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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Baby Led Weaning and Tummy Time

110 replies

BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 12:57

These terms irritate the hell out of me!

When DD was a baby, I gave her a mixture of finger food and spoon-fed her. She ate the food (or not, depending on how hungry she was/whether she liked it). When she was a bit bigger I gave her a spoon too, eventually she learnt to eat with it. Is this "baby led weaning"?

Maybe I'm missing something, but surely everyone does the same? Why is it called this?

And as for "tummy time".... I really don't get it. Confused

Please enlighten me!

OP posts:
maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:01

"Baby Led Weaning" means the baby exclusively feeding themselves (either with their fingers or a spoon) so the parent isn't putting any food in their mouth.

A mixture of finger foods and spoon feeding is just traditional weaning, and what most people do.

Tummy time literally is just giving the baby some time to play on their tummies. Due to the "back to sleep" advice babies spend very little time on their tummies now so don't get as much opportunity to strengthen their neck/back muscles. Using a good quality sling also counts as "tummy time".

WestieMamma · 05/08/2013 13:05

'Tummy time' was invented to counteract the problem of babies growing into adults without ever being able to support their own heads. Confused

Szeli · 05/08/2013 13:05

Tummy Time = Time on their tummy...

I agree with you on the feeding thing, a bit of a mish mash is what helps them learn imo but I think the 'baby led weaning' means strictly no puréed or mashed food just solids from the off and never feeding your child so they have to work it all out for themselves.

That's how it reads anyway

Birdsgottafly · 05/08/2013 13:07

"Maybe I'm missing something, but surely everyone does the same"

No they don't and Health Professionals give out the advice that is needed, for some, it won't apply to all parents, but it gives those that don't do/know what aids the baby's development/health, the information that they need.

There is another thread from a new Mum, who is feeling very isolated, so it is important that HCP's etc are giving all of the advice a new parent might need.

I don't know why it is such a surprise to posters on MN, that not everyone lives and knows what they do, tbh.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:12

Birds So baby led weaning is something HCP's recommend to new parents if they're not sure how to feed a baby solids?

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 05/08/2013 13:13

'Tummy time' was invented to counteract the problem of babies growing into adults without ever being able to support their own heads.

The strategy of giving "laying baby on their front for a while" a name, was as a result of seeing babies whose neck muscles hadn't developed/strengthened as they should, because of being permanently on their backs.

We now know so much about how a baby develops and learns, so we recommend how to aid this, if you worked in Children's services, you would know that environmental factors make a big difference in development/intelligence etc.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:15

Westie Grin

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 05/08/2013 13:18

"Birds So baby led weaning is something HCP's recommend to new parents if they're not sure how to feed a baby solids?"

No, but the advantages of babies being allow to chew foods, as such and self feeding, is told to parents.

I agree that a mix of both types of feeding is fine. Some new Mums like the fact they are backed up by their HV and have someone "on their side" when wanting to do things differently than the older women in the family.

AllOutFor2 · 05/08/2013 13:25

Actually what properly gets my goat is people who say they are doing a bit of both re finger food and purees. This is actually just bringing stages 1 & 2 of traditional weaning together.

The clue is in the name, and if you are actively putting food in the child's mouth, they are not "leading" and therefore it's not baby led weaning!

I'm fully aware there are bigger fish to fry (har har) but it irrationally makes me stabby!

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:28

So, what are the benefits of the baby "leading"?

OP posts:
MiaowTheCat · 05/08/2013 13:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 05/08/2013 13:34

Baby eats to their appetite, none of this ' one more spoonful' nonsense

Less hassle, no need to prep different foods.

Hand eye coordination.

Baby moves food round their mouth, muscle development.

That kinda thing.

maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:36

The benefits of BLW are that the baby can't start weaning until they are physically ready,
they only eat to their appetite,
eating is positive/fun as they feel in control,
it leads on from breastfeeding in the baby being the one to decide how much they eat,
it takes the anxiety away for the mother about how much/what the baby is eating, whether they are having enough and when to drop milk feeds as you just follow the baby's lead.
it's less stress/effort making purees or separate foods for the baby that they might reject

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:37

So, if the baby's first ever solid food is baby rice for example, you put the bowl in front of them and they feed themselves?

OP posts:
Whatwhatwhat · 05/08/2013 13:41

This hasn't really worked out like you hoped OP Grin

softlysoftly · 05/08/2013 13:42

Tummy Time Angry

I bought a fucking ladybird tummy time toy thing for tummy phobic DD1. £30 worth of screaming and stress.

With DD2 I had got a grip and stopped listening to "Other people"

Wishihadabs · 05/08/2013 13:42

Dd was totally baby led , refusing all pureed/mashed foods and never being spoon fed. Still not keen on cutlery now aged 6.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 05/08/2013 13:42

Well no, sweetheart. Baby rice would't be on the menu. Unless the family ate it, lol.

MiaowTheCat · 05/08/2013 13:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 05/08/2013 13:44

Being carried upright, being transported in a sling, the same as blasted Tummy Time.

maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:44

If you wean around 6 months when the baby is capable of feeding themselves then there is no need to do baby rice - baby rice was popular when weaning was done at 4 months (or younger) and babies needed to be able to suck/drink purees off a spoon.

At 5-6 months, when babies are sitting up, can pick up food, get it to their mouths, chew and swallow, you can start with soft fruit, sticks of roasted veg, toast and toppings, strips of meat, pasta - all sorts.

PollyIndia · 05/08/2013 13:44

See, I did a mix of spoon feeding (yoghurt, porridge, weetabix, fish pie etc) and finger food. Yet my baby has always decided how much he wants to eat. He will clamp his little mouth firmly shut if he doesn't want a spoonful and wide open if he does. And at 9 months he was able to also share my roast yesterday - beef, potatoes, yorkshire puds which he picked up pieces of and shovelled into his mouth. So he has all the things you say are a benefit of the strict BLW approach yet he has been spoonfed some things (and still is). So I am still not clear why strict BLW is any better or different than an approach which includes some spoonfeeding, whatever you want to call it.

jammiedonut · 05/08/2013 13:45

I wouldn't class baby rice as a solid and generally if you're using blw you'd presumably start a bit later and skip baby rice altogether, going for soft veggies and the like instead ( cut into helpful bite size chunks)

PollyIndia · 05/08/2013 13:45

Or was the strictness of BLW really just to sell a lot of books?

jammiedonut · 05/08/2013 13:46

Xpost with maja