BLS for littlies

[briggsy's girl]

i don't have a small baby, so i may be off track with my answer here - but i will ask - do you offer your DD anything like yogurt? food that is always going to be spoon fed, but isn't puree? we have gone with BLS, but every couple of days DD gets yogurt for dessert. she will continue getting it when she's older, so i don't have a problem offering it (it's not like she will later have to get used to yogurt being a different texture kwim?). we load the spoon and let her feed herself. she gets a bit on her face, but manages to feed herself surprisingly well! same with spag bol and vegie soup (though we put some bread in that sometimes to make it a big chunkier!)

i can only imagine how difficult it would be to be in your situation at the moment. when our kids are involved, the little things (pardon the pun) get to us big time. if you're content that your baby is happy and healthy, then let instinct (not fear) guide you. if you WANT to introduce puree, introduce it - but do it because it's what you want, not because it's what you think will boost DD's weight and keep her from going to the paed kwim? keep long term goals in mind as well as short term hurdles...

[~Kim~]

My little guy is on the 10th percentile, so he is quite little - BUT, he is the same weight and height as my DD at the same age and on the charts in her baby book they are on the 50th percentile - they have changed the charts in the last few years, so on the old BF based charts your DD wouldn't be so 'little'.

I've used BLS with both of mine and initially with DS, when I was getting comments about his size I was paranoid, I have to admit I did try some commercially prepared babyfood. He hated it anyway so I stopped.
He still eats pittance but same as your little girl, he's happy, feeding well and meeting all his milestones.
As long as she's still drinking well, food isn't their main source of nutrition at that age. Stand your ground. YOu are her mum. Some kids are just little.

[allycat06]

I've had exactly the same problem. DS has always been in the 10th percentile for height and weight and we started BLS at 6 months but he wasn't particularly interested. It didn't bother me too much as I knew he still got plenty of BM but then at around 8 months he started losing weight (previously he was going steadily along the 10th %ile line). It was only a little but I couldn't help but doubt myself a bit. I'd always maintained that he is just a small fella who was born a little early, but now that he was losing weight I just couldn't justify relying solely on BLS.

The MCHN was actually always quite supportive of my choices and suggested introducing meat BLS style to put some weight on but DS just couldn't manage it especially as he had no teeth. So I started spoon feeding him one meal a day (mashed or finely chopped) and now his weight has improved greatly.

Now at 10 months we're back on track with BLS, he feeds himself mostly but we have the odd spoon fed meal for yoghurt, porridge etc but I try and encourage him to put the spoon in his mouth. He's still a little guy but very healthy,active and reaching some milestones early etc. The spoon feeding seemed to work as some gentle encouragment to show him that food was more than something to play with.

I'd say go with your instincts on this one, I know how hard it is to stay positive when people always comment on how small your bub is or you see them next to other babies their age, it also doesn't help that MCHN/doctors generalise so much with those graphs that do not take genetics into account. I would have continued with just BLS if DS hadn't started losing weight, I don't regret my decision but I'm so glad we're now back doing things our way!
Good luck

[elliskirsty]

I had a little one who stopped putting weight on between 3-4 months and was seeing a pediatrician for this. He was never concerned with what percentile her weight was in, only that her weight gain was following the curve.

When it came time to start solids, I asked if there was any medical reason for not doing BLS (my MCHN was not really going to be supportive of BLS). Aside from the issues mentioned in Gil Rapleys book, he said only if she stops putting on weight. Milk remained the main food for her. Her weight gain since has been great.

Good luck!

[Daydream Believer]

When DD started BLS she was in the 75 percentile, she went up o the 95th & has since plaeaued (sp?) at the 70th just recently

[Ellee05]

DD is about 10th Percentile for weight and 50th for length and head circumference at her 6month visit. DD was born in the 36th week and the MCHN did say we could choose to wait until her corrected 6 month age. Personally I chose to do BLS as I wanted her to start to get used to food, being small I didn't want to wait and then have her take a while to get it. I have tried some puree but it isn't a success with DD.

IMO I think BLS is best because if she isn't ready to digest the food she won't - her body knows best. Now at almost 8 months she still isn't a big eater and is only just starting to get into food.

Even a paed once said to me "there is a lot to be said for mothers instinct - follow it, you live with your baby, we meet your baby occasionally". So go with what you think best, and remember "food is fun until you're One"

Good luck.

[skybie]

hey hun DD2 is in the 3rd at 6 months too, MCHN suggested to put her on solids but isnt particularly concerned about her weight, she's just a petit little thing! she's never once mentioned seeing a pead because of it.
we've just started solids, she not too keen on being spoon fed but loves when we put fruit in her food pouch, so maybe BLS is something we should look into too

[Early Kids]

Sorry to hear your DD is sick Balmaingal.

Tristan is below the %ile chart, well below it. At 6 months old he was only 5.7kg roughly 700 grams off the bottom of the chart (3rd %ile) At 9 months old he was 7.04kg still roughly 500gm from the bottom of the chart. Interestingly he is smaller than Brendan was at the same age, yet he was twice Brendan's birthweight. Anyway... We have been doing BLS here for around 1-2 months now and he loves it. He is far happier to feed himself. Weight gains have been a little better than what they have been even when he was spoon fed and seemed to eat more!

I think you should trust your instinct. If she is happy and healthy and gaining weight (even if it is not what they want) then that's all that matters. The charts are only a guide

My little guy is on the 10th percentile, so he is quite little - BUT, he is the same weight and height as my DD at the same age and on the charts in her baby book they are on the 50th percentile - they have changed the charts in the last few years, so on the old BF based charts your DD wouldn't be so 'little'.

Boys and girls have different charts. A boy and girl weighing the same will be on different percentiles despite being the same age. My boys have the same charts in their books, from the National Centre of Statistics ... ect year 2000. The chart in my book is pretty much inline with the WHO charts.