Baby led weaning questions

[gingernut100]

Hi Ladies,
This is my 1st post, but Ive heard that a lot of you lovely ladies are very pro-BLW!! :)
My 1st son is 23 weeks old, exclusively bf & is showing ALL the signs of being ready for weaning (eg sitting unsupported, lost tongue reflex, stealing food, very good hand to mouth co-ordination etc) but I have a few questions about starting.

1)What is the best way to start & with what foods??
2)Do we start with just 1 meal a day or go straight to several meals a day??
3)Do you just offer 1 food at a time for a few days to see if there is a reaction as in 'normal' weaning??
4)Do you give any sauces from jars (eg pasta, meat or curry) or is this wrong because they will contain some salts & sugars???

Sorry if these sound silly & there is so many but Im finding it hard to get help as most people just say about baby rice & purees!!
Thanks in advance for your help!
Lisa & Jamie xXx

[CorrieDale]

We started (at 26 weeks obv!) with sticks of carrot and broccoli spears. DS was thoroughly looking forward to it and was, I think, a little disgruntled that eating wasn't as easy as everybody made it look. We started with lunch and stuck to that for a couple of weeks. Then moved onto bf and tea for a couple of weeks. Then bf, lunch and tea, with a taste of whatever I'm having if we're out for coffee and if it's appropriate. We went from steamed veggies to fruit and toast. We tried to leave at least two days between each new item to rule out allergies, although neither my nor DS's families have a history. Many people leave longer. I only give DS what I would have myself, so no jars, other than pesto and curry paste. Tatex instead of marmite. Unsalted butter. No salt, but we use herbs & spices, esp paprika. DS has a definite taste for strong flavours so we don't give him 'baby food'. Esp. not baby yogurts or biscuits, because they tend to have tons of sugar added. We give him natural yogurt wtih fruit puree added instead - from a spoon, but I load it, he snatches it from me and smears the contents into his mouth via whatever body part gets in the way.

The mess is simply astounding - I bought two massive plastic sheets, one for the table and one for the floor. Works a treat. And about 30 bibs.... He needs a change after every meal, unless it's something dryish or he really really likes it (not much mess after quiche and kiwi fruit!)

HTH

[Holymoly321]

I've just started to wean DS who's 25 weeks on baby rice and purees but am very keen to also give him finger foods. Can I do both? At the moment he's only having one meal of solids a day - lunchtime - but I'm keen for him to experiment with finger food for himself alongside this. Can I do both or is it a case of one or the other?

[CorrieDale]

I didn't go down the puree route at all, so I'm no expert here, but I can't see any reason why not. Bear in mind though that there's a fair amount of gagging on finger foods at first, and if your DS has got used to purees then you might find he baulks at the texture of proper food. Mind you, if it were me, I'd drop the baby rice & purees pronto and get him onto real food ASAP. Even if it meant he ate nothing at all for the next few weeks.... I do give certain foods to DS on a spoon - weetabix, porridge and yogurt. But it's definitely still baby-led because he has control of the spoon (although occasionally, when he's hungry but doesn't want to relinquish either of the spoons in his hands, he'll bob his head forward and peck the food off the spoon - v. funny!)

[bamboo]

Really glad you started this thread gingernut as I was looking to post something similar today. DS is almost 27 weeks so don't want to miss the weaning window .

How old is your DS now CorrieDale and how soon did you feel you were getting any progress? I worry that if my DS doesn't take any food for a few weeks I may get anxious and start pureeing.

[ruthydd]

I posted a similar message on 13th Feb which you might find interesting (sorry can't work out how to link to other threads!).

My story since then

started at 24 weeks - ds2 not interested (wish I'd waited!)
tried again last week (26 weeks) with a lot more success

I am mixing finger foods with spoon-feeding but haven't pureed anything. For example, yesterday we had roast, and he ate/played with a piece of broccoli and a carrot. I also semi-mashed some broccoli with a fork and spooned it in. This goes against the theory of baby-led where you're not supposed to use spoons at all, but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to get him started (and practise chewing) and that I'll aim to move towards not using spoons once he's a bit more co-ordinated with his fingers. He was keen to eat it from the spoon, so I view it as me giving him a helping hand rather than leading the process.

[bamboo]

Thanks ruthydd - the Gill Rapley article is really interesting. Answers a lot of questions. \link{http://www.borstvoeding.com/kleintjes/rapley_guidelines.html\link} here for anyone else who is interested.
Did you join the yahoo group?

[ruthydd]

No. I got half way through signing up but got bored.

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

this is brilliant. Sounds like there are a few of us embarking on this adventure together!
DS is only 23wks so we aren't quite there yet but I'm trying to get as much info as possible right now.
I'm getting mixed messages about when to introduce things like cow's milk products, meat and things with gluten in them. ANy thoughts?

[ruthydd]

The confusion seems to be because a lot of the literature is based on the old guidelines i.e. starting at 4-6 months. Under that regime they could have all the things you mention at 6 months. I followed this with ds1 3 years ago.

Now weaning doesn't start until 6 months, and you're going to want to start off gradually, so although in theory they can have everything straight away, chances are they won't. Also with baby-led weaning you're not pureeing things, so meat would be a bit tricky if your baby doesn't have teeth. That said, I saw a post a few weeks back about a baby sucking the juice out of a piece of steak!

Let me know what you decide to do, and how you get on !

[ruthydd]

Or perhaps I'm missing the point..... perhaps you can give them whatever they like straight away ?(except salt, sugar, nuts, honey, coffee and vodka)... Who knows. I wouldn't ask my health visitor thats for sure.

[maretta]

I'm interested in this too so would love to hear how you get on.
My ds is 23 weeks and I'm going to start weaning him in a few weeks time.
I'd like to know how you cook the vegetables. Would it be finest al dente or more 'al school-dinner'.
Which vegetables did you start out with?

[bamboo]

I'm glad it's not just me who's confused with a lot of the literature. As ruthydd says, on the one hand you want a gradual start but on the other, surely weaning at 16 weeks is going to be different to weaning at 26.

Psychobabble, you do make it sound fun which is great. I'm going to start on carrot batons tonight and take it from there. Dinner seems a more obvious starting point for us as we all sit down together - baby led weaning does seem quite a social exercise to me. I may revert to lunch instead if we make no progress.

I'm sure there will be nothing of any interest to report tomorrow but I'll let you know how we get on. TBH I'm not even sure he seems that ready - others talk about their babies trying to grab food out of your hands but there's none of that - I just feel at 27 weeks I need to start.

Gingernut100, are you going to give it a go?

[CorrieDale]

Bamboo, DS is 8 1/2 months and in the throes of teething! Which has definitely made a difference to how he eats. From the first meal, he ate a bit at each sitting - not much, but enough to pass through the other end IFKWIM. ATM, he doesn't eat as much as his spoon-fed buddies, but he eats a reasonable amount. I had a wobble at the beginning, after a traumatic visit to baby clinic, when 'refer to paed' was mentioned because he wasn't gaining 'enough' weight (nothing to do with BLW - he wasn't from about 4 months on). But I stuck with it, and he's now getting chubby chops, although he'll never be fat. I just make sure he has a good mix of food offered, and if he doesn't fancy much of anyhing else (on bad cold/teething days) then fruit puree in yogurt, or dried apricots will always hit the spot!

[PiccadillyCircus]

DD is 24 weeks tomorrow and I am intending to do BLW. She does grab food out of my hands so think she will be quite happy . And the thought of no purees is good.

[bamboo]

Corriedale, I think I'll feel reassured if I see some evidence in his nappies, especially after the first meal! Sounds like your ds is doing really well. Can I have permission to call on you when/if I have my wobble?

[gingernut100]

Im still deciding wether to start soon or try & wait till 26 weeks, but he is getting more & more determined & cunning in his attemps to steal our food!! I dont think it will be long before he starts crying cos we arnt giving any, & im getting quite excited about starting!!

I need to get a new steamer tho before we start as our last 1 died, & also get some nice organic veg in.....so it will be a couple of days until I start (unless my inpatience gets the better of me!!)

If anyone else can tell me about how they started, what food & how quickly they progressed I would be v grateful!!

[PiccadillyCircus]

gingernut, do you post on any other forums? Your name looks quite familar (although mine won't )

[Pagan]

I'll get shot for this but why do we tie ourselves to be soooooo rigid when it comes to when to wean??? All babies are human beings and therefore all are different. If the kid is hungry and obviously wanting other food then give it to them. Is there a switch flicked somewhere at 26 weeks to say "Right now go - you must eat this now because the book says you are ready" Bet if a few years time the 'experts' go back to saying wean them at 16 weeks. Hey there is only 16.5 months between my two and the advice changed in that short time - not having a go but KEEEEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for your own sakes

[CorrieDale]

No guns here, but in the initial BLW study, it was found that 6 months did seem to be the key date for babies actually eating, rather than just playing with, the food they were offered. Check out Bamboo's link for the study. And yes, 26 weeks for solids generally is erring on the side of caution - my DS's gut may well have been ready for solids at 25, 24, even 20 weeks. The point is - there's no way of telling! So 26 weeks is the time when you know it's ready. (Not gonna take your bet BTW - would be prepared to bet though that in five years, they'll be saying 9 months....)

[ruthydd]

Bet they don't go back to saying wean at 16 weeks. Yes it keeps changing, but it keeps getting later, and later. I bet they change it to 6-8 months next....and no purees! Only joking

[gingernut100]

Hi Piccaillycircus, Yep I post on Ivillage mostly, but am also a member of the Yahoo BLW board
Who are you 'normally' then???? LOL

Hi Pagan, Thats why I think Im gonna start weaning him as soon as I get to Tescos (maybe even this afternoon)....he just stole my sandwich & shoved it straight in his mouth before I could even blink!!! A fairly big hint, me thinks!!!
Its just from some peolpe Ive had a bit of a hard time for wanting to wean him 'early' as I have IBS & excema, so originally I was very keen to wait so that I could have no guilt in years to come if he gets them too.....IYKWIM

[PiccadillyCircus]

gingernut, I post on ivillage as well - I also have a DS who is 2.3 years as well as DD who is 5 months - see if you can work out who I am

[gingernut100]

Urghhhh!!! now my poor sleep deprived brain has gone into overdrive.....any more hints before I go mad????? LMAO

[kayjayel]

Someone asked about doing purees and findger food. Just to add that I've done both, and the combination seems to work okay. After about 2-3 weeks of usually gagging , choking and spitting out any lumps (which dd thinks is hilarious)on Thursday he managed to mush up and swallow bits of very ripe pear, and today some dry toast seemed to go in - at least it wasn't on the floor/clothes/chair/me/wall/cat. Was very proud of him! With purees they're pretty lumpy/mushy and he gets to play with the spoon and 'self-feed'. So it seems like the spoon feeding hasn't inhibited the self-feeding. Its also been good to use the purees to introduce him to swallowing mush and different tastes and textures. I also found purees just as messy, if not more, than finger food - at least with finger food there are big lumps to pick up, rather than splattered mush.