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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:
Szeli · 05/08/2013 13:46

I can see where confusion comes from as my health visitor describes DS feeding as 'baby led' as he gets his milk when he wants it and now he decides how much purée or porridge he wants, leaning forward for more or closing his mouth and turning his head when done. He is leading when and how much he eats/drinks but this isn't blw - I only found that out thru internet research haha

Forgetfulmog · 05/08/2013 13:47

Miaow Grin

maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:47

Polly - the benefits of BLW don't necessarily mean that you can't get the same things out of spoon feeding. The approaches are different but I don't think one way is better - some suit some people, some don't. Same with most things to do with babies.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:48

BoysAreLikeDogs Just want to make sure I've got this right.... in BLW, the baby only eats what the rest of the family is having? What if it's steak and chips for dinner?
Whatwhatwhat Grin

OP posts:
maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:49

A baby can eat steak and chips - in fact steak (cut into strips) and chips is a pretty good example of something a baby can feed themselves Grin You just don't add salt to the baby's portion.

JollyHolidayGiant · 05/08/2013 13:49

If you fancy spending extra money on buying baby specific food then you can whether you Baby Led Wean or not. We just gave DS some of what we had at each meal.

Benefits are currently mainly 'anecdotal' as there's not a great deal of scientific studies carried out, and not many people do 'strict' baby led weaning so it's difficult to compare BLW with traditional or parent led weaning.

JollyHolidayGiant · 05/08/2013 13:51

DS was eating steak and chips at 6mo. It doesn't matter how many teeth they have.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 05/08/2013 13:52

And yes, follow your baby. Some reject spoon from the get-go, some prefer spoon. As long as you try to avoid over riding the baby's satiety all is well, whatever method.

I do get the RAGE about 'pure' BLW, like spoon feeding is somehow impure. Grrr.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 05/08/2013 13:53

Yep.

A 7 month old gnawing on a chicken drumstick is boggling, watch out for that needle bone, wossit called!

Wishihadabs · 05/08/2013 13:54

The main advantages of blw IMO (having done one spoon fed and one btw) are:

  1. No sodding baby food needed whether Mr Heinz or my fair hands ....so much easier

  2. You can all eat together as no-one is "feeding the baby" you can all eat your own (the same) meal at the same time bliss.

  3. Makes taking babies out to eat much easier

maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:54

I started off doing BLW as it was a bit before 6 months (about 22 weeks) so I wanted to be sure DS was "ready" and able to eat solids. After 6 months I did start spooning the odd thing eg. yoghurt. At 9 months he suddenly decided he only wanted to be spoonfed for a while! I'd give him a plate of pasta and he would refuse it until I mashed it up and fed it to him Grin By 12 months he was back to having a good go feeding himself with fingers and spoon.

PollyIndia · 05/08/2013 13:55

I know what you mean boysarelikedogs, though I can't say I actually care how other people feed their babies as long as they are healthy and happy. Surely all roads lead to the same goal which is babies eating 3 meals a day!

neunundneunzigluftballons · 05/08/2013 13:55

Tummy time for ds came when I lay on the couch in the evening watching tv, eating biscuits and ds lay tummy to tummy on my tummy helping himself to boob on and of throughout the evening. I suspect from my other 2 ff ladies that traditional tummy time was more important for them since they had no incentive to hunt for a boob to strengthen their neck muscles. For blw I did my own version which looked a lot like traditional weaning my 6 mth old dd2 lots and lots of finger food and spoons when things got messy.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 13:55

I feel so old Sad

But also very relieved that, although I didn't do BLW or Tummy Time, my daughter can chew, has excellent hand-eye coordination, and sees food as a positive thing.

Neither does her head wobble Grin

OP posts:
PollyIndia · 05/08/2013 13:56

I do find people are quite impressed/appalled (delete as appropriate) when they watch a fairly small baby chow down on a huge piece of meat though. I do quite like that!

maja00 · 05/08/2013 13:58

Did you find this thread useful/informative OP?

I am still wondering where the AIBU is though?!

Wishihadabs · 05/08/2013 13:59

Polynesia we have pictures of dd crawling round the beach with a prawn hanging out of her mouth. (Aged 10-11 months)

FreeButtonBee · 05/08/2013 14:00

With twins, I'm finding BLW a frigging godsend. Today for lunch, they had toast, roast chicken and a bit of avocado. I had toast, roast chicken and a bit of avocado (plus a custard tart!).

We all ate (or not) at the same time. Apart from picking up bits that dropped and handing them back and passing over a sippy cup of water now and again, I didn't have to do anything. Hallelujah. No making up purrees in advance, no fading about with two spoons, just food, eat, don't eat, whatever.

Mine also had steak yesterday - they LOVED it!

AllOutFor2 · 05/08/2013 14:00

Polly nothing wrong with one, the other or both. It's weaning. But call it what it is, baby leads, or doesn't.

I don't even know why it winds me up so much, but it does, sigh.

Wishihadabs · 05/08/2013 14:01

Why is being in a sling the same as tummytime ? How can they learn to push up with their arms in a sling ?

OrangeOpalFruit · 05/08/2013 14:02

I think that blw did need to be given a name and a marketing strategy if it was ever going to take off because up until about 8 years ago it was all about Annabel Karmel and purees. The problem with this is that the real taste of the food is hidden and lots of babies wolfed down vegetable purees but refused to eat a single piece of broccoli or carrot when the time came to move on to proper meals. To my mind the real advantage of blw is that babies get used to the tastes and textures of a healthy diet from the beginning. I am not sure why you would need to read a whole book on the subject however.

Original poster
BeKindToYourKnees · 05/08/2013 14:04

Maja Very informative! And my AIBU was "AIBU to be irritated by these terms"? I still think I'm not as it seems most people do a combination of spoon/finger foods.

And nobody has anything positive to say about tummy time.

OP posts:
Voodika · 05/08/2013 14:05

I totally agree with OP.
BLW seems like a new religion when it's just what people do.
Surely if it was truly baby led then the child would shop and cook the food too?!

maja00 · 05/08/2013 14:06

Wishihadabs - I think it's mostly about strengthening their neck and gaining head control, but they certainly can push up with their arms in a sling too - they push against you.

DoctorRobert · 05/08/2013 14:09

I hate the term BLW. It's not baby led seeings as the parent buys the food and chooses what to give the baby on any given day and then prepares it. If anything it is parent led weaning!