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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

BLW and baby under 6 months

131 replies

PetitFilou1 · 22/01/2009 19:31

Ds2 (3 of 3) is 20 weeks and desperate for food. He has no tongue thrust reflex and can grab food and put it in his mouth (and has - several times) He can't sit up unsupported but neither could my other two children until much older (with dd it was 8 months). Will it really do much harm to start now?

and please...no one get the popcorn out .... he really does seem hungry.

OP posts:

ChairmumMiaow · 22/01/2009 20:13

DD sat in his highchair with us from about 20 weeks (he slumped quite quickly but sat long enough for us to eat our dinner in peace) which he loved.

We started offering a tiny amount of food from 23 weeks when he could sit unaided (i.e. on the floor without support for several minutes), and apart from as a distraction so we could eat our meals in peace, it probably wasn't worth the effort. He could sit pretty well , and he did feed himself, but I'm pretty sure it all came out the other end undigested

Original poster

PetitFilou1 · 22/01/2009 20:14

Another question - both my other two dcs were weaned on fruit and veg purees to start with. What is the basis for starting with fruit and veg and no meat until x month etc? Anyone know?

OP posts:

ChairmumMiaow · 22/01/2009 20:16

at 6 months, anything goes, but if you have a history of allergies in your family they recommend introducing potential allergens slowly. We just went for it when we got to 6 months

TwilightSurfer · 22/01/2009 20:18

Petitfilou you have asked a very good question. I allowed both my dcs to "try" smashed foods from my own plate as young as 16 weeks. Interest in foods in very natural after all. Gradually between that first taste and 24 weeks I allowed them each to try a little more each time. I believe this is inline with BLW. You are a brillant mother for clueing into your dc's interest and possible need. Each child is different and I believe you will do him no harm by beginning his introduction to solids now.

Best wishes to you.
Peace.

Dozymare · 22/01/2009 20:19

ask your parents how old you were when you had solids - in the 70s when I was a nipper, it was advised from 10 weeks onwards!

BTW, I am NOT advocating that you should, but I am just saying that it hasn't done me or my DC's any harm. In fact, lots of people I know do it 16 weeks onwards....

bangandthedirtisgone · 22/01/2009 20:20

AnnVan · 22/01/2009 20:21

PF - the leader of my bf group is big on blw, and she says that if a baby can grasp food, bring it to his mouth, bite off and swallow then he is ready for solids.

Maybe people should bear in mind that 6 months is a GUIDELINE and I have been told that the mark you should definitely get past is 16 weeks.

Disclaimer: I am not saying everyone should introduce solids at 16 weeks.

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 20:22

But Dozymare, anecdotal evidence is deeply flawed. I can say that I stepped out into a road today without looking and didn't get run over. This doesn't mean it's a good idea. A lot of research and science goes into these guidelines and it is not negated by one, two or a catalogue of anecdotes about early weaned children.

FrannyandZooey · 22/01/2009 20:23

giving mashed food from 16 weeks really isn't "in line" with blw
i can't think how you could think it is

TheOtherMaryPoppinsDiets · 22/01/2009 20:28

Can I just ask a bit of a daft question?

I look after a boy of ten months who has been on solids since he was 7 months, pureed route - but he STILL cannot sit up on his own - therefore if the mum had have been wanting to do BLW then would we still be waiting to start?

Dozymare · 22/01/2009 20:31

I have obviously then totally misunderstood BLW .

I assumed that it was when baby was showing signs (chewing hands, waking up again in night I did with my DC's) you could introduce puree's. As I ahve stated, both my DC's were on fruit and veg puree's until they were 6m (IIRC) NOT chewing food and biting until much later....

ataraxis · 22/01/2009 20:35

so... both my DSs who were started to be weaned at 4-5 months on HV and guideline advice, are now likely to be at risk because of this? All praise the consistent advice.

As AnnVan said, guidelines are just those, guidelines. No one baby is identical to another, and development happens at different times.

I would also be interested to know what the definition of 'early weaning' is in terms of allergies etc, as this definition is likely to have changed as guidelines have changed.

TwilightSurfer · 22/01/2009 20:36

Dozymare I've done basically the same with the same "understanding" and have not found fault with it. Both dcs are very healthy and happy.

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 20:40

ataraxis, you can only go with the information you have available to you at any time. No the advice isn't consistent over a period of decades but it's the same with everything, we learn more and more and we adapt to those changes.

Dozymare, BLW doesn't involve purees. It's allowing the baby to pick up, chew and swallow food when it's showing the developmental signs of being ready for it (loss of tongue thrust reflex, sitting up unaided, chewing and swallowing). This usually happens around 6 months. The hand chewing and waking up could be down to anything at all and even if it is hunger then the best thing for a hungry baby is milk in terms of calorie content. There is a massive difference between hunger and ability to eat solids.

seeker · 22/01/2009 20:41

When I was a child people hadn't heard of baby seats in cars. Never did me any harm!

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 20:42

TwilightSurfer I'm very pleased that your dc are happy and healthy . This is down to a myriad of reasons though, including luck.

Dozymare · 22/01/2009 20:51

thanks for the clarification nimchimsky. Now, I have a question (as have a 10w DD) if you follow BLW, do you still offer purees from about 16weeks (or whenever the baby is showing signs) on just wait until they can feed themselves???? ie no purees?????

bangandthedirtisgone · 22/01/2009 20:54

Why do people on this thread keep saying 16 weeks? The minimum age is 17 weeks.

ataraxis · 22/01/2009 20:56

ah but seeker, didn't you have so much more fun sleeping in the boot of an estate whilst your parents were driving down the motorway?

nimchimpsky - it's not decades, they are only 3 & 5!

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 20:56

No purees. No. BLW is usually started around 6 months depending on developmental readiness. This is 26 weeks in real terms. From this point they can eat what you eat with usual exceptions of salty food, honey etc. This all presuming that the child is healthy and allergy free.

Excellent blog from one of our own

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 20:57

3 and 5 years ago the guidelines were 6 months ataraxis.

ataraxis · 22/01/2009 21:00

Not what I was told. Seriously, all the info I had said 4+.

CaptainCaveman · 22/01/2009 21:01

Has anyone actually seen the research on which the 6 month 'guideline' is based? The research critique-ers amongst us would definately give it a .

petitfilou only you know your baby well enough to decided if he is ready for solids - unless he has a serial number and a barcode deonting the factory of origin ? You certainly seem to have read the signs so go with your instict. But hey, what would I know - ds2 was weaned from 17 weeks

NimChimpsky · 22/01/2009 21:05

ataraxis, the guidelines have been 6 months since 2003. Whether hvs and other hcps consistently passed on this information is sadly a different matter entirely.

Capt.Caveman, I in no way think that all babies are the same and have never met a single person, let alone an MNer, who believes this to be the case.

CaptainCaveman · 22/01/2009 21:05

Seriously, has everyone run off to critique the research?

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