27 weeks old not interested in puree - try finger foods instead or stop altogether?

[UnderWired]

A question about baby led weaning from a paranoid first-timer! My DD is 27 weeks, and I've been offering puree for about three weeks. She's not remotely interested!

Should I just stop altogether and try again in a few weeks - she doesn't seem hungry and her weight gain is good? Or should I start offering her finger foods to chew on instead, so sort of BLW I guess? What really puts me off BLW is the thought of her choking! How does this work? Is there a danger?

Also, can I offer cereal with cow's milk? Weetabix or something, and with BLW do I just let her scoop it up somehow?

Sorry if these are really basic questions! And thanks!

I'm sure the expert blwers will be up soon to help but I would defo offer her some finger foods. I was just as paranoid and its important to remember that she will gag (this isn't choking) and its quite important she does as its strengthening her throat muscles for moving a blockage if she does actually get something stuck.

You don't need to be exclusive to purees or finger foods (ie blw) you can do a mix. We are and very successfully. At this stage its trial and error to find what interests her. We started out with thin strips of toast, you could also offer soft steamed brocolli of other veg sticks and just let her explore.

My DS is nearly 8 months and we've been doing BLW since 6 months. I wouldn't be remotely interested in purees either! I would offer some finger food, as long as your DD is sitting up straight, and doing all the work herself like picking up the food and putting it in her mouth.

Good starters are roasted veg sticks like carrot, sweet potato and courgette. For breakfast I give toast, shredded wheat bitesize (soaked in full fat cow's milk) or porridge pancakes.

It is important to know what to do if your baby chokes but it is very unlikely that she will if she's in control of what is going into her own mouth. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone doing BLW where their baby has choked - and you would know about it on these forums I"m sure. Gagging (and also vomitting a bit) is very normal and you should expect it - just reassure your DD through it and she won't be alarmed (even though you might be inside!).

Have a look at www.babyledweaning.com = although the forum is down perhaps because Aitch (BLW.com guru) is possibly having her baby this week. Do ask any qu's here, there's lots of BLWers around to help!

i would try finger foods. some kids just don't like being fed.

My LO was the same way, so we did things like cottage cheese, just enough chunky she liked it but would not take yougurt. or avocado choppped so still some consistacy. once you get on a roll it is easy, but i also had all these plans to be making her food got a little mill and all and she would not take ANYTHING that was smooth, yet she is a GREAT eater once we figured it out! GOOD LUCK! also steaming carrots or yams then putting them in the blender and still leaving it a bit chunky worked.

Thanks everyone. We're now at 30 weeks and she's really not very interested in food full stop! I've tried offering chunky things, finger food, etc and she takes just very small amounts. We're a long way from three meals a day still. Is this OK? My sister says I should be 'forcing' more in somehow, but I feel that she'll indicate when she's ready for more and I can take it at her pace. I think her weight gain is still fine - must check though!

Does she take more if you spoon feed or finger feed?

We did BLW and DS didn't eat one thing until he was about 8 months old.

ach, no, don't force it, that's just grim. let her take her time. if you had wanted to do BLW from the very beginning, let's say, and come on my forum after a month saying 'she's not that fussed' the gen consensus would be not to worry about it At All. some babies like milk, they know what they're doing. try not to add angst to mealtimes, for either of you, it's only going to make things worse.

basically... i think you're a long way from needing tanya byron just yet. and you've learned an important lesson already... your sister isn't the font of all child-rearing knowledge. (mn is).

DS hated purees and TBH didn;t eat much until 9 or 10 mo, preferring to stock up on milk. I thin kthis is try for many babies - they don;t really get food in the first year.

exactly, effie. and the thing is, yo can either let them get on witht hings at their own pace or you can stress about it, force them etc and they'll STILL get on with things at their own pace anyway. just with more tears all round.

Don't panic about it :-)

DS likes his food, but actually doesn't eat that much in terms of quantity at 8 months. He certainly eats nowhere near as much as his puree fed friends.
We skip meals quite often if he's more tired than hungry, and just go with the flow.

We do find that DS eats most when he's in a big social setting - sitting up the table while DH and I are eating (particularly the same thing) helps, but he eats loads when we have a meal with other people, particularly his cousins

I'd just continue to offer food - I would say finger foods give the least pressure as you just put them on the highchair and she will pick them up when she wants them!

Hope that helps, and try not to panic!

DS is the same with his cousins. He eats tonnes when we go there cos they all sit at the table having a joke and being silly. I think usually he can't be arsed to eat cos he'd rather play but when he eats there it's like playing.