When to allow a taste of food?

[mookie]

Hi

My gorgeous girl is 3 months + 2 weeks. The last 2 weeks I have noticed that she loves watching us eat and she is copying us by trying to chew.
Poppy is pretty good at hand to mouth actions.

When should I allow her to touch, play, taste food?? I really wanted to do BLW, but don't know what to give her so young.

She loves different flavours (had to have loads of medicine for thrush) cherry and orange was her favourite.

She really seems like she wants to explore food and I want to encourage it but without hurting her or making her sick. It's not I want her to eat the food just want to allow her to explore and taste if she wishes.

Please help xx

 

[MrsR]

I would wait until DH is 6 months old tbh. Babies digestive systems aren't developed enough to actually effectively digest food before then. Also babies copy parents. That's how they learn so what she's doing is just natural. I wouldn't class it as a sign she actually wants food IMHO. It's like when they copy your mouth movements, facial expressions etc she's just practicing. obviously it's your choice but I'd wait.

 

[Maria1977]

I would def wait as long as possiible. Some babies do need weaning earlier than others, if baby is draining bottle after bottle and screaming for more, or constantly on boob at that age then they probably are after more than milk. Prem babies too. They are bringing guidelines forward again for BF babies, not sure why but they now think they need weaning sooner than FF babies.

If you want to do BLW I'd def wait til 6 months though. I don't think a baby could manage blw much before that age, esp at 3.5 months.

xxxx

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

My Poppy has been the same and I was considering weaning early, but I've now just increased the amount of milk I'm giving her. We were undecided on BLW until I read the Gill Rapley book, and now we're certain we want to do it. So we're waiting until 6 months. x

 

[Sarah13]

I agree with the others esp if you plan to go down the BLW route. Kynon is the same age (altho 4 weeks prem) and he watches us eat but I think he's just interested in everything we do. I know they don't recommend doing BLW before 5.5 months at the very earliest but if she's hungry you could give her baby rice if you think she's ready and try and hang on until 17 weeks.

Baby's also use their mouths to explore so maybe give her different textured teethers to suck and bite on