weaning tips

[Bullzeye]

My baby is 4 months old with CMPA and reflux, we have been advised to wean early rather than medicating for reflux.

My eldest was weaned at 4 months anyway as it was a personal choice. He was on purees mostly then progressed to lumps etc but this time I really want to do baby led weaning.

I need some tips how do I go about baby led weaning? Do I start with purees to begin with or not? I worry she will choke if I just start giving her foods she can hold and eat 😨

I have researched but sometimes other parent perspective is more beneficial!!

Isn’t the allergy advice about weaning from 4 months to do purées until ~6 months?

They should not be having anything but purées until they can sit up unsupported in a high chair due to the choking risk. The exception being food they can’t eat, but rather “map their mouth” with/teeth on (cabbage leaf, broccoli stem, whole raw peeled carrot)

If you are weaning from 4 months due to allergies, you should be getting guidance from your health visitor. In addition, Annabel Karmel has some good resources for weaning from 4 months and then it would be quite easy to continue to BLW from there. Her app has a free trial that is worth it to get you started but I wouldn’t bother with the paid version.

From 6 months: Solid Starts (app) has excellent advice for serving foods for BLW and “How to wean your baby” seems to be the book everyone is using to guide order of introduction.

For allergy introduction, we were advised 1 allergen every 3 days and to serve them separate from any other allergen for the first three exposures.

I've been waiting for a dietician referral but it takes forever, health visitor and doctor are all aware of where I'm at but was just curious to see what other mums have done with BLW.

I'm very aware of the guidelines for weaning from 6 months and i choose not to follow this. Having a baby that is struggling with drinking milk and not gaining much weight is a constant battle I wouldn't wish on anyone. My dr said guidance is 6 months but at the end of the day it's parents choice when they want to wean.

Thanks for the tips will look into it 😊 👍

You can't do BLW at 4 months, but you can do purees from 17 weeks (esp if advised by HCP to do so). Good luck, I hope things improve for your LO.

That’s too young to do BLW but if you think it’s best then do purées. Dont feed from a pouch tho, always use a bowl and spoon. Get the Solid Starts app for once they are 6 months and have all the signs of readiness to try actual food.

I’m surprised you aren’t getting more support. I would have expected the HV and GP to what you to wean (on purées) at 4 months due to CMPA. Can you chase the dietician referral yourself and also get HV to chase? With an emphasis on it being time sensitive. We were given a horrendous waiting list estimate that suddenly disappeared after the HV chased. I really hope they can get someone soon for you.

You can’t do baby led weaning at 4 months. Do purées. The next two months will go by in a flash and you can move onto BLW if ready. At that point just give bits of what you’re eating, prepared without salt. Use the solid start app to help with preparation and knowing which foods they can eat and when.

Reflux momma here.. god i understand the struggle.
I weaned at 4 month and still struggled so had to put my baby on infant gaviscon (its like a pot of gold in my household) my son is 7 month old and still having gaviscon for his reflux.
I started with purees, he was able to hold his head up by himself but not able to sit up unaided (of course)
So i started on purees and we've hit 7 month old and doing baby led weaning from 6 month old. I will make him a mixture of puree (with texture and some without depending on how hes feeling)
And give him the veg to hold and crush. Hes started getting better and crushes it then eats it😂
Always start with purees and work your way to BLW bigger things eg. Chicken, veg, fruit, snacks ect.
We're now at a stage where he doesnt want ANY purees he just wants the things he can hold, otherwise he gets very frustrated😂😂
I made him a small sunday roast with chicken, veg and mashed potato. He didnt want the mash because he couldnt hold it properly. He was more bothered about the things he can hold now. They learn BLW later, just stick with the stuff that isnt a choking hazard right now. A lot of snacky things arent until 6 month anyway, so take it from 6 month.

You can’t do BLW at 4 months because she doesn’t have the developmental skills yet for safely self feeding. If you’re determined to start now, start with veg purées and baby porridge. There aren’t really many allergens you can offer at this age (other than a bit of dairy, but she has CPMA). Switch to finger foods at 6 months when she can sit up well and pick food up to self feed. We did 1 meal a day for 2 weeks and then added another and then another 2 weeks another, but I’d probably go even more slowly at 4 months. It can wreak havoc on their guts.

Be prepared that she will go backwards a bit for a month or two as purées are different to finger foods. It will be like starting over, but you’ll be able to expose to more possible allergens. I wouldn’t expect her to eat much before 10 months so don’t panic if she doesn’t. It’s all a learning process.

We had to do this for same reason. Baby rice and purées untill 6months we did. She took to it really well. Just introduce little and build up.