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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

5 month old trying to grab food

13 replies

CoralRose · 10/10/2011 22:39

Well, a week shy of 5 months actually!

Ds is showing a strong interest in food , has been for a while, but just recently he's started trying to grab food from me, out if my hand or off my plate, and seems to get quite annoyed that I don't let him have it, I want to do BLW, should I let him get on with it?

OP posts:

lilham · 11/10/2011 04:56

Is he sitting unsupported yet? If it's me I'll wait. My DD grabs and tastes everything and her current favs are my phone and the tv remote. Babies are just naturally curious.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 11/10/2011 05:19

Let him try food; the 6 months thing is to make allowances for the most vulnerable babies ( who may have allergies/intolerances etc) but In My Day (and my mum's, and hers etc) MOST babies were ok with solid food (supervised for choking, obv!) from that age on.

Don't reckon we've evolved sooooo much in a couple of generations.

PS, lilham, you really let your child hold/eat/suck the remote/your phone? Eurgh!

RottenRow · 11/10/2011 05:22

My DD was like this and I prevented her from eating until 6month mark. In the end she didn't eat anything until she hit 10 months. If next dc shows interest early I may do things differently.

Original poster

CoralRose · 11/10/2011 06:56

He sits in his high chair, has done for a couple of weeks. He is interested in everything, but specifically food, he's sat in the bumbo at the table at every meal time ( have 2 other DC) and seems to literally salivate, he's the same now he's in his high chair. On the other hand though, I really didn't want to start until 6 months .

OP posts:

lilham · 11/10/2011 07:24

CoralRose the most important part is being able to sit up straight. If he gags, and he is slumped or reclined, he will not be able to bring the food back to the front of the month. The other two sign of readiness is being able to aim food into his month and actually chew/swallow, which he will be able to 'lead' you if you give him some food to play with.

These 3 signs are from the NHS birth to 5 on weaning btw.

Original poster

CoralRose · 11/10/2011 08:05

Thank you, he does sit up right, he seems to have been born able to hold his head! He's sat in his high chair now, perfectly upright, intently watching the other two shovelling their breakfast! He seems able to guide various other objects into his mouth. Do you think I should 'start'? What should I start with? How do I start, gosh I may have to buy a few books first...

OP posts:

lilham · 11/10/2011 08:20

Have you got gill rapley's BLW cookbook? I've got it and the chart in the intro pages are fab. It outlines the motorskills they will gain in the 2nd half of their first year.

You can giving him a broccoli or cauliflower floret? Or a slice of pear with skin on?

Original poster

CoralRose · 11/10/2011 09:10

I have it in my Amazon basket, along with "Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food" a doidy cup and a crinkle cutter! I think now is the time to click 'checkout'!

OP posts:

Aloha31 · 11/10/2011 16:36

I wanted to wait until 6 months, but every baby is so different! Follow your baby, not a generic guideline. Your instinct is best.

Scaredycat3000 · 15/10/2011 14:26

After many cold meals trying to calm my fussing DS I let him at 5 1/2 months take food from my plate. He stopped fussing, let me eat, and wiped the food all round his mouth, none went in! With DS2 I will in future probably just let him have the food earlier if he does the same, none went in until 6 months anyway.

josephine1986 · 30/05/2014 09:09

Just resurrecting this -

My dd is just over 5 months and grabs at my food like crazy. Of course she is interested in my phone etc too but the difference is she really cries if I take the food away from her

She has a few food allergies (via breastmilk, she is ebf) and I'm intending to do blw, starting at at least 6 mos as recommended.

I've got her ad oidy cup and spoons to play with but she isn't fooled! Keeps grabbing at my food and gets very fussy

Should I just give her something to suck like a plum or something?

She is sitting unsupported but tends to topple if she leans too far one way. Think she's pretty average and not particularly fast or slow developmentally.

NorahBone · 30/05/2014 09:47

I gave mine things like cooked broccoli to chew on while we ate from about 5m- I just couldn't take the looks! Very little food actually went in, but he got very good at chewing. I thought he was ready for food, but not 100% sure. If you don't really want her to be eating loads then you could try giving lightly-cooked veg. I'm afraid I have no experience about allergies though - would have thought it was best to discuss it with your hv before you start.

Chocolateteabag · 30/05/2014 09:57

I intended to wait until 6mo with ds2 - mainly to put off the faffing and mess as long as possible. But ds2 has had other ideas and was helped by ds1 ( first food = chocolate [parenting fail])

I started him with baby porridge and banana at 21 weeks and now at 23 weeks and we're up to half a banana with a good tablespoon of porridge or rice, or 3 ice cubes of pear for breakfast and 3-4 ice cubes of veg with rice or half an avocado for supper.
He is also having a biscotti biscuit when we eat lunch (if I can't time it to be when he's asleep)

All this and he's not dropped any feeds

He can sit up in his highchair (idea antilop) but can't yet pick up food.

Well aware I'm "too early" as per current guidelines, but ds2 hadn't read them either

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