BLW - when is it ok to start?

[KirstyL]

Well as the title says! My little man is 5 months now, and is showing the signs of needing weaning, his hands are always being rammed in his mouth, he sucks on his dummy like he's trying to get milk out, he watches me when I eat or drink, really intently, with his little mouth open, its making me wonder if he's starving, lol.

I want to do BLW, but I caved in and a couple of days ago, gave him some baby rice, he had it morning and evening. He wolfed it down and wanted more when he'd finished what I'd made, little piggy, I didn't give him any yesterday as he's got a viral infection and im lucky if he's awake during the day for longer than 30 mins at a time .

So...I wondered if I could start him now on BLW, or if he's to young ATM, and if u can, what sort of things I should be giving him? Rusks? Toast? Banana? Or whether I should stick to rice/fruit purée for a couple of weeks and then start?

All advice appreciated x

 

[Minchin]

Hi there,
We did BLw with Owen and waited til a week off 6 months. (hes now 15 months) signs of readiness include sitting unsupported, taking objects in hand and putting to mouth.

Have you read the book by gill rapley? we got it out of library and was very useful esp about gagging and choking and the difference. we had a lot of gagging at the start but he was always chilled and just getting used to having food in his mouth.

If you started spoon feeding purees I would say you could still offer a lot of finger foods when ready but that is will be different to blw cos LO will already be used to having that food in his tum and opening his mouth for you to spoon him, quite diff to BLW. So you kinda have to do one or the other of purrees with finger foods. I would wait and do blw, that's just my opinions. I would also steer well clear of baby rice! (again, just my opinion)

when you start blw you can give them anything (he will squish and play for a while taking bites and messing around but not ingesting a whole lot) dont give honey, whole nuts and some say wait off on eggs. We gave a lot of boiled or steamed veg fingers( broccoli, sweet pot, swede, carrot,) also toast and banana, houmous, large pasta, chicken, mango, porridge fingers etc etc! after a week or two it was anything goes!

it was an amazing experience for us and the best decision we ever made for LO.

have fun and always feel free to post questions!

 

[KirstyL]

Thanks for your reply he does everything other than sit unsupported, he's a bit wobbly still and topples forward, he is putting everything to his mouth ATM, do should I wait a bit?

No, I havent read that book, I'll try and get hold of it

I've heard a couple of people say stay away from baby rice! I just tried him to see if I could work out if he was hungry or if the signs were of him teething, still not 100% sure tbh, he just always seems to be feeding (bf).x

 

[AyeshaD]

Why not baby rice?

 

[hopefulmummy]

I had a link somewhere about how awful
Baby rice is.....

http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2011/12/nine-good-reasons-not-to-use-baby-rice.html?m=1