.. Which might I add is SO much fun!! I love watching him get stuck into a meal with his hands, I recommend BLW to everrrryone!

My HV got me an invitation to a 'weaning party' when my LB was 4 months, it was all about BLW the ins and outs and we learnt SO MUCH. Maybe ask if there's anything like that in your area?

 

[LoveCakes]

The milk thing is a law, they can't market it.

The food industry signed up to a voluntary arrangement not to market food before 6 months but obviously not everyone does that when profits are to be made.

It's totally up to you. Get the facts and decide what's best for your baby.

Personal I don't think from what you've said your LO needs food but you know them best. My lg has sucked her hand from the second she was born!

 

[mel28nicole]

I started baby rice and oatmeal a little after 4 months. DD was sitting well supported, very interested in food, and I was given the OK by her doctor if I wanted to try I could. I only did it once a day, didn't introduce puree veggie and fruits til 5 months. Now that she's close to 6 months I'm kind of working a traditional and BLW method where I give her some foods and she mostly plays with them but gets a couple nibbles. For instance, I gave her toast with a puree she was familiar with, and gave her the rest of the jar after.

Are you FF? How much does he drink at a time? If he doesn't seem satisfy possibly up on an oz or two. I'm currently at two meals with DD (typically breakfast and dinner) and she still drinks the same as before, about 25oz in a day (she's never been a big drinker).

Also around the 4 month mark you could possibly try the cereal and see how he does with it, but only if youre given the ok by your HV. That's what I did, but try staying to only once a day since he's still young. If he's taking to it, continue but if he doesn't seem quite interested, hold off. DD wasn't crazy about it at first so it wasn't until 4 1/2 months that I was doing the cereal once every day

 

[Becki09]

Hi

I wanted to wait till 6 months to start weaning, however my LO was grabbing at our food and we felt she was ready, she was just over 5 months. I must say we started with baby porridge and rice and fruit puree's for the first 2-3 weeks. Once she hit 6 months i started BLW too, I was always worried about it and admit when i first heard of BLW i thought it was just a fad, that was my ignorance because i hadn't done any proper research. I also think i was worried she would choke/gag with larger bits of food (this has never happened tho). Its so much fun though and my LO much prefer's it.
I have found shes not fussy and will eat pretty much everything given to her. We have decided to do a mix of BLW and traditional weaning because she loves her fruit puree's and on busy day's when we are out and about she will gladly eat a jar

Go with what you think is best

 

[noon_child]

Hi

I wanted to wait till 6 months to start weaning, however my LO was grabbing at our food and we felt she was ready…

That's one of the main ideas around Baby Led Weaning - being BABY LED. It isn't about waiting till bang on the 6month mark and then giving LO finger food. It is about creating an environment where you can watch for your baby's signs of readiness and let them explore food when they have the physical skills to do so for themselves. Spoon feeding puts you in charge of what and how your baby eats, but with baby led weaning the baby will tell you when they are ready by grabbing at food and trig to eat it. On average these physical skills appear between 5 and 7months old.

To me it isn't really a mush vs. non-mush issue. Just that, at the point when readiness signs are present, baby's can cope with family style food so there isn't a NEED to puree anything.