Baby who drifts down & solids

[squizita]

Just seeking some advice in advance.
My dd is perfectly healthy but grows naturally slowly (1 lb a month or so). As a result she toes a line then drifted down, found another line then again drifted down slightly over Xmas. She was born between 25th/9th percentile line- now about 5th or 6th percentile. So not crossed 2 lines. HV are not concerned as they think she just gains slowly: she is extremely strong and energetic for her size. She isn't a round squidgy baby but at the same time doesn't look frail: her limbs are chubby with a lean/muscular torso. She has the Winston Churchill face of a well fed baby!

I'm obviously not going to give solids till 6 months. She's 4+ months now so just thinking ahead, as I want to freeze ahead some foods.
But when I do, I don't want to cause a slow down in growth!! I know giving the wrong foods or the wrong amount can cause this. I read some rather routine-led books that my gut tells me were scaremongering but don't want to do anything "wrong".

Are there any tips or advice on how to do this? Or reliable, non faddy/evidence led books/sites. Thanks!

Are you keen to do purees, or just finger foods?

TBH, I never followed a weaning routine. But I did BLW (awful name, but pretty common sense approach really).

As long as you follow the health based rules - no nuts, no honey, cut up grapes, etc - there aren't any 'wrong' foods for a six month old baby.

And if you are still BFing on demand, your baby will likely make up any necessary calories that way. The issue with that is really if bottles are reduced too fast.

Oh that's reassuring!
I was going to "go with the flow" and start with simple veg then protein and dairy. Mushed up (mashed but not runny) at first but baby is quite good with her hands so blw might also work well.

You read this "follow my routine or baby won't thrive" stuff and it's like starting feeding all over- too much, too little etc. Of course they say wean from 6 months then chapter 1 is clearly aimed at younger babies as chapter 2 is called "from 6 months".

I'm gearing up to start too, I started a thread on weaning! Going to go for BLW because the way I see it he'll then take what he wants if he self feeds, and for the first weeks when he's experimenting and not getting much food I'll not reduce his milk. Also will give dairy, meat and bread early as with 6 months he can have everything, it's just the learning to chew and swallow! I thought butter and cream cheese on his toast fingers so he could suck off some nice calories even if he doesn't eat it! Full fat milk making porridge etc. I think the mantra 'food is for fun before they are one' has helped me, I won't worry that I suddenly have to get meals into him. I'm also skipping purée as I feel I'd have to teach him to chew anyway and people have mentioned too long on purees can mean the child rejects lumps and finger foods. I love the BLW website, babies eating chicken legs! But I think most people, as with everything, go with a mixture of things, maybe spoon feed some porridge then give self feeding finger food lunch etc. Food is food, no individual 'plan' is better than another really. You can give DD anything you like with very few exceptions! I'm excited :)

Yeah it is exciting!
I'm very reassured about the fact we have vitamins in the UK. Saw something on the weaning thread about iron ... of course we don't have to worry too much if baby doesn't have tons of meat and spinach at first because of vitamins. Which is good as bar breakfast cereal I'm not a great one for scientific "fortified" processed food like baby rice.

If it weren't for fortified breakfast cereal I'm not sure how DS would have got anything in the womb, I threw up all preg vitamins and couldn't eat much bar cereal but my iron was always excellent! God bless Kellogs.

When pregnant special k clusters were like crack to me!!

I'm no clean eater lol, rather preciously I intend to be for pfb. Who will probably grab DHS kebab lol.

When people talk of the wrong foods in the wrong amounts I think that they're hinting at giving baby rice and carrot puree instead of milk which obviously isn't nearly as nutritious. Aside from honey and choking hazard stuff like grapes and tomatoes there aren't any wrong foods. I'd go by what your baby does. I know some mums who were quite keen to do BLW but their babies just didn't put any food in their mouths, others who refused to be spoon fed, some that gagged on lumps initially etc.
With DS we waited until 6 months so could give him everything and then did! His first food was chapatti dipped in passanda sauce at a family curry. I never really pureed food just really mushed stuff up. Fish was good because it mushes up well and fish pie is a good one to freeze ahead. He weaned with great enthusiasm he was and still is a piggy! and even then only really started dropping feeds at 7.5-8 months.