BLW and sitting up

[lilysma]

Can anyone advise on whether it is okay to start BLW with my 24 week old DS who can't quite sit up on his own? Sitting independently seems to be one of the 'signs of readiness' for weaning. DS is on the light side (9th centile for weight and 75th for height) and was dropping down the centiles for a few months (born on 50th and went up to 75th then plummeted). He is EBF and doesn't seem unhappy so I am guessing he's not particularly 'hungry'. He does feed all night but I'm sure that's a different issue . The HV advised giving him baby rice now because of his weight but I don't really trust her and have read elsewhere that breastmilk is the highest calorie thing he can have at the moment.

Any ideas on how to proceed? Wait until he can sit up on his own and then start BLW? Start BLW with carbs like potato? Start BLW now? Give baby-rice now???

I wouldn't be happy giving finger foods or even mush (ie a bit lumpy) unless your LO can sit up straight. They need to be able to cough up lumps they can't handle. When you say he can't sit, is that just on the floor? Have you tried a bumbo? Or a very snug highchair like the antilop with the insert? I am wondering if he can sit straight but just lack the balance to do it with the hips unsupported.

Otherwise it is your choice. I wouldn't start with baby rice because I believe weaning is for introducing tastes. I don't think I need to introduce the taste of baby rice to my DD. I was to follow annabel karmel except DD doesn't like the spoon. She recommends root veg and non acidic fruits (apples, pears and bananas) as first foods. You thin out thick purees like potatoes with milk. You thicken the runny ones like pears with baby rice.

Thanks for the reply - he can sit up in a bumbo and (slightly slumped) in a pushchair. I was really hoping to avoid purees this time (embarrassed at laziness emoticon )

lilysma If you want to avoid purees, just wait? baby rice is not more calorific than your breast milk, so why not just wait a few more weeks? If you're really concerned about weight see a doc rather than relying on the HV's advice which is against the current NHS advice anyway...

Hi fredfredgeorge, I am thinking of just waiting - do you mean until 26 weeks (I think this is the NHS suggested age). But do I wait until 26 weeks or until he can sit up, is the question? And is it definitely the case that he won't get more calories if I introduce baby rice?

lilysma Which gives more calories depends on how much your baby can't eat and drink in one sitting

Looking at my carton of cow and gate 1st milk, it says 66 kcal per 100ml. The cartons are in 200ml format because most babies can drink about this much in one sitting. (The carton also says 6mo should have 4 x 240ml feeds). Anyway, so lets say it's 130 kcal if you leave a bit behind in the bottle.

Compare this to the Organix baby rice. It says per 6g of cereal mixed with 45ml of formula, gives you 52 kcal. Lets say you are very very optimistic and your baby will indeed eat 6g. (If you do your maths, you'll see 30 kcal of that calorie actually comes from the formula). Also if you look at it slightly differently, 6g gives you 2.5 times less calories than a carton of formula. That means your baby needs to eat 15g of baby rice (mixed with 112.5ml of formula) to get the same amount of calories as a bottle. I highly highly doubt your 6mo old can eat 15g of baby rice!

Wow, onelittlebabygirl thanks for doing the maths ! I suppose the final outcome would depend on whether he ate the rice plus the same amount of milk as before? Or if he needed it would it just be better if he took more milk? My head is swimming....!

Bump! Can anyone with BLW 'expertise' help?