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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

BLW - DS lost intrest

31 replies

QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 14:05

Hiya,
Ive done BLW for about a week, and DS has only tried one thing, a boiled carrot stick on the 1st day. What do I do? Just let him go on at his own pace? And ive been assisting with giving him a few sips from a cup... is this wrong?

OP posts:
Tatties · 04/10/2006 14:10

Just keep offering. If he's not interested don't worry. It can take quite a while to get into it. I didn't do BLW to the letter, just followed the main principles and adapted it to suit us. So I wouldn't worry if you give a bit of assistance here and there

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 14:12

well... i did kinda put some of the things to his mouth... he just makes a face and backs away

OP posts:
Tatties · 04/10/2006 14:20

I would just put a couple of finger foods in front of him while I was having lunch or whatever, and let him play/experiment. Main thing is to keep it relaxed and don't stress about how much he's getting in is mouth (which is probably nothing at this stage!) I probably wouldn't put things in his mouth unless he was obviously desperate to eat but having trouble. I would tend to show him what to do by eating something instead.

Also, I found ds would be much more interested if I sat him on my knee and let him help himself from my plate.

aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 14:23

it's baby led weaning, so if he doesn't want it, that's fine, just keep putting stuff down on the highchair tray and get on with eating your own dinner (or do something else).

i personally wouldn't put things in his mouth... it's about letting them lead their own weaning and being in control, not feeding them up at this stage, so by removing control you are kind of defeating the point, iyswim?

i remember reading somewhere that you should get your DP to feed you an entire meal off a spoon one night to see how it feels and actually me and dh did try it for a laugh (not the whole meal, it was too irritating). it was a very interesting experiment, and convinced me not to put things in dd's mouth and let her take things at her own pace.

your baby may know something you don't... he may be going through a growth spurt and want more milk, he may have sore teeth, or he may just not be ready for weaning. if you look at the FAQ on the yahoo group you'll see that a lot of babies take a while to get the hang of it.

i have also found, by the way, that sometimes dd is happier munching on a ricecake in the buggy, or on a crust of bread in a cafe, than in her highchair. i guess it's because there's more to look at.

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 14:28

I wasnt sure he knew it was food so ran abit of melon across his lips so he could get a taste As long as its OK, ill leave him too it! Is offering him the water ok, or should I totally let him do it himself?

I get very worried im gonna do something wrong!

OP posts:
Tatties · 04/10/2006 14:29

And if you let them work it out for themselves, babies are actually very good at knowing what they need. It never ceases to amaze me with ds that he's so little yet knows exactly what he wants! And doesn't want

Tatties · 04/10/2006 14:30

Relax! Your ds will let you know if you are doing it wrong

aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 14:41

i think of it as I've got 6 months to get her weaned as that's when the food starts taking over from the milk, so that helps me not to feel particularly pressured. (also have minimal interaction with HVs )

don't worry, Quootie, you'll both be fine. DD couldn't pick up her cup for the first while and i helped her get it up to her mouth.

if you want him to eat you could try lasciviously enjoying a williams pear (delish at the mo) while he's sitting on your lap. give it loads of ooooooh and aaaaaah and then see if he wants some. there's no harm in you holding onto the food if he's the one making a grab for it, iykwim? it's just the shovelling that i think isn't so good.

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 15:51

I have a Bumbo (?) thingy coming tomorrow... Is it ok to give him things in that? Then I can eat a pear infront of him easier (on the floor). Thanks! x

OP posts:
Mumpbump · 04/10/2006 16:04

I initially gave ds his first solids in a bouncy chair, so I'm sure a bumbo is a vast improvement on that! How old is your ds? If he's youngish, perhaps you could try mashing it up rather than giving him something quite big? After all, he's got to get the idea of chewing and swallowing something with a bit more texture than milk. I weaned my ds at 4 months and he started chewing properly around 7 months - amazing to see!!!

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 17:39

6 months.

OP posts:
littlepiggie · 04/10/2006 19:45

we have started weaning ds (24 weeks). He was showing a real interest in what we were eating so a week ago we gave him a few bits like banana and carrot to play with, he just mashed it over his high chair, but seemed to have fun. A few days a go i was eating a banana with him sat on my knee, he got very giddy, grabbed it with both hands an in his mouth, he did not realy eat a lot. I have done the same every morning but today i broke about an 1 1/2 inch bit of, getting fed up of sucked , mushy banana, he ate the lot, then went after my toast and cried bacouse i would not let him.

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 19:47

so theres hope yet!

OP posts:
littlepiggie · 04/10/2006 19:49

yes, i just offered it, if he ate it then great, if not then he is still getting everything he needs from bf.

wartywarthog · 04/10/2006 22:15

bumbos are great quootie - that's what i feed my dd in.

i like aitch's approach - you've got 6 months to wean. it's ok to take it nice and slowly.

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 22:18

Making me feel heaps better. I keep thinking im starving him

OP posts:
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 22:28

nope. not likely. he'll have as much milk as he wants, that'll keep him fit while he has fun with the carrots et al.

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 22:30

Great stuff Now... is it safe to give him food in his swing? I wasn't sure... but it has a snack bar...

OP posts:
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 22:40

i must say dd likes her highchair, never took to the bumbo at all as she was very frustrated when she dropped toys etc. you do want the baby to be sitting up straight so that if the food goes back it's got nothing to do with gravity, so personally i'd say no to the swing.
dd likes playing with food on the highchair tray, enjoys picking it up and turning it around in her hands a few times, whatever it is, before putting it in her mouth or dropping it to the floor, whichever she feels like. then she enjoys tipping her water over it and slapping it about until i realise that she is finished. good luck, don't stress it, quootie.

cowmod · 04/10/2006 22:41

wh i had kids w eiddnt use pahrses like BLW
we jjust fed em

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 22:41

ok, yes to highchair, try the bumbo when it arrives, no to swing (suprised they put a snack bar on it TBH) and no to stress

OP posts:
cowmod · 04/10/2006 22:42

whats ht problem
he wont self starve

Original poster
QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 22:43

I established that

OP posts:
aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 22:44

did you feed 'em puree? much as i am not in love with the name, Cod, i do think that concept is a good one. and annabel karmel's zillion-selling books have established that weaning is a huge area for anxiety for a lot of mothers (maybe not fish) so i'm all for a philosophy that involves less work and stress. (ideally less stress, quootiepie...)

aieeeeeeeeeeeeeetch71 · 04/10/2006 22:45

cod's latest point is a good one, quootie. he won't self-starve, that is true.

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