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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

Baby led weaning question - hunker?

17 replies

suzi2 · 28/01/2006 20:49

I think it was you (HM) that was the guru - someone correct me if I'm wrong!

DS is 25wks today and we decided to try him with some steamed carrot. He gagged everytime he put the sticks in his mouth. He gummed some pieces off too and gagged loads. He also looked completely disgusted

So we tried a salt free ricecake (he 'stole' a bit of mine earlier in the week) and once again, he gummed it into a mush and then gagged loads. at times I wasn't sure whether he was strong gagging or about to choke. So it was very nervewracking!

I figure he's not quite ready for the baby led approach yet. Or is it the case that most babies start out with excessive gagging? Should we continue to offer lunch or should we leave it a few weeks? any advice appreciated.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 29/01/2006 15:15

Gagging is really normal. It is nerve-wracking, I agree. DS2 did a fair bit of gagging when we tried him on solids, and I would just watch him. If he was still breathing (he always was) I didn't interfere. The gagging seemed to sort itself out, withing a few meals.

He started a few days before 26 weeks, but he was closer to 30 weeks before anything actually went down.

All the flavours are going to be a surprise, anyway, after just breastmilk.

Is he grabbing for your food? Is he sitting up well on his own? If he's not showing these signs of being ready for solids, I might give him a few weeks.

Original poster
suzi2 · 29/01/2006 17:15

Thanks NQC - thats reassuring. He's sitting well by himself and grabbing at anything we have (and crying when he can't have it!). We're not in any hurry though so I think I'll leave it a few days before trying again.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 29/01/2006 19:07

If he's grabbing and sitting well, yeah, give him more when you feel like it. There isn't any hurry, obviously. Anything reasonably soft and chip-shaped is good.

DS2 went to table scraps pretty much right away - he really liked steak, although he just sucked all the blood out of it, initially.

Psychobabble · 30/01/2006 20:12

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oops · 01/02/2006 14:06

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oops · 01/02/2006 15:14

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hub2dee · 01/02/2006 15:27

Waking up in the night for more food is a classic 'they're ready for it' from what I've read.

oops · 01/02/2006 15:40

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ruthydd · 01/02/2006 15:41

Waking in the night when previously sleeping through used to be a cited as a sign that a baby was ready to be weaned, but I've noticed that it has been dropped from more recent literature. I followed this clue for ds1 when the advice was to wean at 4months but it didn't stop him waking at night. I'm now struggling with ds2 now 5 months and trying to resist the temptation to give him solids.

Has anyone actually found that giving solids = better sleep ? I think its an urban myth spread by older health visitors and mother-in-laws.

Sorry I know this thread was about baby-led weaning, which I'm hoping to try when the time comes.

oops · 01/02/2006 15:48

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Psychobabble · 01/02/2006 20:54

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hunkermunker · 02/02/2006 23:10

LLL recommends "the middle of the first year", other recommendations are for when the tongue-thrust reflex has gone, when they can sit up, pick up chip-shaped pieces of food (or broc "trees", etc) and mouth them.

Waking in the night for more food isn't necessarily a "sign" - babies get to an age where they can't resettle themselves around four-five months and they need a bit of help to get back to sleep again.

If you think DS is ready, Oops, I'd say stick some bits of food on a highchair tray, sit him in it and see what he makes of it. By bits, I mean chip-shaped pieces of steamed veg (not so soft they're floppy, but not hard) - so he can pick them up and leave a bit sticking out of his fist to chew.

As for gagging - that's normal, IME. Proper turning blue choking is not. But they've had milk thus far - so anything lumpy or more solid will feel very odd to them, hence the gagging.

It's a much easier way to wean this. You can even give yoghurt and porridge - DS1 sees them as finger food too

oops · 02/02/2006 23:22

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hub2dee · 03/02/2006 09:27

26 weeks (or any 'milestone') - some will be ready earlier, some later. You can always see if some food is well received, and if not hold off for another week or two.

CorrieDale · 03/02/2006 15:37

I think the good thing about BLW is that as long as the signs as expld by HM are there, you just sit them in the highchair, put the carrot or whatever invitingly in front of them, and leave it to them. If they're ready, they'll eat. If they're not, they won't. Ignore HVs and their obsession with baby rice.

FWIW, solids didn't help DS's sleep at all - we had a truly terrible time from week 17 to 23, and when we started solids at 26 weeks, there was another slight deterioration (excitement, I think!). He's sleeping better now, at 7 months - up only once or twice a night. IMO, all down to age/sleep maturity, bugger all to do with toast soldiers and sticks of cheese.

oops · 03/02/2006 15:43

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Psychobabble · 03/02/2006 16:51

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