BLW - just wondering really

[Nigglenaggle]

Am just wondering, not really for or against. We were going to do it, but in the end DC needed weaning earlier than 6mths and you arent supposed to do baby lead weaning before 6mths. But then got me thinking.... If you start weaning at 6mths babies iron stores are depleting so you need to crack on a bit faster than if you start before, especially if you are following advice to breast feed only until 6mths. So how do you do this with baby lead weaning??? Arent you risking malnutrition? Wouldnt it be better to start around 5mths if thats what you want to do? How long do they take to start eating stuff and dont they get mad/cry through hunger? I'm not criticising but just wondering if anyone can explain as I'm nosey curious :P

hey we started baby led weaning at around 5 months as lo was clearly ready. Had been drinking cooled boiled water from a beaker from 4 months. We just did not give any of the stuff you are not supposed to before 6 months. He was fine and yes you do still bf a lot of the time so they don't go mad with hunger you just stop them half way through a feed. Give em some food to play with then once they are finished (bored) stick em back on to finish the feed. Start off with one meal we did dinner. Then gradually extend to breakfast and lunch and snacks obviously once you think they are ready. Just trust your instincts.

By the way, DD started nursery at 7 months, and even the nursery said she ate a lot for her age. She was also eating the same meals as all the toddlers and preschoolers. She couldn't use a spoon at the time, so when they had soup, they soaked bread in it for her to pick up. She had no trouble with any other meals they served.

I would have thought it was clear I wasnt a troll as I specifically said that.... no need to reply if you find it offensive.

I was wondering Susie if it was OK to start earlier... we just did as we were told really ^^ He is loving finger foods now he is 6mths, keeps him entertained for hours, but if we started with finger foods he would scream! Doesnt like getting milk first either, although he does but we do get protests! I wonder if its harder for babies who arent so keen on milk, or if its just that he's used to getting an easy life with the purees so is impatient. Has anyone had problems with it? I would consider it for the next one but to be honest have loved making the purees.

Where did you get the idea that 'advice to breastfeed for the first 6 months'?
For the first year of a baby's life their main source of nutrition comes from milk. Either Mother's milk or formula. They don't just stop having milk as soon as you decide to spoon a load of puréed carrot down them.

Sheesh I dd try to phrase the post a bit non-aggressively, but clearly touched a nerve pfft! Was just asking for peoples experiences!

Both mine BLW at 6 months. No malnutrition.But then I am already a bad mother because I ff both babies.

A handy (preloaded?) spoonful of talk guidelines
Thanks

MNHQ

It's not about touching nerves, it's about having the right information. Maybe read up a bit about weaning first, read some actual guidelines, then you can make an informed decision.

Well Bike I thought it went better with formula feeding because the formula is enriched with iron (we have mainly bf until recently) - but really the rage we get at feeding time is incredible, he gets so frustrated ^^ Perhaps we have been spoiling him with easy purees but it started pretty soon after starting eating (and before to be honest if milk wasnt appearing as quickly as he would like) I will add that he is 91st percentile and following it nicely, and eats pretty close to an amount I would eat lol (OK I may be exaggerating slightly, but he eats enough - just incase anyone thinks I am starving my child!!) But guess they are all different and may just be him/us....

Pfft! You have read/written several scientific papers on it perhaps Bobbys?

To reiterate, my initial post wasnt clear, let me restate - what has been your experience of baby lead weaning and did anyone have the problems stated. I am interested in personal experience and not guidelines, of which I have read plenty ^^

I have no idea what your first sentence in your last post means
Where did you get your 'information'?

Sounds like you did the right thing OP as I said when they are ready and sounds like your lo was not ready for finger food till now. Mine used to grab for food all the time which is how we knew even tho the health visitor kept insisting we should not wean at all before 6 months. Each baby is indivdual so just play it by ear next time I'd say.

Thanks for posting Bobby but as I said I have no interest in the direction youre taking the thread. If you dont wish to share your experience of weaning thats fine.

Cheers Susie :)

I was just curious as to the advice you seem to have been given.
As you were

Interest in food does not necessarily indicate readiness to wean. Babies grab at everything!

BLW is about letting babies control what they eat. A baby's main source of nutrition is milk until one and they should be able to get the minerals they need from this source. Vitamins are slightly different hence parents with BF babies are encouraged to give a vitamin supplement after six months.

Many babies eat hardly any solid food up to and beyond one.

My personal experience ... I BF for 18 months, DS2 was BLW from around 6 months'ish (can't remember exactly). He loved food, would chew it, gnaw at it. I made sure he was getting a range of veg, fruit, protein, carbs in front of him and beyond that, it was up to him. He enjoyed it, still loves eating with his fingers at 2!

I always BF him before food until he was about 8 or 9 months, when he really 'got' eating. That way, he was never starving or desperate for food, he just enjoyed trying what it was like. For us, he was eating pretty quickly though, as his nappies changed quickly, so I knew he was getting something down.

Certainly not malnourished.

BTW, formula milk contains more iron than BM, BUT the iron in breastmilk is absorbed much more easily. A lot of the iron in formula just passes straight through. Also, guidelines is to breastfeed for 2 years I believe.

DD was given some food to investigate at evening meals/if we were eating out etc at 5.5 months so she could rip it/poke around it at/maybe eat a bit but still was bf for no less time then before. So she was never starving.

It was probably around 6-7 months she really started showing an interest, she still chucked loads of food over the side of her Bumbo but you would see the food in her nappy the next day so she will definitely eating stuff!

She is 10.5 months now and still has bf before bed and overnight and maybe sometimes in the morning. She drinks water and tries anything food-wise and definitely knows which things she likes more than others. She hates porridge (boring I think) but loves oily fish, spag bol, toasted teacakes, quorn etc etc. There is not really anything she will not eat, she doesn't have any vitamins and eats a really healthy varied diet and is happy and healthy.

I find it easy if we are out and about because I know I can buy her something to eat if we have not taken anything with us. Personally BLW has been fab for us and her.