What is Baby Led Weaning?

In a Nutshell....

The main theory is a baby is ready to eat when he/she is physically able to do so. When the research took place they tested it on babies from 4 months old but none were able to actually pick up the food and feed themselves until around the 6 month mark.

It encourages good eating habits too as the baby can explore the food in its true form. Also they eat as little or as much as they desire rather than being spoon fed. It is very messy and absolutely no spoon feeding involved in it.

It is a slow process but with practice they get very good at it! When I first started I didn't think anything was going in my DD's tummy but the nappy was proof it was!

BLW weaning starts on their first food... there's no purees to start and then finger food as that is not the baby leading iykwim! This is why more and more mum's who wait until 6 months to wean go straight to BLW. (although its never too late to start!)

The best bit is, it is so much fun!

For further information and the research have a look at this article...

*http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/vast_voedsel/rapley_guidelines.html*

Hi Hannah - nice to see you on here.

I'm interested in your decision making process with BLW as your daughter is formula fed I believe? While the guidelines are for breastfed babies only?

I am aware that the reason they say BF only (and not Premature either) is that they only did a small sample in the research and so can't recommend it for FFs although there is some data to show BF babies handle it better - basically I'm just wondering what your thought processes were with this and thought other mums might find it interesting too...

Isabelle is BF but was premature so although I really wanted to just do BLW she was not physically ready although she was certainly hungry enough(!!) so we did a little of both (which I found out afterwards is highly inadvisable:oops:) which she took to very well and now she's mainly BLW apart from porridge and yogurt!

I got very frustrated as the article suggests that if you have a prem baby you should discuss BLW with your HV before going ahead - well most HVs are not very clued up when it comes to premature babies, and mine had never heard of BLW so as with most things I just had to make it up as I went along!!

I do think that with guidelines - the whole point is that they are guidelines not hard and fast rules, and if you are prepared to use a little common sense and keep your eyes open and wits about you then you'll be fine with a lot of things...
(Does that make sense?!!)

Good question Steph!

I've actually just done a long post about it sort of on BC blog. Lisa made some good points on it http://boards.babycentre.co.uk/n/pfx/fo ... ean&tid=13

I know the research was only done on breastfed babies but when I read the research I believed that it would work with FF babies too. I understand they say that BF babies feed on demand and get the best from BF but the more I read the more I knew it was for Erin. Also not all BF babies do feed on demand and you can't force feed any child breast or bottle iyswim

I too was miffed at the "if you ff speak to you HV" utter nonsense if you ask me... some hv's are still recommending weaning at 16 weeks and one i was told today told a mum to give her lo marmite (not recommendied under 12 months) so just goes to show what they know!

I tested the water with Erin first and gave her some sticks of food to play with while we were eating just 1 or 2 not proper weaning iykwim. and she knew what to do with it. Babies HAVE to learn how to eat at some point so why not now I thought. Especially now the guidlines are 6 months... well if she wasn't eating til 6 months and I read with BLW this is when they become physically able to do so then why not take that route?

I can't ever imagine scooping food into her mouth now!

If it had not of worked (and I had every faith it would) I would have given her puree.

Our bodies are designed to work this way, thats how I saw it. Not only that it meant no puree but Erin could explore food in its true form... she's never refused one piece of food and is always straight to the new taste put in front of her.

I have said it a million times already... the 2 best decisions I ever made are BLW and my homebirth.

Hope that was answering your question?

ps nice to <see> you here too x x

[clothmama]

Good questions and answers!!!!!

I keep trying Louis on real food and he generally looks at in with distain, he happily eats toast and sandwichs but bit of pasta etc he won't even touch

Aww bless him!

Does he eat with you? It is just a matter of practice makes perfect. It's not easiest thing to learn, in fact between the ages of 0-4 your childs brain will learn the most and quickest in its whole life! little miracles aren't they!

Don't forget that Erin started on whole foods at 6 months and has gradually practiced and eats 3 meals a day self feeding and is now (ooh actually today) 9 months old so has had 3 months practice if you know what i mean!

He'll pick it up eventually (scuse the pun!haha! so intentional!)

Steph,

I have just been chatting to Aitch and she pointed me in the direction of her rant on blw and ff thought it may interest you also...

http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2006/9/7/2302145.html

Hehe - I have read that Hannah - thanks, was mainly interested on your own take on things

Eeeek Hanna - just read your post on BC - I do hope you don't think I had anything to do with it!
Have re-read my posts now it looks like I was having a go and I wasn't - honest!!!

Can't believe you're being pushed out - unbelieveable!!!

Sorry only just seen this! lol

Not at all hun don't you worry.

I have been *meeting* lots of other blw mums online and some even that had a premmie baby and thought of you. It's such a shame there isn't the research. I think the ones that made the choice to do it anyway figured that it should work well as with BLW the baby shows you when he or she is ready so no need to worry with the whole corrective age thing as when they are ready they will start picking up the food themselves iykwim.