BLW out the window?

[Pootles2010]

Please help. Was planning to do exclusive bf'ing till 6 months, then blw. My ds is nearly 22 weeks, and has started waking every 2 hrs for last couple weeks, just to feed. Its killing me.

Saw health visitor today, she said early weaning might help, try him on some baby rice/mushed up veg. I really didn't want to, but frankly would sell my mother if it would help him sleep better. Can I do this normal weaning thing for 1 month, then switch him to BLW at 6 months? Anyone else tried this?

You can do a combination. I think most people probably end up doing that anyway, and there are always things that just aren't practical without a spoon, like porridge/yoghurt etc. I started my DD with BLW at 24 weeks, but spoon fed with porridge between 7 and 8 months as she woke a lot in the night and I was pooped. I think it helped. Then by 8 months she was eating enough without any spoon feeding from me (except a bit of yoghurt here and there) that I stopped the bedtime porridge. Now she sleeps and eats brilliantly. I don't think it would work to feed with purees for a months then suddenly stop - she will be used to eating that much food but probably won't be able to manage that much without spoon feeding for a while, but you could phase the purees out when she really gets going with BLW.

No amount of rice/veg is going to give him the same calories as milk. Sound like a growth spurt to me. I'd really recommend just going with it milk-wise and waiting to wean nearer to 6 months.

And to PP, BLW doesnt ban spoons! You just give baby a loaded spoon rather than feeding it to them.

Didn't realise you could start blw at 24 weeks Bobby? Isn't it supposed to be 6 months?

I hate to say this, but have you thought about co-sleeping? There's a classic growth spurt at this age which is knackering no matter how much food you stuff into the child, sadly. I seem to recall DS being permanently attached for about 3 weeks at 4-5 months. It was hell.

We started BLW at 22 weeks as DS was sitting unaided - just gave him well cooked carrot sticks and the like for a few weeks, it kept him occupied whilst we ate our dinner! We did just put them on the tray in front of him and leave him to it whilst we ate our food, so it was entirely up to him to feed himself.

BLW is meant to be baby-led, so if you start before they are ready, they won't eat anything. The first day, DS didn't know what to do, but within a couple of days we could tell by his nappies that he was eating solids! We spoon feed sloppy foods to him though as he never quite grasped what to do with them - he's 14 months now, and mainly self feeds, but likes to be spoon fed yoghurts and other runny things.

See I'm not convinced its growth spurt, as he's not feeding loads during day, just normal amount.

Ah I see, he can't sit unaided so maybe not for us! My DP did sneak him a carrot stick at dinner once, he seemed to love it but don't think much ended up in his tummy.

I tried co-sleeping when he was newborn, didn't help at all - he can't feed when i'm lying down, and sitting up in our bed really hurts, i've a nice comfy chair in his room which works really well.