A bit confused about introducing solids

[soulfulsun]

I have an 8-month-old who I only introduced solids to about a week ago (baby-led-weaning). He has fun mushing up the food with his hands, but he doesn't seem much interested in exploring the food with his mouth (will screw up his face whenever it comes into contact with his mouth). Doesn't tend to bring food to his mouth, intentionally, despite loving to shove pretty much everything in his mouth, otherwise (toys, clothes, my hand - generally anything he can get ahold of)

I know the general, NHS-style advice is to introduce solids from around 6 months of age, but I was waiting for baby to exhibit the '5 signs of readiness', which I still don't feel he has. I'm on a lot of natural parenting pages on Facebook, and a lot of the other exclusively breastfeeding mums on those have mentioned introducing solids as late as a year old. Some say 7 months, some say 10 months, some say a year (after all "food before 1 is just for fun) - depending on when their baby seemed "ready".

Took baby to the baby clinic about a week ago, just before introducing solids, and the breastfeeding counsellor was really shocked that I hadn't introduced solids yet (baby was 7 months, then) - so was another infant feeding person. I hadn't realised that there was this urgency around introducing solids at the 6 month mark - I thought it was more a case of it being safe to introduce solids from 6 months, not that. The two women worried me into introducing solids, which is why I did (the very next day). Despite this urgency and belief that you have to introduce solids at 6 months, I genuinely don't think my baby is ready to explore solids. I've watched several baby-led-weaning videos on YouTubr, and the babies seem keen to bring the food to their mouths.

Is it common for BLW to start off this way, with baby completely disinterested in bringing food to mouth? And might by baby just not be 'ready' for solids, despite this NHS-style advice?

P.s I tried to feed baby puréed on one occasion to rule out method (rather than general disinterest in food), and baby behaved the same way.

Thank you.

@ReaganSomerset

The OP mentioned people who don't actually introduce solids until one, which seems to suggest that some people do take it to mean that food before one is optional.

I was just explaining that my take on it is that six - 12 months is more about them getting to grips with how to eat rather than the focus on actually eating, so that by the time they're one they know what they're doing with food. People always interpret things their own way don't they, but I would be quite worried about a baby not having any solid food before one. Do people really do that? I'm sure my DD would have helped herself by then!

You do not need the pincer grip to start BLW. BLW helps develop it but they can easily pick up foods using a whole hand grasp. That is not a sign of readiness. Have you looked at Gill Rapleys book?

Food between 6months- 12 months is not nutritionally highly important however it is a key time for the skills they develop, chewing/ biting/ controlling their swallow and gag/ fine motor skills.

Are you eating the same meals alongside? That's the best way for them to learn, being socially included. We did blw and it took a good few weeks until any food was being consumed but once it happened there was no stopping it!

Thanks, everyone, for your very helpful words. Makes a lot of sense, now that I think about it - baby would learn pincer grasp through exploring foods!

I was never comfortable with the idea of waiting as long as 12 months to introduce solids. Seems that some important skills are developed through exploring foods, even if baby isn't eating much yet. Will definitely persevere and experiment with different flavoured and textures. I think he'll appreciate different textures, actually, since a lot of the foods I've given him so far have been wet and slippery (steamed carrot, butternut squash, avocado etc). I think he might enjoy a head of broccoli, so I'll try that next time. He's been ill the past few days with a UTI. On antibiotics, vomiting, and very unlike himself, so we've taken a break from the solids for now.

Definitely excited to try again when he's better!

Thanks, again, all!

Remember veg is quite low calorie for the effort he will make eating it. You might want to introduce meat too, unless you are vegetarians.

Don't sweat it. I'm yet to meet a 30 year old that never learned to eat.
My daughter was 6 months when she started and caught on quick but my son was 10 months.
It's a strange thing for a baby I imagine, so just keep offering. Nothing wrong with a purée either if that helps

But what if baby is not very interested in solids at six months? Babies who are not yet interested in solid foods can and do thrive on breastmilk alone until 9-12 months or later. You might hear people say, “Food before one is just for fun,” but perhaps this should be changed to “Food before one is mainly for fun.” As long as your baby is continuing to grow and develop as he should, your milk is meeting his needs well.

kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-when/

I think people rush to introduce solids, many mum friends have introduced around 3 months, I have no idea why. I have a 6mo and I, too, will wait up to one to introduce them. They're not ready for them yet so I'm not going to try.

In my experience, Patrick, what babies are interested in changes daily! 😆 A baby that isn’t interested in solids at six months may well be really interested in them at six and a half months. I guess I wouldn’t want parents reading this who are confused about when to introduce solids to wait until one year old if they find that it isn’t instantly successful at six months.

Evidence is quite clear that it is important to introduce solids by 6 months, good review of the evidence is here: scienceofmom.com/2015/05/14/starting-solids-4-months-6-months-or-somewhere-in-between/

Just because it rhymes doesnt mean it is true...