BLW advice please!

[Thebewilderbeest]

I'm asking about this concerning DC4 so I really ought to know what I'm doing by now.

DD1 and DD2 are older, and were weaned back in the day when you started on purees at four months.

With DS, now 20 months I decided to do BLW and just started offering a bit of whatever we were eating at around 6 months and he took to it really well, 'wow' I thought, 'why did I ever bother with all that mush?'

DD3 is now nearly 7 months. Have been offering her bits of food since about 6 months, and she is not interested at all. She picks the food up but makes no effort to eat it. I have put a few bits in her mouth, and even fed her a few spoonfuls of mush but she just isn't bothered about it at all.
To be fair, she still isn't great with her dexterity, and is only just now reaching the really grabby stage, and rarely puts toys in her mouth.
Does this mean she just isn't ready and I should wait a few weeks and try again? Will she really self wean when she is ready?
She has been formula fed from a week old, she was 3 weeks early and 5lb 9 at birth, then lost a lot of weight with bfing, so we decided to switch. Does the formula make a difference to weaning?

I'm feeling like I should really know all this. Health visitor has been very vague, and google results all seem to suggest that babies will be munching on pork chops before you know it with BLW.

Any thoughts or experiences please!

BLW isn't something that happens overnight, it's a gradual process and you are doing exactly the right thing. Some babies pick up food and happily munch it quite early, others take a while to explore the food.

The vast majority of your baby's nutrition will still be coming from her formula, so you really don't need to worry about how much she is or isn't eating at this very early stage.

Just keep putting the food in front of her to play with, she will figure it out.

I found that having DD on an adult's lap at every dinner time helped as she wanted to copy the behaviours she saw around her.

Thank you, that's reassuring. I would much rather leave her to her own devices if that's the best way to go.

It's a new experience for me, the others have all been happily munching on all sorts by 8 months or so!

Thank you, that's reassuring. I would much rather leave her to her own devices if that's the best way to go.

It's a new experience for me, the others have all been happily munching on all sorts by 8 months or so!

The fact she was 3 weeks early is key, I was told to go off due date so really you're dealing with a 6 month old's skills, not 7. Carry on as you are for another 3 weeks or so. As others have said, she's getting enough from her formula and she'll eventually show an interest, particularly if the other doc are eating the same.

*dc, not doc!

Update, currently eating lunch together. DD is in her high chair ignoring some toast. Every now and then she gives it a glance then goes back to watching everyone else! Suspect DD2 who is off school recovering from a tummy bug will end up eating it!

As others have said, that sounds normal. Some babies take to food straight away but others aren't interested for a while. The 6 month thing is an average so some will be ready later; it makes sense that a baby born early fits in that category.

It's great that you're all eating together as she'll be taking it all in and one day will be curious enough to copy!

I haven't even started weaning yet, but planning to do BLW. Forgive me as I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but i have read a book
I believe the saying for BLW is 'food is fun until one'
At the moment, I think it's more about experiencing the mealtime setting with the family.
As long as she is getting enough milk, it doesn't really matter if she doesn't actually eat anything at first - she should be fine.