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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 - What does your HV say?

16 replies

GiraffesMum · 09/03/2010 20:18

My DD2 is 24 wks and at clinic today HV asked me if I'd started weaning her yet (She'd had a massive growth spurt and I think she was checking this was from bf alone). Apart from the odd "unofficial" pieces of food she's started pinching from our plates I haven't.

After reading posts here I've started reading the BLW book from the library and am keen to try this out with DD2. DD1 was weaned with purees, etc and the thought of standing there steaming, blitzing, putting in ice cube trays is making me shiver. However, the HV said that I shouldn't wean with finger foods alone as she wouldn't get enough nutrients and that I needed to give her purees as well.

I'm of a mind to give BLW a go, but could do with some reassurance from others who have tried it with support of medical professionals!

PS Don't think this makes any difference but will have to start introducing formula over the next couple of months as going back to work and I'm rubbish at expressing.

OP posts:

onepieceoflollipop · 09/03/2010 20:20

Your hv needs to consult the Department of Health website imo rather than just expressing her personal thoughts/opinions.

dh.gov.uk

Put "weaning" into the search box and click on the 2nd item that comes up.

It very clearly encourages parents to offer finger foods from 6 months (which is essentially blw). It does also mention purees etc.

Afaik she should be using this as guidance for parents.

olivo · 10/03/2010 14:04

i weaned DD1 purely on finger foods - well, i did blw, so its not just finger foods, she fed herself yoguhrt, dips, fruit pots etc eventually. she is now healthy 3 1/2 yo and i am now weaning 6mo dd2 the same way.(ok, dd2 is currently at the grab it, suck it and chuck it stage )
first time around, my HV was sceptical, this time she is all for it, having had a DC of her own somewhere in between..
they still get their main calories from milk for a while so i am not concerned. go for it, its soooo much easier than pureeing.
now, back to sweep up the post-luch floor

enjoy it!

cyteen · 10/03/2010 14:13

None of the HVs I saw had a clue what it was but to their credit they just looked at DS in all his strapping, fat-cheeked glory and took my word that everything was going fine

Milk is still the main source of nutrition for ages after weaning starts, regardless of how you go about it. As long as your DD is getting plenty of milk and plenty of opportunity to eat a range of foods, and is growing/thriving/healthy/happy/doing lots of wees and poos, I would use that as your evidence base and ask them to do the same.

BLW is great fun for all the family, I say go for it

JollyPirate · 10/03/2010 14:18

This HV used BLW with her child nearly 7 years ago and had no problems. I personally rave about it but know it doesn't suit everyone. Half my time is spent trying to stop people weaning at 16 weeks and earlier.

My colleagues advise it too and so does the children's centre.

Shaz10 · 10/03/2010 14:22

My HV told me not to bother with purees and go straight to "proper" food. So we did, with great success!

greensnail · 10/03/2010 14:24

I never told my HV we were doing BLW. She just asked how weaning was going and I would reply "fine". At her 8 month check she asked if she was feeding herself finger foods and I told her that she was.

Quite a lot of HV's seem to be encouraging BLW now though. Have had a few friends and family members ask me about it recently as they know that's what we did, and their HV has recommended it to them.

ShowOfHands · 10/03/2010 14:24

Oh my hv was over the moon. Said something along the lines of "Brilliant! I've been recommending it for years and very few people try it." She then recommended Aitch's blog!

She also liked co-sleeping, extended bfeeding, slings and folk music. She was like a kindred spirit. Sadly we've moved house now and our new hv doesn't like anything other than tutting and frowning.

JollyPirate · 10/03/2010 14:27

Ha! SOH - your HV and I would get along well. Kindred spirits - I recommend Aitches blog too.

Original poster

GiraffesMum · 10/03/2010 15:30

Thanks everyone - feel a lot better about it now!! Roll on 26 weeks - can't wait to get started

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 10/03/2010 16:32

Aw Jolly, bet you like babies and children too. My current hv doesn't seem to unfortunately.

RubyBuckleberry · 11/03/2010 08:10

one said 'ooohh face - let us know how it goes.'

the other said 'oh brilliant, well done you.'

despite misgivings first one can't argue with ds on 'just' breastmilk (23wks) as he is also of the chubby cheeked, chunky monkey variety

sarah293 · 11/03/2010 08:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

babybouncer · 11/03/2010 09:37

My HV is very supportive - well, the HV I see at the clinic ( I didn't like the one that came to the house, so I've told her I'm fine without her input). I did share concerns that he seemed to be having a lot of milk and wasn't eating much, and she said that was par for the course, but didn't say I should use purees. A couple of my friends who are going the puree route, have been pointed towards BLW by HV, so I think they're pretty well-informed in this area.

mollysmum82 · 12/03/2010 09:26

My hv said "hmmmm, yes I've heard about this baby led weaning..." "but you see all weaning is baby led really anyway. So whilst she's 'messing around with her fingers' it is absolutley essential you get some puree into her. Food is much more important than milk at this stage".

DD is only 6 months! Pleeease reassure me what a load of tosh this is!

RubyBuckleberry · 12/03/2010 10:30

i'm pretty sure this is tosh! according to my blw book although they would say this, by the time they are 9ish months they'll be scoffing anything and everything that you won't need to worry. thats the whole point. spooning puree into them won't help them feed themselves earlier, in fact possibly the opposite, so long term blw is the way forward. my friend did puree and she is waiting with baited breath for the results of our blw exploits as she said the puree thing and spoon feeding is a TOTAL ballache!

we're obsessed with getting puree into them when actually even 6 months is relatively early in the history of weaning. apparently in victorian times they used to give them bones and dry bread to chew on, and that was up until 8 or 9 months.

NB - not an expert obviously, but it is how i understand it.

personally, i cannot wait to get started with ds - night waking for bf is getting slightly tedious although THATs a bit of a red herring too, so I've heard!

logrrl · 12/03/2010 11:44

I am impressed that everyone has a HV that gives a shit is involved!

Saw mine at 4 months for immunisations. she suggested I start weaning.
me: "oh but we are waiting til 6 months"
HV: "they are only guidelines you know!" + patronising smile
me: "well we are doing BLW so we are waiting"
HV: shoots a "get a load of this one" look at her colleague, then "see you for immunisations at twelve months"

DS has got along brilliantly with it. We'll be seeing the HV for said immunisations in a few weeks. Must think of a witty BLW remark...

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