How early can you BLW?

[notjustapuppymum]

My little boy is 19 weeks old and can sit up virtually unaided. He is really interested in our food and can grasp things in his hand and take them to his mouth to suck on them.

He sits in his highchair with us for dinner times.

The last week or so he has been really really hungry and has been waking in the night again and much earlier in the morning. I have tried bumping up his daytime feeds and he's now having 8 oz of extra hungry milk at each feed, sometimes as much as 10 oz!

He still seems dissatisfied though and after a feed will be grump and be putting anything he can get his hands on into his mouth. I really do think he's hungry for something other than milk.

Can he start chewing on and swallowing food now? Or can I start giving him baby rice and then go down the BLW route when he's a bit older?

You should really try to wait if possible. I know they are only guide lines bhut they are there for a reason. If mainly sounds like he is having a growth spurt to be honest. Or possibhly waking and chewing due to teeth? Maybhe try some teething gel? I got really desperate at around 22 weeks to give my DD food. However I held on and all was fine. She also started waking more and it is hard but it is proberly a phase. Also you would bhe more restricted with what to feed him as most foods stuff are only to bhe fed after 6 months.
Try to hang in there, he has the rest of his life to eat!

The current guidelines from the WHO are to start weaning between 17 and 20 weeks and no later than 26 weeks. By 17 weeks the intestine is mature enough to deal with solids. From what you've described I'd say he's ready and eager.
The medical paper is here

I've never done the BLW with my 3 but as part of 'traditional' weaning I'd give finger foods. Maybe try the puree/mashed with a fork route for the first week or so and then offer finger foods. Sounds like he'd cope with them if he's sitting up and putting things in his mouth.

the whole point of BLW is that the baby leads and sets the pace, if he can sit up unaided, pick up a piece of food, get it to his mouth, chew and swallow, he is probably ready and his gut is most likely mature enough to digest something other than milk

26 weeks is the aim, but if your baby is genuinley showing signs of readiness, and wanting more milk and waking in the night are not signs, then go for it.. sitting unaided, good head control, loss of tongue thrust reflex and the picking up, chewing, swallowing of food too...

you could try with something like banana and see what happens..

how often are you feeding? are you feeding responsively or to a schedule?