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Weaning

BLW- how long before they actually eat anything?

31 replies

msappropriate · 30/08/2007 09:22

I know its all fun etc to begin with but I have the patience of a toddler and just wondered how long it will be before food is actually digested? My baby is picking it up and sometimes food goes near his mouth.

I just wanted a timescale so I can relax!

(My reason for my anxiety is lack of sleep. I know loads of people says theres no link btw food and sleep but my older child started sleeping through when he started on carbs, proteins, fats etc; but he was spoon fed so it was much faster)

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msappropriate · 30/08/2007 10:25

no-one?

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VengefulSquirrel · 30/08/2007 10:29

Hi M A. Don't want to discourage you, and I am sure that BLW is a good thing for those who can stick it out, BUT I do believe there is a link between food and sleep. I have a bf 5 month old, and tbh she has only started sleeping since taking lunch and tea. The lack of sleep was literally killing me (melodramatic emoticon!) so I weaned onto baby rice at 20 weeks. Phew!!! Now feel like I've got some semblance of normality back.

Could you do a combination? BLW, then around 5.30 a nice bowl of banana porridge or baby rice?

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Jojay · 30/08/2007 10:42

Agree with VS - it ain't compulsory you know!!

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littleducks · 30/08/2007 10:43

cant remember properly im afraid but it was a little while, though dd now eat tons but doesnt sleep much.

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msappropriate · 30/08/2007 12:58

I did early weaning with my first son at 15 wks (Oo crap advice from hv) and was shoving fruit and veg and baby rice into him and it made no difference to his sleep (as it has less calories), it was only when he got proper food at 6 months that it made a difference!

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Aitch · 30/08/2007 14:04

some opinions here, msappropriate.

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Manictigger · 30/08/2007 15:40

My 1 yo only really started eating sizeable amounts at about 10 months - before that bits went in more by accident. However, now she's on 3 good meals a day plus several bfs in between and she STILL wakes at least twice in the night for feeds. In fact I'd say she wakes more since she started on solids.

My theory is that whilst the solids contain calories, oz for oz unless every meal is pure butter etc, they aren't providing the same calorific content as milk. Hence my dd tops up her calories at night. Hopefully as she gets bigger (she's on the 2nd centile) and her tummy grows, she'll take in more food at each meal and get all her calories from solids. She seems to eat a lot but then she poos a lot as well so a lot of what she eats must be indigestible unlike bm which is I believe very easily digested.

So, after all that rambling, I think solids might make your baby sleep better or might make them worse, it depends on the baby. (sorry I'm no help am I? )

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tigger15 · 30/08/2007 21:46

I just started with ds (6 1/2 months) and after mashing up a carrot on day one he ignored it on day 2 and just nibbled a bit on day 3. I made some puree because I wanted to see if he would take any. On day 2 I put it on a spoon after he ignored the piece, he grabbed the spoon stuck it in his mouth and then screwed up his face and spat it out. We did this twice. Very amusing. I tried both again today and with the puree he grabbed the spoon put it in his mouth ate it up and demanded more! (with about half of it down his bib).

is it possible to try and do BLW but also give purees to make sure that he doesn't have any allergies? He's at nursery during the day now as I've just gone back to work and they'll give him whatever I ask but since their feeding method for babies is in a bouncy chair, I don't see them letting him mash food all around him for ages.

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Aitch · 30/08/2007 22:05

of course it is, you can do whatever you want. technically blw isn't about purees because it's all about the finger food really, but of course you can do a mix. or you could have a look here to see how to broach it. all you do is ask to use the toddler menu and don't stint on the milk. the good thing is that either way you're starting the baby on finger food early, which can only be a good thing in terms of lumps etc at a later stage. good luck.

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msappropriate · 30/08/2007 22:20

thanks for that.

I enjoyed your roundabout ramblings manictigger (although I read that as manctigger and keep imagining liam gallagher in a tigger outfit). I have lots of those ramblings, the world of sleep deprivation is so much fun!

Thanks aitch for the link. I have a tendancy to think things will never happen if they don't happen instantly so I will try to have more patience.

Gods its messy isn't it! I thought spoon feeding was bad. Theres exists embarrassing video footage of me spoon feeding my older child and wiping his mouth between each mouthfull. lunatic

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Aitch · 31/08/2007 10:29

it is messy, but i am working on a theory that they get neater earlier. so when you're out with a tiny baby and they make a mess, restaurant staff are just delighted to see a baby eat and not scream... but by the time they're one they're not messy and all the other kids are flinging things about and pissing off the waitresses.

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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:30
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Aitch · 31/08/2007 10:33

25, why do you ask? [wide-eyed]

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Aitch · 31/08/2007 10:33

ach fuck it, you've cracked me with your interrogation. i'm 36.

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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:34


twwwenty-fiiiive, eh?

hmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:34

ah

36

same as me

i was putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5 re mystery pg poster

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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:35

unless 36 was a bluff too?

[paranoid]

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Aitch · 31/08/2007 10:36

aha. jesus i don't think i'm an old gimmer yet. those posts are getting on my tits now, actually. i still don't know who shockandawe is. if she's a hairy-handed trucker no wonder getting pg has come as a surprise.

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dressedupnowheretogo · 31/08/2007 10:38

my lo is one and blw was best thing i ever did and as i bfing her i knew she was fine as milk is the main priority anyway so it doesnt actually matter

i found reading aitch's blog very very informative

i also used the dreaded jars if out and about and i couldnt find anything finger foody that was gluten free

my lo will now sit and eat anything mango chutney poppadom and garlic mushrooms anyone

by about seven and a half months she was eating all sorts and loads so just bear with it and enjoy it

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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:39
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Tutter · 31/08/2007 10:40
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Aitch · 31/08/2007 11:02

aw, thanks alldressedup. although now i must insist that you come back and answer all the poll questions for the newbies as part of the BLW 'pay it forward' scheme...

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dressedupnowheretogo · 31/08/2007 11:31

is that on the blog aitch ???

oooh i recommended it to the hv's at the weaning talk and they now add it to the literature of the breifing

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Aitch · 31/08/2007 12:39

aren't you a darling, that's great, thanks! yep, i've kinda put some polls onto the FAQ section, so that we can build up our experiences for other people. things like 'when did they actually start eating stuff?' etc etc

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MunchiesMama · 02/09/2007 18:19

My DD has finger foods as a starter, i let her chew and play with various foods for about 15/20 mins, before i give her some puree. I have found this works well as she is really progressing with feeding herself small amounts.

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