When to 'Up' meals?

[MrsMagooo]

Hello ladies,

I should know what I'm doing as I have a DD who's 2.6 but my brain has turned to mush lol!!

I started weaning my DS just under 2 weeks ago at just over 21 weeks, I realise this is under the 'guideline' age of 6 months but IMO he honestly did seem ready & he is loving his food.

At the moment he has breakfast (pear or apple mixed in with baby breakfast) & then lunch (so far have tried him on carrot, sweet potato, brocolli carrot & potato, apple & pear. (I make all the purees myself)

Anyway I digress - my question is when would it be ok to 'up' to 3 meals a day??

DS is enjoying his food, he eats very well & still has bottles (he also still wakes in the night to be fed hence we wondering when I can increase to 3 meals) but as I have started weaning before the guidelines I'm unsure as to when it would be ok to increase his meals.

Sorry for the waffle - any advice welcome

If you're spoon-feeding I'd go really slowly as it is possible to over-do purees and the result is really uncomfortable constipation. I offered food 3 times a day from 6 months (did BLW) but so little went in as he was self-feeding, there was no danger he'd eat more than his tummy could handle. Perhaps this bump would get puree-weaners attention - you may want to try the puree weaners thread for help.

I am spoon weaning yes - generally he's pretty good & will turn his head away when he doesn't want anymore.

Oppss sorry have I posted on the wrong thread??

no you haven't posted on the wrong thread, it's just that more people might see your request if you add it to the general puree weaning chat thread - i'd wager a guess that the majority of posters on the weaning threads do BLW so you might be best off asking in that particular thread.

Thank you

The majority of posters on the weaning threads do BLW... only because anyone who dares to give their babies purees (like the majority of the population I might add) is too scared to post here.

No wonder when they get replies like 'spoon-feeding can lead to really uncomfortable constipation'. What a load of sh*te. I am spoon-feeding two babies and their poos are just fine thanks!

The BLW militia on MN is really getting on my tits. BLW is great if that is the way you choose to feed your baby, but it is not the only way and has not been proven to be better or healthier.

So if someone asks about spoon feeding just keep your opinions to yourself if all you can offer is 'you are doing it wrong, try BLW'

FFS!

DS poos on average 2 times a day - Not sure I should be proud of that lol!

First of all really sorry to OP as I'm sure she doesn't want this to turn into a thread about constipation, lol!

Just wanted to say to neenztwinz re 'spoon-feeding can lead to really uncomfortable constipation' - I am a BLWer who replied recently to a MNer whose lo had constipation to try just finger foods for a while to see what would happen. I suggested this because my dd had constipation the whole month I gave her purees and when I stopped purees and gave her finger foods only it went away. So I know this is anecdotal, but I do think it's easier to give babies too much solid food too soon when you're spoon-feeding, even if it's small quantities (I definitely did) and that it can lead to constipation. That obviously does not mean that all babies fed puree have constipation. And I know that BLW babies get constipation too, fgs. I was only making a suggestion, and trying to help, and I didn't want to offend anyone or be "militia-like" in any way!

Sorry MrsMagoo, I'm sure you're bored with talk of constipation!! No matter how you are weaning your dd, I would just go slow as she's still so small and you have plenty of time for three meals. My dd's nearly nine months and we're on 3 meals and 3/4 bottles and a snack, so I say take advantage of your freedom of not giving three meals a day

Pispirispis, yes, babies who have purees can be constipated and babies who are BLWed can be constipated. That is why the comment was so ridiculous. The OP never mentioned constipation!

The point I was making was I am fed up of people on the weaning boards making out that BLW is the only way you should feed a baby when it is not proven to be the best way, and the majority of the country do not follow BLW so why make someone feel small (which is what I think MrsJamin did in this instance) for doing what for the majority of the population is normal!

MrsMagoo - I weaned at 25 weeks and moved fairly quickly onto 3 meals a day with no problems (I'm doing a bit of a mix between spoon-feeding and finger foods).

Only problem is I'd hoped it would lead to better sleep at night but it has made no difference whatsoever!

Thanks allnew had I of held off til 26 weeks I probably would have upped to 3 meals quite quickly but I'm worried because I have weaned early & worried it'll be to much to soon IYKWIM?

With DD I weaned her at 26 months but she was (and still is) very petite & not much of an eater so she was on only 2 meals a day for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages

neenztwinz I think you are taking this constipation thing too personally lol! All MrsJamin said was it is POSSIBLE to overdo purees and give constipation and pispirispis merely said that in HER experience purees gave constipation. it's not a criticism of spoon feeding or you for spoon feeding.
OP I wouldn't worry about 3 meals just yet...take it slow and lo will show you when he's ready. Don't even think about it helping his sleep, solids has NO effect on night wakings at all. (and that IS scientific, not anecdotal)

neenztwinz, I take offence at your post. I mentioned constipation as it is a result of having too much puree too soon - i.e. a danger of 'up'ing meals too soon - i.e. what the OP was all about! How on earth did I make someone feel small about it?!

The constipation-puree connection comes straight from Gill Rapley's academic research- "Mrs Rapley argued that babies fed pureed food had little control over how much food they ate, thus rendering them vulnerable to constipation." (citation). It's not something I made up for fun!

I was careful in my previous posts not to say 'BLW is the way to go' - I respected the OP's decision to puree-wean. It is irritating when BLWers are trying to help someone to be accused of being 'militia' - how ridiculous. We just speak from our experience and I think most people are respectful of puree-weaners.

MrsJamin, you may not have meant to make the OPer feel small but you essentially said "get yourself into the Puree ghetto, because us lot around here don't approve"... Neenztwinz is right in that in actual fact there are a lot of Mums on here who spoonfeed but who dont post about it because the BLWers dish out the same old advice and block any other responses. The amount of times I've posted asking a question about weaning and I've had "stop giving her purees and let her feed herself" as the answer to everything is getting ridiculous. And please don't ghettoise us all into one thread. That is rather rude!

Oh and on the theme of constipation if you add a little babyrice to your pure fruit/veg purees that gets rid of the constipation problem

I weaned my DS at 15 weeks (medical advice) I dont know if it fits into same catagory but HV told me to up his meals every 4 weeks but gradually increase the amount at each serving IYKWIM. As I said though that was due to medical advice so it could be different.

Agree regarding the baby rice I used to mix it with pureed fruit etc and DS loved it ner had constipation

LMFAO at ghetto BTW that is olathetic snipe at someone just because they may have a different way of things to you. I dont see the point in BLW but its none of my business what othe people do is it? As far as Im concerned if your DC is well looked after I dont care what works for some doesnt work for others!

I don't know why I have attracted such anger, I was being nice and making sure the person had some help from people who could help her. I can see why you read it that way but I wasn't saying her question was not welcome in the general weaning forum rather than on your puree-lovers thread.

BLWers are not just dishing out the same old advice to anyone regardless. If puree-weaners are getting into issues (like going onto lumpy 'stage 2' foods etc), why shouldn't BLWers suggest that they just do finger food instead, as long as they do it graciously? I'm not ghettoising (if that's a word!) you into one thread - it's yourselves that set that up. ;)

ghettoize or -ise
Verb
[-izing, -ized] or -ising, -ised to confine (someone or something) to a particular area or category: to ghettoize women as housewives
ghettoization
-isation n

And regarding my Lumpy stage 2 mush question... I was indeed advised to simply "stop giving her mush and give her finger food" So how is that a sensible suggestion for a baby who is used to 3 meals a day of puree? Anyone can see that that would be cruel and result in a hungry frustrated baby.

Milk should be the main source of nutrition for the first year.

First foods, whether puree or finger foods, should be in addition to the normal milk feeds, not a replacement for any of them. If food replaces milk feeds at 21 weeks then this will actually lead to a drop in calorie/nutrient intake, which is obviously not great.

Mrs Jamin I thought your post was completely reasonable... and friendly!

I think you spoon feeders are getting WAY too sensitive about all this. All MrsJamin did was to suggest that the OP ask the question in the puree lovers thread as they also spoon feed and therefore would have more experience on quantities and when to "up" meals. She said to be careful about going to 3 meals too soon as it was possible to overdo it and give constipation because too much solid food is going in. She said it all perfectly graciously.
I really don't know why you are all sooooo defensive. And Becky77, by the time your LO is doing stage 2 foods, wouldn't she be able to manage finger foods anyway? Doesn't the government advise finger foods once inital tastes are over? AK certainly advises finger foods from about 9 months...isn't this a stage 2 age?'

Always give him his meals after milk cos this is most important during the first 12 months. If after all his milk, breakfast and lunch he is still hungry then introduce dinner.

Anarchy Aunt, I agree that at 21 weeks if food replaces milk then there obviously there is a problem, as at 21 weeks milk certainly needs to be the main (actually, for most babies, the only) nutrition. But where is the research (not opinion, research with lots of children) that this is the case for the whole first year? Would be interested to see this research.

Me too Maria. I have never seen any proof that milk is the main source of nutrition after six months. I can see why breast milk COULD be the main source if you want it to be but I can't see how cow's milk (designed for calves) can possibly be better nutrition for a 7mo than actual food!

Mrs Jamin, I am not the only person who read your post as if you were saying 'you are asking in the wrong place - the weaning board is for BLWers only so go over with the other freaks on the puree thread'.

I suppose I AM getting sensitive about this subject because it is pissing me right off that BLW is seen as the utopia of weaning when it has not been proven to be better or healthier. Yes the NHS recommends finger foods after six months but thats alongside purees because most experts agree that a baby can't get all the nurtrients it needs from feeding itself. Unless you get all the nutrients you need from carrot and toast.

If someone can show me the reseach that shows that BLW IS healthier for babies then I'd love to see it.

macaco - Stage 2 starts at approximately 7 months and yes my daughter has finger food as I stated at the time... My question was about stage 2 textured puree (ie lumpy mush)so I'm not sure what your point is? But I think to say "you're being WAY too oversensitive about this" and "feel free to bite my head off in a totally oversensitive and unreasonable way" in the same post speaks for itself. Try having a bit of empathy.

I've seen research that shows our ancestors used to chew their food (as primates still do) to feed their babies... So BLW isn't as natural as it gets... Pureeing isn't either but mashing up food to allow your offspring to be able to digest it better is extremely common in nature.