Question about BLW (nutrition)

[CherryChoc]

I know this is probably a stupid question but please put my mind at rest.

I want to do baby led weaning with my DS when he gets to 6 months, he is totally breastfed at the moment. I mentioned it to a few of my friends and some comments have made me think so I'd be interested to know what the general consensus is!

The main thing really was that someone said if I do BLW and give my DS finger foods straight away he won't be eating much to start off with and he wouldn't be getting enough nutrition-wise. I understand that breast milk has lots more calories than say carrot, but am I right or wrong in thinking you have to consider more than just calories - I mean I could probably get my 2500 calories per day by eating cakes, but I'd not be very healthy! I think what I mean is is it really okay if they don't eat any actual food to start off with? Is it a valid concern about the nutrients etc or is it just a formula feeding concern? (as I know breast milk changes its make-up.)

I have been blw since 26 weeks. No food got eaten for 4 weeks, now at 32 weeks dd is eating a fair amount according to her nappy!!

My opinion is my bm had enough vitamins before 6 mths, so I'm not worried now. BM has low amounts of iron but it is easily absorbed by baby. Formula milk manufacturers like to tout their wares by telling you about all the stuff they've added without telling you breastmilk already has it.

i recommend you read Gill rapley's book "baby led weaning" it is on Amazon.

brilliant blog by Aitch

repeat with me:
food is for fun until they're one!

up till 12mo most of their nutrition still comes from milk, whether bm or formula, so it really doesn't matter how much food goes in. Hence the 'baby led' bit

obv offer healthy nutritious food - wide variety, lots of veg, no processed crap, no added salt or sugar etc - but really bm has all the nutrients he needs.

Just to clarify, you can still do BLW if the baby is formula fed.

If you read NHS stuff on weaning, it describes first foods as complementary - they're not to replace milk in the first instance, but to add to it slowly.

Jooseyfruit, I've been reading that but it didn't say anything specifically about nutrition so I didn't know whether that meant I was missing something or it was just not important!

MrsBadger I've heard that too but this person was so insistent and she had trained as a nanny (admittedly at a time when the advice was to wean earlier).

Is there not a concern about iron levels? I am not good at keeping my own up so must make sure he is okay!

Apparently there is less iron in breastmilk, but it is much more easily absorbed than the iron in formula.

Nod and smile at the ancient old nanny
then ignore her

the iron stores babies build up in the womb start to deplete at about 6m, so by 12m they need iron from external source... ie from food

and yes, chemically bm has less iron that formula, but it is in a much more bioavailable (ie easy-to-absorb) form. Kellymom has a good page here on iron and weaning.

It's about learning to eat, not getting nutrients or calories into them.

That's what I thought wme!

Definitely do blw, I am doing it with ds, he is now nearly 8 months. He has tried everything I have put in front of him, he is really enjoying it, and it is so stress-free for both of us. I have no concerns at all about his nutrition, he is healthy and growing well.