I'm a fan of the concept of baby-led weaning, that is to say, you wait until the baby is about 6 months old and then skip the whole puree stage and just give them finger foods and foods they can eat by themselves and they take it from there, catching up quickly to eating whatever the rest of the family is eating. Years ago my younger sister, not yet weaned and left for a moment alone near a large bowl of roast potatoes, started enthusiastically stuffing them in her mouth - job done. So we were all set to go down that route until we were 'led' in a different direction.
The appalling sleep was really getting to me - after sleeping beautifully our baby suddenly started waking every two hours, all night long. I felt like a zombie, cried when I woke up in the morning. But the baby led weaning book was adamant that this was not a sign that the baby was hungry and should move on to solids. My older sister, with two children (both good eaters) of her own, had a different opinion. She took one look at the dark circles under my eyes and said, "Feed him." "Oh no," I protested. "Baby-led weaning and blah blah blah." She nodded kindly at the explanations and said, "Feed him."
The next day he was booked to see the osteopath. Before going I sat eating a Petit Filou with the baby on my knee. I offered him the loaded spoon to smell, as I do with most foods. Usually he would smell it and look slightly perplexed. This time, he grabbed the spoon and stuck it in his mouth, made a few grimaces at the unusual flavours and opened his mouth for more. I gaped at him but we were late and had to leave the house.
The osteopath was very kind and gentle, with an array of interesting baby toys (including one whose giraffe-like neck you yank so it sings a song, an ironic toy for an osteopath to possess). He asked lots of questions, examined my baby with great care and in the end sat back and smiled. "He's fine from my point of view," he said. "He has a perfect skull and excellent digestion. Feed him."
I know when to give in. I went and bought baby rice. At home, I tentatively offered the portion I had mixed up. He wolfed it down without hesitation. When my husband came home ten minutes later I made another portion just so he could see him eat a mouthful. "He's probably full now and won't want it," I warned. He gobbled the whole second portion. The next day he was more jolly than the last couple of weeks. That night, with food during the day again, he slept like a log.
And that was it. He's back to good sleeping, managing five or six hours at a stretch like he used to. He eats willingly and has so far swallowed everything including a broccoli/pear/pea mix which my husband and I were dubious about. It's like watching a new dawn - only sleeping through it, which is much better.
I feel a lot less sleep deprived. And a numbskull for holding out.
The appalling sleep was really getting to me - after sleeping beautifully our baby suddenly started waking every two hours, all night long. I felt like a zombie, cried when I woke up in the morning. But the baby led weaning book was adamant that this was not a sign that the baby was hungry and should move on to solids. My older sister, with two children (both good eaters) of her own, had a different opinion. She took one look at the dark circles under my eyes and said, "Feed him." "Oh no," I protested. "Baby-led weaning and blah blah blah." She nodded kindly at the explanations and said, "Feed him."
The next day he was booked to see the osteopath. Before going I sat eating a Petit Filou with the baby on my knee. I offered him the loaded spoon to smell, as I do with most foods. Usually he would smell it and look slightly perplexed. This time, he grabbed the spoon and stuck it in his mouth, made a few grimaces at the unusual flavours and opened his mouth for more. I gaped at him but we were late and had to leave the house.
The osteopath was very kind and gentle, with an array of interesting baby toys (including one whose giraffe-like neck you yank so it sings a song, an ironic toy for an osteopath to possess). He asked lots of questions, examined my baby with great care and in the end sat back and smiled. "He's fine from my point of view," he said. "He has a perfect skull and excellent digestion. Feed him."
I know when to give in. I went and bought baby rice. At home, I tentatively offered the portion I had mixed up. He wolfed it down without hesitation. When my husband came home ten minutes later I made another portion just so he could see him eat a mouthful. "He's probably full now and won't want it," I warned. He gobbled the whole second portion. The next day he was more jolly than the last couple of weeks. That night, with food during the day again, he slept like a log.
And that was it. He's back to good sleeping, managing five or six hours at a stretch like he used to. He eats willingly and has so far swallowed everything including a broccoli/pear/pea mix which my husband and I were dubious about. It's like watching a new dawn - only sleeping through it, which is much better.
I feel a lot less sleep deprived. And a numbskull for holding out.
No comments:
Post a Comment