Not got a clue :(

[xBlueberryx]

Hi ladies am sure what am about to ask has been asked a million times on here but can't find a thread for wot am looking for,

I hav been given so much information and just a little confused, my lol is 21wks on tues so not started weaning yet and wanting to wait until as close to 6months as poss although my LO has been ahead for most things so may hav to start earlier but am hoping to do blw with some spoon feeding I think and from what I can gather if the lil one weans before 6months it has to b purée but if at 6months can be mashed foods? But if I blw does that mean I skip mashed stuff and go to finger foods n what wer having? As I said I am clueless I want to do it as good as poss so my lil one will try everything as I am fussy n my oh isn't at all n ad love her to hav his food habits

Any advice would b amazing thanks x

 

[missk1989]

its recommended that before 6 months you start with smooth purees, although if you start at 5.5 months you could probably just mash. From 6 months you can Mash or go blw which is just giving your baby what you eat whether that is finger food or preloading spoons of something although this can be messy to start with. We just did a mixture of puree and finger foods starting at 5.5 months.

 

[b4baby]

Is is recommended that you wait until 6 months before doing BLW but purees can be given before. However I don't think something instantly changes over night when they become 6 months to instantly make it okay for them to eat finger food! My DD is 5.5 and she mainly has purée but if I am eating fruit I do let her have a nibble at that. She loves bananas, melon, mango and cucumber.

Just go with what you feel

 

[kittylady]

Purees just bypass the natural gagging reflex so babies accept them earlier, that doesn't mean they're necessarily the best way to go.

My daughter has also been ahead for most things and ended up starting blw at 5 months 3 weeks, we just gave her the option by putting food in front of her, some babies start before 6 months and some babies dont start till 9 months + but it made me a lot more comfortable knowing my baby chose when to start eating proper food.

 

[brentchester]

Yeah purees can be given before six months.

 

[Sproglet]

You can BLW from when baby can sit unaided, bring food to their mouths themselves, and chew/swallow it. Some (but not many) babies might be ready before 6 months.

There is no 'magic' transformation at 6 months that makes baby ok to eat finger foods. The guidelines exists because that's the time that a) most babies are ready b) there is little chance of doing harm to a baby that isn't ready and c) 6 months is easier to remember than a random date like 5 months, 3 weeks and 2 days.

To BLW just offer baby the food as you would eat it yourself. And let baby eat it herself, using her fingers. If she won't pick it up and eat it, she probably isn't ready, or doesn't want/need that food. Be wary of persuading baby to eat a food that she is avoiding. Robyn usually picks baked beans out of her dish and puts them to one side. I put some on a spoon for her, she ate them and had tummy ache/wind all night!

If it's too runny to be picked up with the fingers you can load a spoon and put the spoon into baby's hand.

If you're going to do BlW there is no need to purée or mash food first. I am having trouble getting this one past my family! They insist on mashing food, which makes it harder for her to pick up.

The only thing you need to watch is the salt content of foods, as baby can't cope with much salt as their kidneys aren't fully developed. The max recommended daily intake is 1g, and it's easy to go over that if you're offering pre packaged or processed foods.

 

[xBlueberryx]

Thanks for all ur replies what I was wondering is...

Say breakfast time on our first day would I mayb give her toast in strips or squares with butter put it in front of her n c if she try's it? I probably sound silly asking this but thought i may aswell I really don't want to purée n mash ad rather cut that out n save time n money and do blw also hoping it will make her a less fussy eater as i am quite bad but worried my own concerns will win I go with mashed hehe

 

[Indi84]

Toast in strips is fine. Would watch butter for salt but you could try cream cheese
If you want to BLW just offer what you're having, as long as it's healthy!