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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

BLW before 6 months?

77 replies

MoonUnitAlpha · 27/12/2010 20:36

My ds is 21 weeks old (was born a week late if that makes any difference!) - I'm keen to do BLW. I haven't felt any pressure to wean before now as he hasn't seemed ready at all, hasn't been feeding more frequently, and has gone from feeding once in the night to twice but it's not too terrible.

In the last couple of weeks though he has become much more co-ordinated at grabbing things and getting them into his mouth, and has started to sit with very little support - he can sit by himself but can only sustain it for about 30 seconds. He's also very interested and vocal when we're eating.

Is it possible to do BLW this early? I'll probably try to leave it for another week or two, but is there anything I should know/do differently as he's younger? I'm tempted to sit him in a bumbo chair with a tray and just put some food in front of him and see how he does, but not sure if this is the best way to go about it.

OP posts:
StrawberrySam · 27/12/2010 20:45

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thisisyesterday · 27/12/2010 20:46

personally i wouldn't

there's no need to start early just because he is getting good at grabbing stuff. save yourself the hassle and mess!

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 27/12/2010 20:50

I've started to feel like I'm denying him I suppose! We've let him have a lick of things we've been eating (fruit, veg, a bit of chocolate Blush) and he seems keen. I was thinking of leaving it another week or so for him to master sitting, he'll be 5 months at the beginning of January.

OP posts:
StrawberrySam · 27/12/2010 21:02

This reply has been deleted

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GoldenGreen · 27/12/2010 21:03

The NHS guidelines say that if the baby is sitting up, can put food in their mouth, chew and swallow, then they should be encouraged- all in Birth to Five book. I followed this advice and started blw with dd just before 25 weeks.

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 27/12/2010 21:18

My HV thinks I'm a bit slack not to have started weaning yet to be honest, so don't think she'll be much help!

That was what I was wondering GoldenGreen - if I put some (suitable) food in front of him and he picks it up and eats it, does that mean he's ready?

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GoldenGreen · 27/12/2010 21:34

Am no expert but would think that would be fine - I believe that's what the blw book says ... Might be wise to be cautious if you have family history of allergies/ eczema or anything like that I guess

BuongiornoPrincipessa · 27/12/2010 22:05

We started at 23.5 weeks as dd was sitting unaided and could get food into her mouth etc. With BLW the actual quantity they swallow is so small, even after a few weeks, that I doubt it could be harmful.

I avoided giving gluten or dairy till 6 months though.

However it is messy so you might want to wait for that reason.

theboobmeister · 28/12/2010 21:37

I seem to remember reading (in Gill Rapley's book?) that some babies are very interested in food before 6 months and may well try to get stuff in their mouths, but very rarely manage to actually eat any of it before they are ready. They have a reflex called 'tongue-thrust' which pushes solid stuff back out of the mouth, this disappears around 6 months.

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 28/12/2010 22:22

So probably no harm in letting him join in with meals and play with food then. If he pushes everything out again then it's no problem, if he manages to eat it then I guess he's ready. I'll stick to fruit and veg at first.

OP posts:
theboobmeister · 29/12/2010 09:04

Oh yeah - babies love playing with food! It used to keep my DD occupied for literally hours. The mess was a joy to behold Smile

nappyaddict · 30/12/2010 19:48

If he can pick the food up, put it in his mouth, chew and swallow it then he is ready. Those skills tend to develop in that order with swallowing coming last. A lot of babies under 6 months will be able to do the rest but it will tend to just fall back out of their mouths again because they can't swallow yet.

MotherofHobbit · 30/12/2010 20:07

Have a look at The British Diatetic Assoc weaning position statement

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 30/12/2010 21:16

Oh, that's interesting! Particularly about there being no evidence in delaying wheat/eggs etc Hmm

I think I might hedge my bets and start weaning at 5 months.

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fifitot · 30/12/2010 21:27

Ooooh that is really interesting. It is nice to see some evidence for once, rather than glib statements about allergies etc.

Amiable · 02/01/2011 10:19

Thanks Mother of Hobbit - excellent link, and answered questions I have just posed on another thread! Smile

Heathcliffscathy · 02/01/2011 15:59

that position statement is fantastic, thanks for posting, really confirms most of my instincts.

molejazz · 03/01/2011 01:20

I don't really get the sitting up thing - my DS still can't sit unsupported for long at 7 months!

We started BLW at 23 weeks and he took to it straight away - swallowing and everything. I felt quite odd about doing it early but he seemed ready. I was initially quite cautious about what he ate though and introduced only one new food at each meal, wheat every other day etc.

VickstaS · 03/01/2011 17:32

Thank you for that link MOH. Might be worth publicising it on quite a few threads. It has always seemed to me that on mumsnet there is a 'follow the guidelines FFS' mentality without realising that the recommendations are not specific for developed countries and furthermore that weaning age is still the topic of active research in the UK by the FSA and MRC for example. It really isn't clear cut that waiting to 6 months to wean is the best thing to do. Google the EAT study for more info on the research.

HelenLG · 03/01/2011 17:55

Doesn't the paper actually state for weaning to have started by six months...or have I read that wrong?

DS had his first homemade chips today...picked them up and squished the potato out into his mouth before wiping them all over the table.

He seemed to quite enjoy them, at least more than his carrot and parsnip puree he had for lunch.

Out of curiousity, can I give him hot food? I know that sounds weird, but I've been cooling everything right down until cold so it doesn't burn him...

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 03/01/2011 19:56

DS likes his milk quite warm (body temp is quite warm I suppose) when he has a bottle, so I guess a similar temperature for food is fine.

I think tomorrow is the day for letting him have some food - I have some ripe bananas that need to be used!

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VeronicaCake · 03/01/2011 22:00

It is OK to give warm food. I check everything is cool enough not to burn DD before I give it to her. If she still thinks it is a bit hot she just drops it and pulls a face.

nappyaddict · 04/01/2011 00:13

It should be roughly body temperature. You can check the same way you check milk temperature and bath water temperature, on the back of your wrist.

InspirationalBreadbin · 04/01/2011 11:52

Update us how you are getting on, moonunit. I have a 19 lb 19 week baby who was two weeks late. He is sitting up well and has lost his tongue reflex so will probably start feeding in a couple of weeks.

Original poster
MoonUnitAlpha · 04/01/2011 12:55

I gave him a couple of sticks of banana today - he attacked them with enthusiasm, but they quickly became too slippery for him to grab so he was chasing them round the tray and then they were slipping out of his fists as he tried to get them into his mouth. Maybe I should have left some skin on?

He did a good bit of sucking and gumming on them, and no gagging. Impossible to tell if he actually swallowed anything though!

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