DS really is adamant he wants my banana. Should I let him?

[shineoncubiczirconia]

I've had one bite of it and he is insisting he steals it from me and clamps his mouth round it.

Shall I let him?

He can sit up unaided, no tongue thrust reflex and is picking up the banana and putting it in his own mouth.

He isn't 26 weeks yet. From 26 weeks with dd I let her just help herself to our dinner.

To banana or not to banana?

The guidelines on what to introduce and when are supposedly based on the gut's maturity and ability to digest, not on whether they show an interest or can chomp. I didn't chance winging it with mine because the reasoning was that you could potentially cause gut damage or food intolerance by introducing the wrong things too early, and we had asthma and eczema to contend with too, meaning they might be more allergy prone. But, I am not convinced by that argument as previous generations weaned far earlier than we do and there were far less food intolerances and allergies. In hindsight it seems like guidelines are often written by people making a quick buck, and common sense should prevail. 26 weeks is pretty much 6 months so I would be inclined to say go for it despite my opener. Just do a tiny amount and be aware of the constipatory powers of banana!! Good luck.

Is is shineydiamond thingey person? If so I would say you are very sensible and if you think he can, he can.

Hmm, werent previous generations weaned much later - wasnt it 1940s it were 9 months. Plus we, as a society, have huge issues with allergy and intolerances.
Lol at guidelines written by people making a quick buck. Just how does the World Health Organisation get away with this?

You will find me on weaning threads every week explaining the guidelines.

The three key signs of weaning readiness are...

Sitting up unaided
Loss of tongue thrust reflex
Able to pick up the food and put it in their mouths and chew

DS can do all 3. He is not 26 weeks.

DD could do all 3 at 26-27 weeks so there was never a question of should I shouldn't I. Signs there, had hit 6 months. At 23/24/25 weeks she wasn't quite ready. DS just seems ready a bit earlier.

I'm just umming and aahing because despite knowing the guidelines inside out and knowing that the external signs are there, I feel a bit wibbly about not waiting for bang on 26 weeks.

Oh ignore my silly namechange, I did it yesterday on a thread of shineys. Obviously not THE shiney. Will change back in a minute.

I think the 26 weeks is rather arbitrary actually - if you go by the weaning readiness that you listed, some babies reach this stage earlier than others. One of the joys of BLW is that you don't have to worry yourself about whether the baby should be eating so much/so little, but you let the baby decide for themselves. FWIW, my DS was showing readiness from 21 weeks, and we let him have bits of fruit or veg from shortly after then. It was then in his hands, so to speak. So I would let him.

I have just worked out who you are :o

I let DS help himself to a roast potato off my plate when he was about 19/20 weeks old, he is 9 now so I think I was an early BLW person.
FWIW most of the potato ended up on the floor, I doubt much (if any) went down where he intended it .

Yeah I'd let him but then I am not a great one for "rules" - guidelines are just that and there's lots of discussion at the mo about the rigidity of the 26 week rule.

Love the name.

Given that very few wait until 26 weeks, that can't be blamed for allergies/intolerances etc. It could be that we know what to look for or it could be something else.

OP I'd go for it. There's no magic switch at 26 weeks!

Just to be a bit clearer. I'm a fully paid up member of BLW. Because dd was a little over 6 months when she was ready, she could have whatever. It was easy. Her first meal was a roast. She sat up and ate potatoes, veg and a bit of meat.

DS though showing the signs is not 6 months and I haven't shopped for a week (we've all been ill) so don't have a lot in and actually don't know what you should/shouldn't give a baby before 6 months. Or if you wean earlier doing blw do you still give them the same as you?

I know there's no magic switch. Gah, I'm okay when advising others but it'd never crossed my mind that it would be anything other than him just helping himself to what we were eating because at 6 months there are no 'banned' foods (bar honey and nuts).

But then he's gone and shown the signs a bit early, payday's not till Friday and I'm having reheated blow your head off curry for dinner and there's some falafel in the fridge. The banana's about as child friendly as it gets.

Should repost as a 'what can't they have before 6 months?'

I would let him take the banana.

Not sure exactly what they shouldn't have before 6 months but fruit's ok.

I would offer him the falafel too.

I think if you offer food before the magic 26 week cut off, it's wise to stick with bland fruit and veg. We waited until 26 weeks until offering DS bread or dairy. He was happy enough to play with sticks of banana or avocado for a few meals anyway, and we had some rice cakes for when he'd smeared his fruit everywhere. IIRC your DS is a september baby, so similar to my DS when we weaned him (also sep baby). He started solids in the february too, but was on the 'whatever we eat' diet by the time he hit 26 weeks. before then, it was either veg from our meal, or bits of fruit whilst we ate our hot food.

plain boiled rice might be fun with a 5 month old too :o the mess!!

Mine are 16 and 18 and when they were babies it was 'the magic 12 week cut-off' Guidelines change all the time but banana won't hurt. Do be careful if he bites lumps off rather than sucks, though - he could choke.

I think it is only gluten that is considered a problem before 6 months. So no wheat products.

DD had to be weaned very early for medical reasons. Banana flavoured baby rice was her favourite. She is now nearly 4 and still goes for a banana at every opportunity. I was careful to avoid anything that listed wheat or gluten in its ingredients, but otherwise from about 5 months she had pretty much anything.

Blimey, good memory. I went into labour on Sept 1st. He's sort of grown up without me noticing and I've really not noticed he's nearly 6 months and probably ready for solids. He's crawling ffs. Tried to eat the electricity bill from the mat this morning. Is it normal for your dc2 to suddenly grow up without you noticing. He'll be driving next. I might stick him in the sling and go shopping for veg and rice cakes.

Thanks running. No gluten, that's really helpful.

fortyplus, guidelines have been 6 months since 2003 and were 4-6 months for 20 years before this. One change in nearly 30yrs. I agree about the banana not doing any harm though. You've all convinced me. Except he's nodded off.

Oh gawd the mess. EBF is easy in comparison.

don't say that about DC2, mine is due in June and I want to remember her growing up! (and your post made me go back and look at pics from when we weaned DS, and they didn't bring a tear to my eye AT ALL. bloody hormones )

anyway, your DS must be, what, 2 weeks short of 6 months now? so he'll be fine! have fun!

How much before 26 weeks is he? If you say 25 I would be inclined to agree, but if he's 14 weeks, then I wouldn't.

YY to watermelon! DS loved that when he was wee, and still does actually. Maybe it's better when it's in season though, it costs an arm and a leg at the moment.

If 20 weeks + I would let him.

I wweaned DS at about 23 weeks, because he was shoowing all the signs that you've listed as being ready.

I gave him pureed veg and pureed fruit until 26 weeks. Basically the fruits and veggies that seemed to lend themselves to being pureed eg carrot, swed, sweet potato, parsnip and apple, banana, pear etc.

If you're keen on BLW, I can't see what harm a nice ripe banana would do. Enjoy!

I want to put him IN a watermelon. In the same way people dress them as pumpkins at Hallowe'en. This is organic though, ergo better.

DD loved watermelons. And onion (raw) and lemons too. She was odd.

June's a fab time to have a baby. DD was born in May and it was warm and lovely, not pg over a hot summer and lots of sitting in the garden bfing a tiny baby.

Sitting up unaided is not a developmental sign for weaning. Showing interest in food is. The gut is mature by 17 weeks and the introduction of food helps with the maturation if the gut.