Would we be doing the wrong thing if........

[talktothebees]

we started giving our 21 week old DD bits of fruit or veg to chew on? I've thunk myself into a corner on this one. Apologies if it's been asked a million times before

We really wanted to get a bit closer to 26 weeks before starting with weaning but she actually shouted at me this morning because she wanted some of my breakfast. She snacked on an Early Learning Centre catalogue instead........

DD is off the charts for length and on 91st percentile for weight. She has fantastic head control and no trouble picking things up, moving them from hand to hand and giving them a good chew. She can almost sit up by herself too . Obviously I can't tell how mature her gut is ......

It's not that I think she needs extra calories. She's not really that big an eater despite her size. I just wondered whether I was doing more harm than good by refusing to give her the odd bit of carrot or banana to chomp on when she seems so keen to get going.

[ruddynorah]

you won't do her any harm by not giving her anything yet. personally i would leave it til nearer 26 weeks. she probably just shouted at you because she wanted to know what you were doing, looked interesting, whatever. distract her with something. pull her up to the table in her highchaur and give her a bowl and cup or whetever to throw about.

[StealthPolarBear]

i started ds on vegetable sticks at 23 weeks
and it didn't do him any harm
Am doing BLW, as far as i can tell he won't eat unless he's ready (obv using common sense)
He still eats very little now (29 weeks)
If you are worried, I would wait

[lulumama]

she is interested in everything, not just food... it is par for the course.. if she is not a big eater then leave her on milk just for now, at 26 weeks or so you can give her finger food to gnaw on, remember that food is for fun until you are one and milk will remain her main source of nutrition and calories for the first year. you are not doing any harm by not giving her anything.

[DirtyGertiefromnumber30]

will probably get flamed, but I cant see the harm in the odd bit of soft fruit of veg at 21 weeks. Both my ds and dd were weaned earlier than 26 weeks becuse of the same reasons you gave. I did BLW and got properly started around the 6 month mark (3 meals a day etc) but prior to that they were chewing and experimenting with bits of pear, banana, avocado from around a similar age to yours.

[talktothebees]

Agree that she's interested in everything but generally if she's interested in something I have I let her touch it, hold it and stick it in her gob unless it's a danger to her. It just seems weird to be refusing to let her explore something she's interested in simply because it's food. I mean I let her chew on much worse things.

[conkertree]

too right talk to the bees - go with your instincts - its your baby - if she's interested, why shouldnt she explore it.

[conkertree]

www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_409699 9.pdf

this document has been quoted elsewhere to back up exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months - it also states though that if the child shows interest earlier, they should be encouraged.

[talktothebees]

Ta conkertree

that's exactly it. I feel like I'm stopping her from exploring food when she's obviously interested. I wasn't imagining she'd be getting any nutritional value from it at the moment. But then I do protect her from exploring harmful things and couldn't decide whether all foods should be classified as harmful until closer to 26 weeks. Seems a bit extreme when we're talking about circles of cucumber and chunks of banana though.....

can't get the link to work but then I am a technical buffoon. Have mostly had a baby so she can work the dvd player for me while DP is out

[tiktok]

If she can hold the veg and is interested in it, she won't do much more than lick and smudge it a bit - not a huge amount of harm can come from that. The 'odd bit of carrot' is nothing, really. She doesn't actually need it from a nutritional point of view, so there is no need to actively encourage it or to make it into a meal, or worry if she rejects it or doesn't show interest the next day.

The real risks of solids come from earlier, delberate weaning onto solids, going faster than the baby would naturally want to go.

[tiktok]

The link is wrong - I don;t know of anywhere official that says solids should be 'encouraged' in response to interest...have I missed something?

[PrettyCandles]

Why not give her something like a large piece of raw carrot, that she can't really get any of it inside her - more a teether with flavour than actual food.

Anyway, aren't these just guidelines? All babies are individuals, surely some will be ready for solids earlier than others?

[talktothebees]

I think I've explained myself very badly here. Tiktok I'm sure you're right that if I gave DD a piece of veg she would just skwoosh it between her fingers, wipe it round her face and maybe suck on it a bit. I didn't think for a moment she would in any sense "eat it." I was just concerned whether even that could potentially be doing harm to her. I think I've just realised how ridiculous the question is (sorry, she is a PFB) If she's not really ingesting any then it can't harm her can it? I've got no interest in weaning her before she's ready or needs it. I encourage her into physical contact with anything else she's interested in UNLESS it's actually harmful. But it isn't harmful to let her play with a piece of broccoli is it? I am a buffoon!!

[tiktok]

No, playing with a bit of broccoli is not a bad thing to do

[conkertree]

just for interest - dont want a fight - why is the link wrong?

are we to ignore publications from the department of health? all it is saying is that there is no harm in encouraging interest in food before 6 months?

why do you feel quite so strongly tiktok?

[bluejelly]

Yes

[tribpot]

I don't know if tiktok meant the link wasn't working as it contained underscores which were interpreted as underlining.

link again and it does state "if an infant is showing signs of being ready to start solid foods before six months, for example, sitting up, taking an interest in what the rest of the family is eating, picking up, and tasting finger foods then they should be encouraged."

It doesn't say encouraged to do what, it could be encouraged to wait til 26 weeks

[tiktok]

"sitting up, taking an interest in what the rest of the family is eating, picking up, and tasting finger foods then they should be encouraged"....I wouldn't argue with that. All those signs are unlikely in a baby of much under six months (very few will be sitting up, for instance, able to pick up and taste) , but if they are all there, I don't think there could be anything wrong with supporting the baby to do what he seems to want to do! I don't think it means 'interest' equals 'readiness' for eating - that's what I meant. Babies are interested in all sorts of things long before they are ready to eat.

When I said the link is wrong, I meant the actual link, not what it led to!! The link wasn't written out in a clickable way.

[tribpot]

Thanks tiktok, I thought that was what you meant but wanted to clarify.