CLW and introducing solids

[momofadella]

Hi! I'm Trisha, a first time mommy and currently EBF my 7 month old daughter, Adella. I'm planning on doing CLW but there really isn't much information out there. I haven't introduced much solids to her yet. She gets maybe 4 snacks a week of finger foods, but definitely nothing that even remotely comes close to a meal. I absolutely love nursing her and I want to do everything to protect our bf relationship, so I don't want to start solids to fast. I really admire all you Mommies on this forum who have nursed for years! I hope you can share some of your knowledge with me and help me along my way. My question is...when did other CLW Momma's introduce solids and how did you go about it? I have a big fear of her prematurely self-weaning. Any advice or suggestions would really be helpful. Thank you

[alegna]

Follow her lead. She'll let you know when she wants more solids- probably by swiping them from your plate

To avoid premature weaning, avoid a lot of spoon feeding (bites here and there are fine...) avoid artificial nipples, avoid other sucking when possible (sippy cups), avoid other milks and juice.

Offer nursing often day and night.

-Angela

[meemee]

my dd has been getting licks since she was 3 months old. i introduced solids at 6 months. she would have nothing to do with it. so finally she started eating at 9 months. but till she was 2 she ate v. v. little in a day. she mostly nursed. at 2 she started eating more. today at 6 1/2 she is still nursing - or how should i put it?!!! still 'pacifying' since my milk dried up when she was 3.

i have never said no to nursing except when my nipples are sore. that too i said no when she was over 3 years old. but i never said no ever before that and i think i NIP till she was 3 or 4.

[Rikki Jean]

Originally Posted by alegna

Follow her lead. She'll let you know when she wants more solids- probably by swiping them from your plate

To avoid premature weaning, avoid a lot of spoon feeding (bites here and there are fine...) avoid artificial nipples, avoid other sucking when possible (sippy cups), avoid other milks and juice.

Offer nursing often day and night.

-Angela

What Angela said.

For me, child-led-eating goes right along with child-led-weaning. Both of my kids are avid nursers and both of them eat food like there is no tomorrow. :

I too was worried about encouraging weaning with my first, so I avoided solids until 9 mos. He wasn't even interested in them then, so he didn't start really eating solids until 13 months.

My second child acted like we were cutting his arm off at 5 months when we weren't sharing our food with him. So, when he turned six months, we started feeding him little bites, and he hasn't stopped eating (or nursing ) since then.

So, my advice: Start slow. Don't sit her down with a big piece of steak. Always, always, always offer the breast first (however, don't beat yourself up if sometimes this isn't an option; personally, I don't think that I've offered DS2 the breast first since 11 months, but at 7 months, it's important). If you can, let her self-feed. I don't have a link for this info, but I know that it's a fact that kids have a turn-off switch inside of their bodies that is much better activated when they are feeding themselves.

HTH!

[mom2threenurslings]

We do child-led eating as well. Our earliest solids eater started at 9 months, our latest at 11 months. Solids during the first year of life for breastfed babies are for practice only, not for nutrition. And check out portion sizes for babies and toddlers- they're measured in teaspoons and tablespoons - they're tiny!!!

[~patty]

My babe is 12 months now, and I started introducing solids around 6 months.

First off, she is still nursing like crazy. She also participates in our meals. We just set her up next to us at the table and let her have what we have. Initially, I made sure her first foods were things that were really soft (like cooked carrots, avocado, bananas...things you can definitely squeeze easily with your fingers). I also made sure they were about 1 cm in diameter (I sometimes gave her a lot bigger pieces to handle, but sometimes she would bite off a piece a little too big to manage and gag).

The big thing is to let them control how much and what they want to eat. Don't force. Like the other poster said...it is about experimenting, not nutrition, in the beginning.

I personally don't think you have anything to fear with them wanting to wean early. As long as you continue nursing on demand, your relationship will last for a while longer. I also made sure that I nursed her either before or right after she had solids to make sure that she did eat enough.

It is so much fun watching them experience foods. Have fun!!