Is Baby-Led Weaning a Good Idea?

I'm a pretty easy going parent. My husband is the crazy one to tell you the truth. Oh that toy dropped on the floor? Here you go, yeah that's alright put it in your mouth. Whatever!

My husband, however, is the one at the restaurant placing a burp rag over the bar holding Em in because of the "germs".  Sometimes when he does this I feel like the worst mother EVER but most time I'm just like, sure whatever. Replace it 6 times while she continuous throws it on the floor.

Honestly though, he's pretty easy going to. Maybe it's because we are young parents. Not too young but most people these days have kids later. Say 28-35 range because most want to get their ducks in a row before children. Well, to each there own, no? I knew from the time I was a kid I didn't want to be an "old" mom. 28-35 is not OLD but by that time I would have been like "I'm over it" : )

So maybe being so young is the reason I'm pretty open minded about EVERYTHING. Breastfeed? Great. Formula feed? Great. Co-sleep? Sure, why not? Crib sleep? Right there with you sister!

And if you want to do "baby-led" weaning? Go right ahead. But this is one thing that I think is so ridiculous.  I mean you'd think with how easy going on I'd have jumped right on the bandwagon... but no. Not even a little bit.

The CONCEPT was a nice idea. It was a way to stop getting pushy parents to get the baby to eat "just one more bite" but lets think about that for a minute... do we honestly believe the pushy parent is going to try this anyway??

No, I'd say it would be the more laid back parents who want to do this. And there isn't anything genuinely wrong with it except I sort of think there is.

The rant here is usually something along the lines of "The cavemen didn't have blenders! It's not a natural way to feed your child" Oh my. This argument ALWAYS kills me. Well the cavemen didn't have toothpaste either. Or indoor plumbing. Or sunscreen. STOP USING THAT RIGHT AWAY, IT'S NOT NATURAL!

Really?

I'd imagine that the cavemen would pick a banana and mash the thing up so that the little one could take a few bites. And I've read that they chewed up their meat and then fed it to the baby. Sort of like birds. So if you don't want to use a blender, well you could always do what they did.

Not for you? Eh, I didn't think so.

I love spoon feeding. I love getting up in the morning and deciding what Miss Em will eat. Some chicken? Carrots? Apples? YUM! I steam or bake or boil everything and mash or blend away. I dump the conents of it in one of her little bowls and she gobbles the whole thing right up. Opening her tiny little mouth for more. If I'm not quick enough she bangs her hands on her try. When I look up, she drops her jaw and waits.

Cutest. Thing. EVER.

Sometimes, my little Em, however begins to play before the whole thing is gone. I try a couple of time putting it in front of her to see if she wants more and she just got distracted by... whatever. She gets distracted quite a bit. Sometimes she will lean to get it and other times she glances at it and keeps playing. That's how I know she's done.

And I think it's a perfect little system.

BUT Miss Em is not exactly the norm, I don't think. She's a wonderful baby, pretty much as easy going as they come. What about those who do not EVER open their mouths for food? They want/like milk and don't want/need any yucky solids that feel unnatural in their mouth.

That's a bit more complicated I would say. You don't want to force feed them but at the same time giving them a hunk of banana and watching them squish it between their fingers is counterproductive. to me.

There is this saying going around "Foods before 1 just for fun." I think this was said too much that people actually believe it's the truth. There are many babies who can live off ONLY formula or breastmilk for a year and for that year they are JUST fine.

It's not really about the first year. It's about the upcoming ones. Every baby should be started on solids between 6-8 months. I FIRMLY believe this. Not for the nutrients. FOR THE EXPERIENCE. Afterward it isn't going to be quite as easy to get them to accept it.

Though I'm sure whatever time I decided to introduce Em to food she would have loved it.  That is sort of thing that depends on the baby.

You SHOULD let the baby lead you. That's the truth. I knew when Em was ready for solids. I was CERTAIN of it. Some babies will want the spoon feeding. Others will refuse it and will start with no problems on finger foods. But don't force either.

Focus on the baby, what he or she needs, and go from there. Don't decide at 2 months you are going to start solids at 4 with a spoon OR give cut up fruit at 8 months. The most important thing is to go with the baby.

When did you start solids? How did you do it?

Week Thirty

Age today: 30 weeks

Age Being Posted: Weeks 29-30

Date: July 14 - 20

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Photo of the Week: Cutieeee!

 

Milestones: None this week

Development: Seperation anxiety has set in and on full force. Naps are hard and I now stand by  your crib so you can see me as you fall asleep. Funny, girl! I'm not going to leave you! It's been quite irritating during the day as well. I used to be able to put you down and make your meal but now you scream if I even go to put you down. We've been using the wrap like nothing else!

Concerns: Weight gain still being as we haven't gone back to the doctor yet. And I guess my concern shouldn't be too bad or she would have scheduled another appointment sooner, instead we don't go back until August 20

Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 2-3 hours, rice cereal, fruit, veggies, and/or meat 4 times a day

Foods Tried: Pear, Turkey, Berros (no idea the translation), and oatmeal cereal

Sleeping Habits: Sleeping through the night and 2-3 naps a day. Your just the typical little 6 month old!

Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: You, me and dadas all danced to the song "Lemon Tree" one day when you were particularly grouchy and you laughed so hard. It was adorable!
Worst: The screaming! Oh my. It's time consuming enough making homemade baby food. Add ear piercing screams while I'm trying to cook... too much!

Other Observations/Activities: We've started baby signing (thanks to this great website). We are using 5 signs to begin with. Mom. Dad. Cat. Eat/Food. and Milk. I'm having lots of fun... can't wait until you start signing back! Since we started a little late I think it won't be until you're 10 months or so though.

Pictures From This Week: 

Week Twenty Nine

Age today: 29 weeks

Age Being Posted: Weeks 28-29

Date: July 7 - July 13

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Photo of the Week:  All dressed up!

Milestones: Army Crawl

Development: So you are crawling. And it's adorable... most of the time. Except you know, when I want to change your diaper or clothes, or wipe of your droll or spit up (which doesn't happy nearly as often now! Woo-hoo! Its also super funny when you get so mad because instead of crawling you roll back over to your back. Little one, you crack me up!

Concerns: Weight gain : (

Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 2-3 hours, rice cereal, fruit, veggies, and/or meat 4 times a day

Foods Tried: Papaya, Spinach, and Prunes

Sleeping Habits: Still sleeping through the night... the bags under my eyes have disappeared!

Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: Okay it may sound like worst but you were crying as I was trying to put you down for a nap (which is REALLY strange) and I came in to pat your stomach and you hit your little arms against your stomach cause you just wanted to get picked up and said a weird sound... it wasn't Mama or Ma or even mum but sort of like mam but a shorter sound. Anyway, you said it like eight times in a row. And I'm convinced it was your little way of saying MOM. PICK ME UP NOW.... which I ended up doing
Worst: I dropped my cell phone on you while you nursed. Sorry! Also sorry for laughing at how you started crying... uh?...uh?...WAAAAA.. So sad.. but honestly really funny as well

Other Observations/Activities:  We spent our days like usual. I love (pretty much) every moment I get to spend with you. You're so vocal and playful now and you're so interested in everything. We play peek a boo and sing songs like the itsy bitsy spider which you dad tries to sing and has NO idea how : ) but still cute. You crack up EVERY time. We went to your grandparents and we're planning a trip to the beach. I can't wait to take you! Sun and sand and ocean! You'll love it... but you'll love it more when we go next year.

Pictures From This Week: 

Week Twenty Eight

Age today: 28 weeks

Age Being Posted: Weeks 27-28

Date: June 30 - July 6

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Size:
Weight: 12 lbs 12oz
Height: 64 cm
Head C.: 41.5 cm

Photo of the Week: 4th of July!

Milestones: Nothing new this week. Check milestones page to see what we've passed and whats coming up!

Development: You are too smart to crawl. No, honestly. I put you on a blanket (which is a necessity here because penny cat leaves hair ALL OVER) and put some toys in front of you just out of reach and what do you do? Pull on the blanket pulling the toys to you rather than you going to them. Oh, Em.

Concerns: Weight gain : (

Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 2-3 hours, rice cereal, fruit, veggies, and/or meat 4 times a day (see below)

Foods Tried: Gerber chicken and veggies, apple, banana, chicken

Sleeping Habits: Sleeping through the night has continued! 7-6/630 which is quite amazing. Naps are good for the most part or perhaps I just don't care quite as much since you sleep at night. But its usually about 3 hours a day. We try to keep to the 2-3-4 schedule but if you're tired and naps haven't been that long then we have a third nap.. unless its after 4!

Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: I'm gonna be a bad mom for a second and say the freedom to have gone to the mall without you : )
Worst: a thought to be allergic reaction. You had a sort of rash after eating a Gerber chicken and we thought you were allergic but we gave it to you the next 3 days and no rash again. It was on your stomach by your diaper maybe heat rash?

This Weeks Doctor Appointment: Good things first. She's amazed you are sitting up and sleeping 11 hours at night. She actually asked me how did you do it?! Which I have no idea. But hurray for us. She says she is sure that you are going to be an early crawler. No teeth are coming in, according to her, which is a good thing... I think. They say its better the later they come in but who knows. You know how things are when "they say" is thrown around. She gave us some stimulation ideas for early crawling and said she usually gives it for 7-8 months but since you'd already passed everything a 6 month old should be doing that was all she could offer. Yay you! Now for the not so good. You are still not gaining weight like she (and I) thinks you should. She says if you don't gain at least 600 grams by august 20 (we are going to the beach at the beginning of the month and then she is going so that is the first we could get you in) that we would have to add some sort of supplement to your food. She said that formula wasn't necessary so yay!... Lets hope it's not. But she sent you to eat 5 times a day and continue to nurse as much as you are now so basically this week all we've done is eat eat eat. So you better gain weight child! We also had to stop your iron supplement because it was making you puke up all over... so maybe that has something to do with it as well? Who knows.

Other Observations/Activities: It is so much harder unpacking a house and sorting through everything with a baby than it is while pregnant. I may have been exhausted while pregnant but I did have all the time in the world. Now its not quite like that. You require demand attention all the time. Sometimes because you want it, others cause you need it, and more often because I need to. Just when you're playing so well by yourself and begin squealing about a toy I have to sit down and play with you. Bad I know buuuut oh well. So in short unpacking which took me two days flat last time is still underway now after a week. We also had our first 4th of July which passed by without too much fuss because we do not, in fact, live in the US and no one here cares about it. So it wasn't much of anything... maybe next year!

Pictures From This Week:

 

Week Twenty Six (6 Months)

Age today: 26 weeks and exactly 6 months!

Age Being Posted: Weeks 25-26

Date: June 16 - 22

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Photo of the Week: Looking So Grown Up!

Milestones: Nothing new this week but check out the milestones page for those already passed


Development: Every time I look at you I can't help but think how grown up you are getting. It seems like you are less of a baby and more of a toddler. I love it but at the same time it's sad. I'm going to miss the baby days! But everyday that passes you learn a little more and get a little more active and vocal about what you like and what you don't like. I'm learning to love every moment because you sure keep mom on her toes!


Concerns:I'm just worried that when we go to the doctor you won't have gained as much weight as she wants you too or how much you SHOULD. I feel like your growing and passing milestones... but I'm so worried about it


Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 3 hours, rice cereal or veggies twice a day at 10am and 5pm

Sleeping Habits:Great night sleep and great naps... pretty soon I'm going to stop feeding you at night at all but I'm waiting to see your weight gain this week


Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: We were in such a hurry to go to Calacali so we put you in your pack n play so we could finish backing and both dadas and I were SO surprised when you just chatted away in there, screaming happily as we passed by running to get everything ready. It was so cute and so helpful!
Worst: In Calacali we didn't take the pack and play and just had you sleep between us. AWFUL idea. You woke up every 45 minutes wanting to play. NEVER again.

Other Observations/Activities: Well you celebrated you first official fathers day! You didn't give your dadas such a great one when you woke up 10 times at night and then were awake for the day at 530. Other than that it was really nice. We spent the week packing because we're moving at the end of the month. We've been playing and you spend a lot of your day just sitting up. I never let you on the floor because we have tile and when you want a toy out of reach you have no problem just throwing yourself to it so I only sit you up when I'm sitting there with you just in case. We went to Calacali and I'm certain (not that I doubted it before) you just don't like people. You get really mad when there are too many, even if they aren't paying attention to you. You just like to be with a few and better if you know them. But more than 2 or 3 forget it!


Pictures From This Week:

 

Week Twenty Five

Age today: 25 weeks

Age Being Posted: Weeks 24-25

Date: June 9 - 15

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Photo of the Week:

Milestones: Sitting on her own!

Development: You just went through a growth spurt. Im assuming your 6 month growth spurt where you woke up 3 times at night STARVING. But that's over and your waking up once again. You put your butt up in the air and try moving your arms and legs but end up going no where. This frustrates you to no end! You spend most of your day rolling to your tummy and practicing this which during diaper changes frustrates ME to no end. You have also began to sit on your own! Sometimes you still fall to the side bit more often than not you catch yourself and sit back up! Too cute!

Concerns: Weight gain

Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 3 hours, rice cereal or veggies twice a day at 8am and 5pm

Sleeping Habits: Most this week you woke up 2-3 times to eat at night but now are back to once. Your naps are much better!

Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: I wad lifting up your shirt to kiss your side and found out your ticklish now.
Worst: playing in the sink you turned on the faucet and were soaked with cold water!

Other Observations/Activities: This week we didn't do much. We started solids twice a day which you love. I worry its too much because of how everyone says milk is the most important but you still nurse 6-8 times a day so I'm sure it's ok. We had our first fathers day... not a real one.. that's today but we celebrated because dadas has to help someone move tomorrow. We got him a card with your handprints and a t-shirt that says Best. Dad. Ever. It's pretty fun. Then we went to Calacali and spent the day with the dads of your dads side of the family. You met your cousin (again, though I'm sure you didn't remember!) who was born the same very day you were. He is HUGE compared to you BUT I'm not so worried because you can sit up on your own which means you a meeting milestones, having enough diapers, and are always alert and happy so you must just be destined to be small.

 

Photos From This Week:

   

 

 

Week Twenty Four

Age today: 24 weeks or 161 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 23-24 or Days 161-167

Date: June 2 - 8

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3, 3-6, 6

Size:
Weight: 12 lbs 2 oz
Height: 63.5 cm
Head C.: 41 cm

Photo of the Week: Here she looks exactly like her cousin Vincent

 

Milestones:

Development: You are vocal and let everyone know what you like and most definitely what you don't. You get angry at your toys when they don't do exactly what you want them to. You roll over from your back your tummy ALL THE TIME now. You know how to roll back bit don't do it very often. Maybe its harder? This has seeped into nap times and you wake yourself up doing it. On tor stomach you lift your butt in the air but can't figure out how to actually moveand this makes you furious

Concerns: Your weight gain is slow now and you've dropped percentiles. The doctor said she'd hoped you would gain more but we shouldn't worry.

Eating Habits: Breastmilk every 3 hours, rice cereal once a day at 10am

Sleeping Habits: Well you are still waking up at least once a night. Sometimes twice. I know your hungry so I feed you. Naps are better some days. Sometimes they are worse than the used to be. I think you still NEED a 3rd nap but you refuse to take one so I'm trying to see if 2-3-4 nap routine will work for you.

Health: Healthy

Special Moments-
Best: You cuddled with me in the morning. Dad brought you into me as he was getting ready for work and you just laid there with me in the nook of my arm.
Worst: You fell out of your swing!

This Weeks Doctor Visit: We went to your 5 month checkup this month. Things were the same as always. She asked about your routine and milestones you should have passed. Everything was normal. She was still amazed at all you could do. She measured your length and head and weight. I was very disappointed in the weighing and also now very concerned. She told us it might just be her actual percentile since she had gone up quite a few from birth. She sent us to start solid food. 3 times a day but I think it's too much so next week I'll start 2 but I won't do 3 until shes around 7 months. At least. We then got a vaccine since we split them up so you wouldn't have all them at the same time. And of course you cried : (

Other Observations/Activities:  This week we continued our house hunt. We found two that we like for opposite reasons. One the house was huge and amazing but in an awful neighborhood. The other one was a okay house in an okay neighborhood. So we picked that one. We can go anytime between the 15-30. So well get packed up and move!

You also fell out of your swing! I turned away to rinse of some dishes and you started crying (not even hard) and I told you to hold on one second but when I turned you were on the floor! It was so awful!

You also went to the doctor this week, as mentioned above. The vaccine didn't cause much of a fever this time! Your leg hurt a lot but besides that everything was just fine.

Pictures From This Week:

25 Things To Do With A 5 Month Old

Everyday I get up with Em at about 6:50 am. She is probably awake around 6:30 but my legs won't budge until closer to 7 and she usually talks to herself for awhile so I take that time to get a few more minutes of rest.

As I shuffle across the hall I think about the day ahead of me wondering what we'll do.

Its not always the easiest thing to figure out because the little ones get bored so easily but here are a few things we usually do during the day...

1. Tummy time: Em loves being on her tummy now. She rolls over almost instantly when I put her down.

2. Talking: This is usually something we do when I'm busy doing something else. I sit her somewhere and we jabber back and forth. But we do this almost always, whether one on one or from a far.

3. Play in the Grass: Em loves feeling it ob her toes and in her hands and sometimes in her mouth!

4. Walk Outside: She loves being outside in general. I'll take her for a quick walk in neither the strolled or wrap but holding her and point out things like trees and the sky. If we walk in the sun I'll tell her that's why its warm, if the wind blows I let her know. She's very alert outside like she's soaking in everything.

5. Dancing in the Kitchen: When she's in a bad mood this usually cheers her up. I pick her up and we twirl around the room for awhile listening to (moms) favorite songs.

6. Singing: I have a terrible voice but she doesn't seem to mind much. I sing everything. What's on the radio. Children songs like the itsy bitsy spider or wheels on the bus. Or something I've made up.

7. Airplane: we do takeoff and landing. Sometimes even crash landing!

8. Peek-a-boo: She just started to really enjoy this.

9. Piggies: You know "this little piggy went to market..."

10. Mirror Talk: She adores the baby in the mirror. She tries to grab her and hug her but always ends up bumping her head. Go figure!

11. I got you!: I usually do this after I clean a dirty diaper before I button her onesie and before/after a bath. I say i got you and blow raspberries on her tummy. She cracks up every time.

12. Play the Guitar: I try to show her some of the cords for fun but most of the time we end up just fooling around and beating on it like a drum.

13. Yarn: I give her yarn to run through her hands. Don't ask why but she gets so excited about it.

14. Reading: This we do before bedtime and naps! She has one book she adores called shoe-la-la

15. Face/hand exploration: I get really close to her and let her play with my ears nose cheeks etc. Or I give her my hand and she checks it out and stuffs it in her mouth.

16. Kitty: She loves penny our cat. She gets so excited with her just walking past her. If penny agrees I let Em pet her making sure she doesn't grab and pull.

17. Chores: This activity usually depends on the chore. When I make my bed I cover her up in blankets. While I'm doing laundry I pass her some clothes and tell her to fold them. She usually ends up sticking them in her mouth instead. When doing dishes I name off the items I'm washing while she sits in her swing. It usually takes longer than it would without her but that way during naps I get to write instead of clean. Plus she enjoys it!

18. Snuggle time: This only happens after she eats. She's already in my lap and in a good mood so we cuddle for a few minutes (sometimes only seconds, others as much as 10 min) until she's done and wants to play.

19. Sink time: I turn on the faucet and hold her as she plays in the water.

20. Making a racket: I give her toys (or plastic kitchenware) and let her bang them together. To be honest I'm usually the one who bangs them. She mostly mouths them.

21. Picture Time: I live about 3000 miles away from my family so I show her pictures of her aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins so she know who they are.

22. Mimics: I try to mimic her sounds and facial expressions.

23. Cook Together: When she's in the mood I'll set her up in her swing or car seat and we chatter while I cook. I let her see what ingredients im using. I let her feel the fruit or the veggies. I show her the meats and the utensils I'm using. If however she's in a bad mood I'll put her in the carrier except for when I need to be by the stove.

24. Bouncing/walking: She pulls up to a standing and tries to walk around my lap or bounces up and down. She loves to be in motion!

25. Alone time (supervised): Some time playing by herself is also needed. I get a few things done I can't do with her and she rolls around on the floor talking to her stuffed animals or bitting on her toys or playing with her toes.

What do you and your LOs do??

Week Twenty Three

Age today: 22 weeks or 161 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 22-23 or Days 154-160

Date: May 26- June 1

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing Size: 3 months and 3-6 months, First time wearing 6 months!

Photo of the Week: Solid Food!

Milestones: Nothing new this week. See milestone page. (or does eating solid food count as a milestone? hmmm...)

Development: You're growing so much. You hold on to me now and continue to talk and razz. You flip over constantly and try very hard to get your stomach muscles to work so you can sit but you still need my hands to pull you up. You sit in your highchair without any problems. You sit very well supported but still can't do it alone for very long. A few seconds and you topple over.

Concerns: I'm worried you aren't gaining weight like you should...

Eating Habits: 3-31/2 hours, on Saturday (yesterday) you tried you very first bite of rice cereal!

Sleeping Habits: Basically 7-3 or 4, then 6 or 7. 3 naps ranging in length usually between 45-1.15 but one day you did take a 2 hour nap. It was crazy!

Health: Great

Special Moments-
Best: Two hour nap!
Worst: I put the activity center on the floor and you banged your head because there was no blanket underneath!

Other Observations/Activities:  This week we have started the search for a new house once again. Our landlord wants to raise the rent and it's not worth what she's asking for so we're leaving. We've seen two places so far. Both bigger than where we arr now and the rent is the same or lower. So we'll see. We've started packing too. Last year we did it all it two nights but now that we have you that's not possible.  On Saturday you ate solid food for the first time! And loved it! Dadas was so afraid of giving it to you but it was a hit!

Pictures From This Week: Sorry there are so many but I couldn't choose!




I love the last one. It's like  "but... where did the food go?"