Baby-Led Weaning

bikuki · 21st June 2007, 10:20am

I read this article in the paper this morning, and I remember folk talking about this at Springwatch in the park.

Thought some people might find it interesting:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/l...cle1961406.ece

Vonnie · 21st June 2007, 10:35am

Haha I saw the title and thought, "I'm sure I remember talking about this recently!" Good article though, cheers for the link

Jody · 21st June 2007, 10:42am

Is there anymore good articles/references for 'Baby-Led Weaning' kicking around.

wee scary burd · 21st June 2007, 12:10pm

Becca was a hungry baby so i started her on food at 3 months as well as breastfeeding til 6 months. She was a great eater, still is. Keira's bottle fed and is currently putting on half a pound a week. She seems very hungry but i've been told by my health visitor to leave her til shes 4 months. I'm just gonna wait and see. My main worry was/still is that i am the worlds fussiest eater, i live on toast and soup, i'm terrible! I don't want Keira to be like that. I felt bad giving Becca things like meat and cheese as i would never eat them as they litterally turn my stomach, but she enjoys them so i've been lucky with her.

Girshkin · 21st June 2007, 9:28pm

I've got mixed feelings on this - I agree that you should start weaning when the baby seems ready rather than an arbitrary age (Eli was weaned at 4 months on my hv's advice cos the poor boy was starvin!).

This is probably a stupid concern, but how would they eat lumpy stuff without teeth? Eli's teeth came invery late on, and whilst he did 'gum' bread and suchlike, I'd be worried about giving him a really limited diet of what he could 'gum' successfully.

Vonnie · 21st June 2007, 9:32pm

My understanding of baby-led weaning was that they started on solids later when they actually started to show an interest in food rather than earlier so I'm totally confused now. Ha!

Girshkin · 21st June 2007, 9:35pm

see, to me 'baby-led weaning' is when they show an interest in food too, but this one seems to say to start your kids on solids at 4 months and don't puree things.

stripey_kitten · 21st June 2007, 9:39pm

I only skim read the article but to me it sounded like you introduce purees etc from when your child seems to want solids. Then when they are able to sit up by themselves, which is usually around 6 months, present them with a selection of finger foods. Even if this isn't actually what the article said, it sounds sensible to me.

Vonnie · 22nd June 2007, 8:03am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Girshkin

see, to me 'baby-led weaning' is when they show an interest in food too, but this one seems to say to start your kids on solids at 4 months and don't puree things.

The don't puree things is right for BLW, but not the early start. It's lauded by breastfeeding/attachment parents as allowing more time to nurse so I think the article has got that aspect wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stripey_kitten

I only skim read the article but to me it sounded like you introduce purees etc from when your child seems to want solids. Then when they are able to sit up by themselves, which is usually around 6 months, present them with a selection of finger foods. Even if this isn't actually what the article said, it sounds sensible to me.

That's the current guidelines, BLW advocates using solid food, not puree as they believe purees don't encourage your baby to eat properly.

Jody · 22nd June 2007, 9:53am

They advise not to give pureed food because once you introduce more solid food the baby gets confused to wither to suck or chew because of the lumps ie. they get used to sucking puree off a spoon. It's really interesting, I've been reading about it.

There is also a 'gagging' process the child goes through as well, which doesn't mean the babys choking but just getting used to the idea of the food being in its mouth.

PamelaSockGirl · 22nd June 2007, 1:01pm

Doone started weaning at 14 weeks and she was breastfed til 12 months.

I gave her some pureed vegetables and fruit to start with and she quite quickly started getting her purees with lumps in it. Then progressed to other lumpy foods pretty quickly. She eats just about anything now and she still only has 2 teeth.

wee scary burd · 3rd August 2007, 11:23am

Well, tried Keira with a wee jar of apple n pear baby food.....and she took to it like a duck to water! Today we tried the powdered stuff, fruity porridge and she scoffed the lot. That's her 15 weeks now and i thought i'd try as she seemed to still be hungry even after 7/8 oz. So fingers crossed

PamelaSockGirl · 11th August 2007, 9:38am

Quote:

Originally Posted by wee scary burd

Well, tried Keira with a wee jar of apple n pear baby food.....and she took to it like a duck to water! Today we tried the powdered stuff, fruity porridge and she scoffed the lot. That's her 15 weeks now and i thought i'd try as she seemed to still be hungry even after 7/8 oz. So fingers crossed

How's she getting on with it now?

wee scary burd · 12th August 2007, 8:03am

Quote:

Originally Posted by PamelaSockGirl

How's she getting on with it now?

Fantastic! She's taken to it really well. Her favourite seems to be a rusk mashed up with milk at the moment. Jeez id forgot about the mess!

star girl · 13th August 2007, 10:13am

Evie started on baby rice at 14 weeks and loves it. We only give her a few spoonfuls though. Next week we will start her with veg puree as she is a hungry thing still bf too!