Mothering Forum banner

Totally unaware of child led eating...inform me

1K views 16 replies 14 participants last post by  *MamaJen* 
#1 ·
Until I started reading this board....totally in the dark that there are some cons to feeding your baby "baby food". Would someone be willing to explain it to me??
The theory/rationale behind it?
When do you start giving your baby something other than BM or formula?
Why do people lead me to believe that I should start the cereal thing around 4-6 months? I know a lot of people giving baby food by 5 months. What's the deal?

I am so excited to learn something new!!!!!

PS. My baby is 4 months old.
 
#2 ·
I'm so curious too! It seems like everyone I know is starting solids earlier and earlier, but then I'm on the allergy forum and finding out that you should wait AT LEAST 6 months for allergy reasons.

I like what one of my midwives said, "You'll notice your baby start to watch you eat and follow you food. Once they start reaching for it all the time then it's time to start solids."

I think a lot depends on your baby too. I have a little chunky monkey so I'm not worried about her weight gain at all. We are also dealing with food intolerances so that will factor in to what foods we introduce first when we finally do.

In the end, especially since I'm breastfeeding, I figure why spend money on baby food if you don't need to yet?
 
#3 ·
Subbing since I know very little about this too, but here's my two cents...

I've read a lot on this site: http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/.

I'm not entirely sure what the general theory behind it is, but I know for me, it's mostly about letting DD be in control (somewhat) of eating solids just like she's been in control of eating breastmilk. It's also, to be honest, about doing what's easiest for me because I'm a lazy mom!
I also really like the idea of giving babies "real" food instead of "baby food." For me, giving DD mush didn't seem to make sense in my head; if they have a tongue-thrust that prevents them from swallowing anything other than liquid, then doesn't that mean that they aren't ready for anything other than breastmilk? And if they no longer have the tongue-thrust and can eat actual solids, then doesn't that mean they're ready for, well, actual solid chunks? So that's how I started baby-led weaning.

DD is now seven months. Her first food was banana, which I mashed up a bit and gave to her on my hand (I held it out and let her pick it up and eat it) when she was six months and one week. She gagged on it and didn't seem happy at all, even though she did eat a little, so I waited a week before trying again. We tried avocado a week later (since it's naturally kind of mushy), and again, I let her pick it up with her fingers and play with it. Again, she didn't eat much, but she liked it better. Now I've let her try lots of things...steamed broccoli, honeydew, raw apple, rice, & green beans. She likes playing with food but never eats much; she's much more interested in nursing still.
I'm waiting to try any likely allergens (dairy, soy, egg, corn, wheat...) until she's at least a year old since DH had a lot of allergies as a child.

I really love this a lot more than spoon feeding! I feel good knowing that DD is choosing how much to eat, and it's so much more fun to watch her feed herself than to try to get her to take a spoon.
 
#4 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lisavark View Post
but I know for me, it's mostly about letting DD be in control (somewhat) of eating solids just like she's been in control of eating breastmilk.

I really love this a lot more than spoon feeding! I feel good knowing that DD is choosing how much to eat, and it's so much more fun to watch her feed herself than to try to get her to take a spoon.

I'm not sure what sort of people you've been watching feed their baby, but it's really very very easy to let them have the control when you're feeding them. They are quite capable of not opening their mouth and leaning forward to take the food off the spoon.

You said yourself you've been handing her food rather than letting her pick it up off the tray. It's the same deal when you offer food on a spoon,

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisavark View Post
It's also, to be honest, about doing what's easiest for me because I'm a lazy mom!

See, I'm too lazy to cook from raw for every meal, popping out some ice cubes is so simple.
 
#5 ·
The updated guidelines are HERE

My overall goal is to raise children who have a healthy attitude to food and weight and feel good and enjoy their meals. I'm morbidly obese myself, and this is a gift that my parents were never able to give me. Whilst my eldest was started on baby rice at 3mo and in retrospect, that was the right decision for him (it looks like he had reflux) all of my others have just done the finger-food thing. It's been great. They eat a balanced diet and a wide range of things, enjoy experimenting with food and it also helps keep the balance between breastmilk/ solids in their diets.
 
#7 ·
The self-feeding thread is good for support. I just wanted to add a thought that doesn't belong in that thread.

It is possible for your child to show none of the "signs" (pincer grasp, grabbing, etc) and still be ready for solids. Listen to your instincts. Two months ago my son was getting more and more frantic with the nursing, and he was waking up every hour at night. I was eating oatmeal and taking fenugreek, and my supply was through the roof, but it seemed like it was never, ever enough.

I had been on this forum since the TTC days, and just assumed that if he wasn't reaching or pinching, then he wasn't ready. But in frustration I gave him some mushed up banana, and he had the best day he'd had in weeks. You don't have to hit me in the face with a stick to give me a clue... more than once!

We feed him single ingredient fruit and vegetable purees twice a day (I stopped making food early on, I just don't have the time or the patience, and Safeway Organics are super cheap if you watch the sales), and we follow his cues as to when to stop - sometimes he eats a whole jar, sometimes he doesn't. It's up to HIM. No one stands over me and hollers "one more bite" so it doesn't seem right to do that to my boy. He still doesn't reach or grab, but he dives on the spoon like a baby bird. He still nurses every three hours during the day and goes no more than four hours at night. But he's much happier.

Sorry, that was a lot of words to say follow *your* instincts and the *baby's* cues, and you'll be fine.
 
#9 ·
I've been giving my almost 8 month old some food mashed up on his tray and a spoon. He goes to town making a mess and eating some off the spoon or his fingers. I'm sure he doesn't eat much, but he LOVES it. I just mash a banana, avocado or some applesauce.

I have tried giving him big pieces of things, but he always has a hard time. It seems like a good compromise between jarred food and just giving him a banana. He can handle the consistency and he can do it himself. It works for us. The only catch is this.
Should have used a bib that day!!
 
#10 ·
For me it just came down to what just seemed natural. There was this very clear moment when DS was seven months old that he got really interested in food. Prior to that he had zero interest in solids. By that point he could eat soft chunks of things like banana or steamed veggies. We never messed with purees.
I just didn't see the point in shoveling mush into his mouth when he didn't want it, didn't need it and might be harmed by it (look into the whole open gut/closed gut thing). Now that he's old enough, he loves eating and trying new foods.
ETA: We don't quite do baby led self feeding -- we sort of put the food on our fingers, and when DS wants it, he opens his mouth like a little baby bird. We put things like cheerios down for him to feed himself, but the messy stuff stays a little contained.
 
#11 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by *MamaJen* View Post
By that point he could eat soft chunks of things like banana or steamed veggies. We never messed with purees.
I just didn't see the point in shoveling mush into his mouth when he didn't want it, didn't need it and might be harmed by it (look into the whole open gut/closed gut thing). Now that he's old enough, he loves eating and trying new foods.
But by the time a piece of steamed vegetable gets to the gut it's not that dissimilar a texture to a puree, would it affect the gut in the same way, if not be harder on it if it's not well chewed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by *MamaJen* View Post
ETA: We don't quite do baby led self feeding -- we sort of put the food on our fingers, and when DS wants it, he opens his mouth like a little baby bird. We put things like cheerios down for him to feed himself, but the messy stuff stays a little contained.
That sounds exactly like normal traditional feeding of a baby to me - putting single mouthfuls one at a time from your hands into his mouth (using your finger as a spoon), with some finger foods on the side starting around 7-9 months.
 
#12 ·
I believe it's in contrast to the older concept of spoon feeding* which I doubt any MDC mamas actually do, you know where the spoon's pushed in, baby shoves most of it out, parent scoops it off of baby's chin and puts the spoon back in?

*There's a theory that spoon feeding near-liquids allows babies to suck food off the spoon before they are truly ready for solids. The sucking action moves the food to the back of the mouth for swallowing before the baby has the ability on their own. See some discussion of this at:
http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedseli...lw/engels.html (baby-led solids)
and
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T032000.asp (solids by spoon)
 
#13 ·
Neither of my two kids has accepted spoon-feeding. My son was EBFd for 10 months because he gagged on anything thicker than my milk until that point. With my daughter, who is now 6 months old, I realized (before even reading these threads) that she might like to suck on an apple or carrot for her teeth, and lo and behold, I realized she was eating apple. So then I tried banana, and she ate that too. Then avocado. Pretty cool. I bet my son would have done the same if it had occurred to me to let him be in control of the food rather than me.
 
#14 ·
Here are the benefits I see in self-feeding:

- Babies who are BF on demand are very good at self-regulating how much food they consume. They stop when they've had enough (not when the jar is empty)
- It eliminates the need to gradually introduce lumps to the purees/mash. Some babies take alot of time to get used to lumps when they have been started on runny purees (not all babies however...)
- They learn from the beginning what real food is, and can identify their favourite foods by sight alone.
- They have a great time mushing and squishing it between there fingers..must feel so awesome for them!
- Soooooo much easier to just hand a babe a piece of food. Theres not alot of prep that goes into it.
- Great for their hand co-ordination and developing pincer grasp (some people wait until pincer grasp is fully developed before starting)

In no way is this an attack on parents who choose to spoon feed purees to their babies - simply answering the OP questions.

The AAP recommends exclusively breastfeeding until at least six months. For us, DD went nuts every time she saw us eating and was not content until she had a piece of food. A toy or spoon simply would not do anymore. Now we just offer something whenever we are eating and she wants some. Sometimes we go a few days with her eating no food at all. I'd rather she get her nutrition from breastmilk at this age.

The cereal thing around 4 -6 months is very outdated advice. That stuff has no nutritional value. Its loaded wiuth iron that is very diffucult for young babies to process and often leaves them constipated. I'd steer clear.

I think some people give solids at 5 months or earlier, for a number of reasons. Some people believe it helps their babies sleep longer at night (not true), their milk supply is not enough for their very hungry baby when often babies have a big growth spurt around this age and some see it as a competition among their peers as to whose baby is eating solids or more solids before anyone else's baby..
 
#15 ·
I just give my daughter some of what ever is on my plate as long as its not too funky. It does give me enough time to eat/chat with my husband while she investigates her food. Fruit and veggies usually in bigger chunks, I mash up potato. Meat I do in very small pieces. She REALLY enjoyed sucking on a chicken bone.
She doesn't eat a whole bunch but she has fun.

Sucking on steamed Broccoli
 
#16 ·
and he's doing GREAT with solids. He is a "smaller" baby, so maybe that's kinda why I wanted to start earlier. But you know what? He LOVES to eat! The first time I gave him baby food - sweet potatoes - he ate 3 tablespoons! I don't rely too much on baby food now - anyone else just chew their food for the baby? I find it much easier than carrying a gizmo. . . .

I know breastmilk has more calories, but baby doesn't seem to want to nurse every time he's hungry, and he LIKES to eat when we do. So far he has had:

Baby food, Organic whenever possible:

Sweet potatoes
Banana "pudding"
Banana
Some kind of turkey/chicken and sweet potato thicker purees
Pear

Regular food:

Fage yogurt with maple syrup or honey (don't shoot me, I think it is a rather small risk)
Mexican food (not spicy, more like authentic) including rice and beans, meat, egg and ham
Surprisingly, my babe does NOT like avocado. . . .
Pear (really ripe, just "mushed" up)
Apple (pre-chewed by me, or let baby mouth an entire apple, with some skin chewed off) - we went apple picking today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Egg boiled, mixed with goat milk formula
Bits of prechewed muffin
Dominican style oatmeal: oatmeal is cooked down and mixed with evaporated milk, it's very sweet and soup-like

Really this kid eats just about anything if you chew it for him.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabe View Post
But by the time a piece of steamed vegetable gets to the gut it's not that dissimilar a texture to a puree, would it affect the gut in the same way, if not be harder on it if it's not well chewed?
Oh, the open/closed gut thing isn't a function of the texture of the food, it has to do with the age of the baby. Lemme see, here you go: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ay-solids.html
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top