BLW - does it matter if nothing is being swallowed?!

[modgepodge]

I think I know the answer - no, it doesn’t matter, so I’m just looking for reassurance.

Started a few days ago, daughter is 25 weeks. She is very small for her age (2nd centile). So far we’ve tried Weetabix, porridge, plain yogurt, banana, avocado, broccoli and carrots, offering 2-3 foods per meal. She loves to hold and play with a spoon, so I’ve been loading the spoon and she puts it in her mouth. But not much goes in! And what does I’m sure isn’t swallowed. She also struggles with the finger foods - I’ve cut them in to fingers and she will hold them if I hold them out for her but they just seem to break before they get to her mouth (I may have overcooked the veggies). She cannot hold a banana with some skin left on to hold - either her hands are too small or she doesn’t have the motor skills.

She is enjoying putting her hands in the food and smushing it. So does it matter if not much is eaten at this stage? Others who have done purely BLW - at What point did you feel some food was actually being eaten?

Also she seems to dislike the highchair and never manages more than 10 mins or so. I wonder if she might be better sitting on my lap? But then I can’t really model eating to her as she’s not watching me. Any suggestions??

[Marinetta]

I had a conversation about this with my health visitor earlier this week and she told me that for the first year the primary source of nutrition should be milk so not to worry too much if the baby isn't eating many solids. For now the baby will likely eat very little of what is put on the plate but the main thing is getting used to different flavous and textures as well as developing the ability to pick things up and put them in the mouth and learning to chew and swallow. Around 8 or 9 months you should start to see that the child starts to increase the amount of solids they are eating and spends less time playing with the food.

[mrsed1987]

I feed him with spoon and let him finger feed himself. That way he deffo gets what is on the spoon

[user1471462209]

My DD didn't start eating much for ages doing pure BLW (months not days) I think if they are ready they will manage eat themselves. So sounds like she's not quite ready yet but I'd let her carry on having a play.

[Ohnoherewego62]

Totally normal.

Think maybe you just keep trying to spoon feed her and give her sliced banana, avacado etc for her ti play with and chew on.

Shell soon get the hang of it

[mizzles]

All sounds very normal.

There really isn't anything wrong with a bit of spoonfeeding - with some foods it's just impractical to do anything else. If you wanted you could try feeding her some (suitable) porridge etc - it might help her get started. And it's easier to be relaxed about playing with fruit etc when you know the baby has eaten something solid that day.

'Food before one is just for fun" is a bit of a myth, though. Fine for a 6 month old not to eat much in the first few weeks of weaning but after a couple of months you would expect her to be eating more and it's important that they get enough iron etc.

[modgepodge]

Thanks for all the replies, sorry for my very late reply!!

In the past week I’ve seen massive progress, she rarely misses her mouth now and lots of finger foods make it in. Nothing against spoonfeeding but I am going to stick to purely baby led at this stage, she now gets the spoon in to her mouth well once I’ve loaded it and put it in front of her. things now go in and get chewed, not sure anything is swallowed (though there is gagging which suggests she’s trying?) but I shall continue to let her play. I actually think she isn’t quite ready, but I’ve had medical advice to wean her so we shall stick with it.