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Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Weaning

I might be being old fashioned but chicken legs?

15 replies

Mammie81 · 30/09/2011 10:11

A friend of mine is doing baby led weaning. I know many of you are advocate's of this but she states her measure of success is that her DS will eat a chicken leg (both our DS's are 10mo). My puree weaned son would also eat a chicken leg if I gave him one (he can happily eat a peach whole) but I just don't think I could ever be brave enough! I don't give my cat chicken leg's for fear of the bones splintering and so many times I have roasted a chicken thigh and found the bone split inside.

Am I being old fashioned? Should I toughen up and attempt the chicken leg? She does make me (and other friends) feel like our DC's are a bit behind because we use spoons.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/09/2011 11:33

Firstly, weaning isn't a competition . The fact that your DS and your friend's babies use spoons at 10 months is absolutely no indication of how their career and life will pan out so don't worry about that.

I have seen a video on youtube of a 6 month old eating a chicken leg and although I did do BLW with DD, I too was a little too worried about giving chicken on the bone.

Nothing wrong with trying a nice chop though .

Debs75 · 30/09/2011 11:42

I've given my dd's chicken on the bone. You remove all the small splintery type bones and the gristle and let them chew on the meat and the knuckle.
Apparemtly it was how you weaned in the early 20th century before dr's got involved and pushed you to use formula then wean before they were ready.
It helps them learn chewing, well gnawing really but it does develop their muscles.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/09/2011 11:44

Sounds good Debs, after watching the video on youtube and hearing your explanation I'm regretting not trying her with it

Mammie81 · 30/09/2011 21:52

Removing the splintery bones does make it sound better. But it still seems a scary thing to do!

I always thought that pre-mastication was the early method for human weaning.

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/10/2011 16:43

Mammie if you wait until six months the baby can cope with pretty much anything. Ate a full sunday dinner within the first 2 weeks of weaning.

Debs75 · 01/10/2011 16:46

If weaning is left until baby is 6m+ and can sit up unaided and put food into his mouth and not push it out he is generally ready to start solids and shouldn't need pre-chewed foods.
DD2s first food was chicken chunks and she never ate any mushed foods. She also never gagged or refused foods as I waited till past 6 months and she was very ready for food.

FetchezLaVache · 01/10/2011 16:51

Agree with Debs- I was a bit PFB about giving DS a chicken leg, but DH suggested removing all the splintery bones first and he loved it! He would wave it about like a king at a medieval banquet and suck and chew away at it. It was very cute!

Never really fancied pre-mastication, tbh.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 01/10/2011 16:53

Agree with you Debs, we weaned DC1 at 16 weeks, against my instincts but it was the advice then. Waiting till they can eat what you are having and can do it all themselves is just so much easier.

MindtheGappp · 01/10/2011 16:59

Don't leave the baby unsupervised with the chicken leg, then you don't have to worry about splinters.

I can't say it would ever have occurred to me to be worried about this.

MindtheGappp · 01/10/2011 17:01

My youngest BLW'd by sitting under the kitchen table and catching whatever her siblings dropped! Who needs a dog?

ReshapeWhileDamp · 12/10/2011 19:11

If you take off the small bones first, I can't see what's so scary. Ten months, you say your baby is already experienced with chunky food, and he's unlikely to come a cropper. There's nothing to lose really.
As for pre-mastication, I've been known to lightly tooth any tough-ish meat from the family roast for 9 mo DS2. It's not spitty or anything when I give it back to him, if that makes it any better.

BartletForAmerica · 12/10/2011 19:18

You pick and choose the bits of the parenting theories that suit you and your baby.

We did BLW and it was great. I've never had to feed DS and he'll get stuck into anything. It makes for a bit more mess but more relaxed meals at home. (Not as relaxed when we are visiting my (lovely) PILs who sit on the edge of their chair saying things like, "Shall I get him a crust of bread?" and who need to be reminded again and again that DS really does just eat the same as us. )

thisisyesterday · 12/10/2011 19:21

why is it scary?? it's just a chicken leg

RitaMorgan · 12/10/2011 19:45

Was it in the BLW that it said that when babies used to not be weaned til 8 or 9 months, first foods were pie crusts and bones

tabulahrasa · 12/10/2011 19:49

You don't give pets chicken bones because they splinter when they're bitten through - I can't quite see your 10 month old baby managing to bite through a chiken thigh bone, lol

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