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Weaning

Health visitors anti purees

39 replies

Mrschn0804 · 21/08/2014 20:19

I went to weaning talk by our health visitors and they were so pro baby led weaning andso anti purée I was really surprised. Their argument seemed to be that purée weaned babies are later fussy about lumps.
I wondered whether anyone here had had problems getting a baby who has started on purees onto normal textured food? I like the idea of blw but had initially thought of doing a purée and finger food combo. But am now dithering because they were so pro exclusive blw.

OP posts:
purplemurple1 · 21/08/2014 20:24

I spoon fed starting at 4 and half months as ds was showing the signs of readiness (Sat up, no tounge thrust, picking up food). But went straight to mashed veg and soft fruit with milk added. Ds is One now ans eats regular food, had no issues moving him on.

SecretSpy · 21/08/2014 20:24

I have weaned two children, one on puree one BLW. I found introducing lumps very tricky with the puree weaned one. But either or a mixture of both is absolutely fine do whatever you are comfortable with.

ThatBloodyWoman · 21/08/2014 20:26

I did purees then gradually changed to a lumpier texture and introduced finger foods with both of mine.

They had no problems whatsoever going onto normal textured foods.

Another issue with babies not tackling chunkier food early enough , I believe, can be delayed speech because of lack of development of the relevant muscles for speech.

Mine were very eloquent very early.

Things change all the time.Everyone will be told to do something entirely different in another few years.

NewEraNewMindset · 21/08/2014 20:28

I have a feeling they are pro BLW because of the obesity epidemic and their training now discourages early weaning (purées) and actively encourages proper food given at six months.

I think I had grand plans re BLW and his first food was a piece of sirloin steak! But he absolutely loved his food so I made him all different things from various baby books and he loved lumpy food straight away so I had no problems.

sunnyrosegarden · 21/08/2014 20:29

Ds1 was weaned on purees, and was eating full roast dinners by 12 months. He loved eating, mind you..

(ds2 refused purees. He wanted to copy his brother, so in the end I gave up and just let him feed himselfHmm )

flanjabelle · 21/08/2014 20:35

I have done a mixture with no problems whatsoever.

I think problems arise when babies are solely given puree and have no experience of lumps at all. If you start with both, then they are used to both.

capsium · 21/08/2014 20:36

Some foods are normally puréed / smooth. My DC took ages to actually really take very much food at all, fed purees, as was in vogue at the time. When it was time (according to advise at the time) to start giving fruit as 'finger foods' things really picked up. Actually laughed like couldn't believe food could taste so good! Grin

munchkinmaster · 21/08/2014 20:40

My hv said no purées but lumps/mash ok. I did a mix. I think only purées for ages could go wrong but besides that they will prob learn to eat somehow.

Lovelydiscusfish · 21/08/2014 20:42

I did purees too, was just irrationally nervous about blw, though I liked the idea, and I had no problem introducing different textures. At 2.4 dd is now a reasonably unfussy eater, although she does have her likes and dislikes - but don't we all? Do whatever you feel comfy with, would be my advice.

magicalmrmistofelees · 21/08/2014 20:44

My DD wouldn't eat anything pureed so we were almost forced to do BLW! She still wont eat anything off a spoon and insists on feeding herself. A friend of mine started on purées at 5 months and at 10 months still can't get her DS to eat anything lumpier. However this is all obviously anecdotal! Every baby is different, do what works for you and your baby.

capsium · 21/08/2014 20:46

Of course they learn to eat! Only at a very slightly later age, when solids are deemed appropriate! Crikey many people would be famished if this was not the case....

I think HVs really need to get a sense of scale regarding some of the weaning advice...

capsium · 21/08/2014 20:47

^these ones anyway.

madamweasel · 22/08/2014 04:24

The concept of one or the other always makes me Hmm

Why wouldn't you offer a baby purée? As adults our diets include some smooth food - yogurt, soup, etc - so why shouldn't babies have that too?

Also, even at 6 months some babies don't have the coordination to get finger food to mouth successfully.

At 5.5 months my DS was very active and losing weight and the HV said 'is he on 3 meals a day?' I replied, no, of course not, I'm waiting till 6 months, her response was 'he clearly needs more food now -feed him' there's not a chance he'd have got the calories he needed just from blw.

Each baby is individual, you do what works for you. We started with purée and added finger food gradually, never had a problem with lumps.

woodlandwanderwoman · 22/08/2014 04:57

Purées and finger food here, I have a great little eater with a healthy appetite who will try anything. The only thing he doesn't like to do (but is perfectly capable of) is feed himself, if he can get away with "mummy do it" he will!

sleepywombat · 22/08/2014 05:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whycantifindaname · 22/08/2014 05:23

DS1 and DS2 were completely different when it came to starting solids. One refused to eat at all until about 10months, and the other ate easily from 4months 1week old.

But, both were started on purée first, and I had no trouble at all moving either of them on to other lumpier foods. I have never heard anyone say they couldn't move their baby on to non-purée food.

magicalmrmistofelees · 22/08/2014 15:12

madamweasel i didn't offer purées as DD wouldn't eat off a spoon... We had to do 'one or the other'! At 10 months she will now occasionally eat yoghurt but only if I load the spoon up and she does it herself. She likes to be in control and doesn't like people shoving food into her mouth, can't say I blame her Smile.

PetiteRaleuse · 22/08/2014 15:22

My babies were weaned the traditional way ie fruit and veg purees from 17-20 weeks on up to 6 mo. Then other ingredients (rice, meat, fish etc) including some finger food from 6 mo on, introduced gradually.

But still mainly puree of varying textures til about 9mo. (Gradually lumpier and lumpier) Finger food was omelette or bread or pasta shapes, that kind of thing.

Had zero problems getting them to eat lumps and they both eat most things put in front of them now. The eldest is in fact, at 3, a more adventurous eater than I am.

I have a bit of trouble really understanding the push towards BLW over there. Every HCP over here has been very Hmm about it, especially the leaving babies on a milk diet only until 6mo thing.

I never shovelled puree down my babies throats btw. Just presented it and they ate what they wanted. And no-one ever suggested a pure puree diet was a good thing. It has always been puree plus finger food.

magicalmrmistofelees · 22/08/2014 16:00

PetiteRaleuse my DD didn't show any interest in solids until 7 months, she was perfectly happy on milk, gaining weight and stayed on the 50th centile line since birth. I don't think there would have been anything to gain from trying to wean her earlier than 6 months. I actually think she'd still be happy on just milk now at nearly 10 months!

PetiteRaleuse · 22/08/2014 16:19

Possibly be happy but later than 7 months wouldn't have been healthy :) they need to eat at some point. My point was that introducing them to food earlier than 6mo is the norm here.

CultureSucksDownWords · 22/08/2014 17:05

I think (don't know this though) that it's to do with the rise in childhood obesity in the UK and obesity generally. One of the studies into BLW showed that children who were weaned that way were less likely to be overweight.

I have to say that I don't think it is unhealthy to do BLW from 6 months (or 7 months if the baby is slow to start), as long as you are breastfeeding on demand (or FF) and also giving a daily multivitamin.

magicalmrmistofelees · 22/08/2014 20:26

She's perfectly healthy, like I say she has constantly maintained on the 50th centile despite the lack of solid food and is never ill. All babies are different Smile.

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TheRealMaryMillington · 22/08/2014 20:34

It changes with different thinking - HVs were rabidly pro-puree when DS (9) was weaning and later couldn't understand why I didn't want to go on their pureeing course when I had DD (now 7) who was happily grabbing green beans and handfuls of rice off our plates at 6 months.

I'd say take your baby's lead, mix and match, and do your own research.
Before age one it is more about learning than nutrition.

TheRealMaryMillington · 22/08/2014 20:37

Oh btw I do know of a couple of kids who got a bit stuck on purees, but in one case had various sensory issues, and another had a parent who basically didn't try to feed them anything unpuree-ed till they were a bit too old. hmm

Mrsgrumble · 22/08/2014 20:41

I did a mixture.

Baby is happy. You just do what you feels right.

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