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Weaning

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

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Original poster

blw 7 mo not going well would like advice from experienced blws

19 replies

sesamechoc · 21/02/2011 11:48

Hello

Started blw with my 7 month old ds2 4 days ago so early days! He was preterm and only showed signs of being ready to wean last week.

He keeps reaching for the finger foods with his mouth and although he puts toys and other things in his mouth with his hand , is not doing so with food.

When he reaches down to the food with his mouth, he licks them - so far apple, pear , sweet potato , courgette, and smiles. If I offer him the food on my hand, he reaches down with his mouth and seems to chew on them,

I would really appreciate any advice on how to proceed....

many thanks

OP posts:

AitchTwoOh · 21/02/2011 11:52

my advice is keep doing what you're doing... it's going great. everything is more stressful when they were pre-term (as i know from experience) so just letting him do things at a pace that he is happy with is great.

UnfortunateUsername · 21/02/2011 11:56

Sounds like he's making a good start!

TBH, I'd just keep doing what you're doing. Eventually he will learn to eat the things he gets to his mouth. The important thing to remember for now is that he's playing and learning. Don't worry if he doesn't actually manage to eat anything for now, he's getting everything he needs from his milk anyway.

As you said it's early days yet. In a few months time I bet you'll be amazed with what he can manage to eat by himself.

ethelina · 21/02/2011 12:02

Sounds exactly like my son, he's doing the same thing, the nearest anythings got is mashed potato and broccoli spots and gumming cucumber when his teeth hurt.

We're just letting him play at the moment though, and putting him in his highchair when we have our meal so he's part of it.

Bit though as DH is far from reconciled to BLW principles and has asked already whether our blender is still about somewhere...

[just ignoring that one emoticon]

Good luck sounds like your LO is doing well.

Original poster

sesamechoc · 21/02/2011 12:28

thanks for encouragement - I suppose my worry is that he's reaching with his mouth even though he puts other things in his mouth using his hands.

Do you think there is anything I should do to encourage using is hands or shall I just sit back and go with the flow???

OP posts:

AitchTwoOh · 21/02/2011 12:58

you just eat yer dinner while it's hot and let him get on with it...

MissMarjoribanks · 21/02/2011 13:05

My DS was premmie as well (6.5 weeks) and didn't go for finger foods till he was about 8mo. I started on purees though at 6mo and just had finger foods as an aside. I probably wouldn't bother with purees if I have another one though, premmie or not.

I would just let him get on with it.

Original poster

sesamechoc · 21/02/2011 14:21

Missmajoribanks - thank you ... I'm realising from the replies that I just need to watch and wait ...and having seen your nickname I have to ask - did you go to HBS?????? If not - your choice of name must just be a coincidence !!!!

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MoonUnitAlpha · 21/02/2011 14:56

Have you tried handing him food, putting it in his hands? Feeding so far has been putting his mouth on something (nipple or teat) so he might just need to realise he can use his hands for eating too.

I don't know if it's pure BLW, but I put some things in ds's hands at first, especially slippery things like banana or avocado that he had trouble picking up.

ethelina · 21/02/2011 15:01

I tend to put the first bit in Boy's hands as well. He seems to get the idea after that.

(ie: grip-wave-poke broccoli into ear-swipe past cheek and into mouth-gumgumgum-drop said item-pick it up again-stab nostril-lob onto floor-grin cheekily-repeat til food all on floor)

MissMarjoribanks · 21/02/2011 17:19

Sesame - HBS doesn't mean anything to me, sorry. I'm named after the Mrs Oliphant novel.

I should add, from 10moish my DS moved to exclusive BLW. Apart from yoghurty type stuff, as I couldn't face cleaning walls, though he's teaching himself to use a spoon at the moment.

AitchTwoOh · 21/02/2011 18:42

we never ate yog for much the same reason...

Original poster

sesamechoc · 22/02/2011 09:34

missmajoribanks - I'm now wondering, since your lo went blw at 10 mo whether I should give purees as he's now gone from sleeping from 11-7 to waking twice at night for a feed

OP posts:

FlipFantasia · 22/02/2011 10:27

4 days is super early in the BLW stakes and sounds like he's doing great!

When we started, I thought that DS licking food was a real reminder of how we've evolved...as in it makes sense for babies not to just shove stuff in straight away as they need to make sure it's safe to eat iykwim. Anyway, he'll be chowing down a lot more before you know it so I'd say just go with the flow and enjoy your own food (watching you eat is a great way for him to learn after all).

Oh and there's no link between purees and sleeping or BLW and sleeping afaik.

AitchTwoOh · 22/02/2011 10:41

i don't think you can really have it both ways, tbh, you said he wasn't eating anything much so it can't be blw that is responsible for the sleeping.

missmehalia · 22/02/2011 10:43

As long as he's downing milk you really don't need to worry. It's so weird for them - totally different position, flavours, texture, process.. it's a lot for him to take in. Give him time, and try not to spotlight, though I realise you're scared he's not getting enough nutrition. Check it out with your HV if they're any good - ours is rubbish!!

Original poster

sesamechoc · 22/02/2011 12:15

I am nervous that he's not getting enough nutrition but I really do want to stick it out. His weight is doing ok but I did wonder whether he had started waking from hunger because milk was no longer satisfying him but I see that the consensus is that this is not the case - I've just had lunch with him - he was licking as usual but I felt less anxious about it today having read everyone's messages.

I really want to do this cos I didn't with ds1 and used to dread mealtimes cos he hated being spoonfed and although things improved with him at 10 months when he started feeding himself - I had 4 months of dreading mealtimes which is why we decided to try blw this time...... albeit with a bit of trepidation

Thank you for all the messages - they are steadying my nerves

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MissMarjoribanks · 22/02/2011 12:37

I would carry on. My DS didn't sleep through at all until 9mo so adding purees to his diet didn't make any difference to the sleeping. I always intended to get to BLW - the only reason I did purees was I was advised to wean DS at 6mo actual and he was no way ready for BLW (couldn't sit up, etc). A move to BLW was predicated by DS refusing to be spoonfed for a bit and we gradually shifted over to it in the main.

Having said that, I do spoonfeed yoghurts and porridge, though less so now he is learning to use the spoon himself (he is 14mo). It hasn't affected DS' ability to feed himself. I don't think there would be any harm, if you wanted to, in giving him a bowl of porridge with a spoon. DS loves Ready Brek. You could let him loose on it if you can stand the mess and just spoonfeed in the odd mouthful. If he hates it, well you don't have to try again. Porridge saves on the pain in the arse that is pureeing as well.

BLW purists probably won't agree with the above but I think weaning is what suits babies and mothers. In the same way I wouldn't forcibly spoonfeed a resistant baby, if it is easier for you and would make you feel happier to give him a bit of something on a spoon, then do it.

AitchTwoOh · 22/02/2011 13:19

i really wouldn't compare one child with another, tbh, this baby might love being spoonfed. i am a big blw fan (even have a site about it www.babyledweaning.com) but the important thing is to put yourself and the actual child sitting in front of you first, and not to think of previous experiences. this is the baby doing the leading, as it were, not his sibling. and if the pair of you are happier doing something that isn't 'just' blw but turns out to be a bit of a mix or whatever, then you'd be a fool to yourself to pass that up.

Original poster

sesamechoc · 23/02/2011 17:52

Hi AitchTwoOh - thanks you - I had a good meal just now where I put a carrot finger food in his hand, he then put it in his mouth, took a bit off, gagged and spat it out!

BLW seems a much better idea than the other way - I'm also going to do some preloaded spoons and see how that goes.

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