BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

has anyone started weaning before 6 months old? and when we are advised 6 months does that mean calander months or 24 weeks? also when did you start offering water in a cup?
I have not started anything yet and LO is sleeping through the night still but he is starting to show more and more interest when we are eating, he has 2 teeth and can sit unsupported. He is also very good at putting things into his mouth!

BLW is meant to be started properly from after 6 months (calendar months). Because it's all about eating as a family and giving LO what you are having and pre-6months you are limited to basically only being able to give fruit and veg.

We started using a sippy cup from about 5 months. Just didn't give too much water as I didn't want her being full and going off her milk.

If you can wait till 6 months to start properly, I would. It's so much easier when you don't have to think about what you are/aren't allowed to give (there are a few exceptions) You could try practising in a couple of weeks with fruit/veg sticks to see how LO gets on.

We initially started at 6 months, but LO wasn't really ready, so we didn't start properly until about 3/4 weeks later.

x

We started a week before and as Blondey says, took it really slowly with fruit and veg. I did start touching food to her lips just over 5 months though, for her to lick/taste but nothing went in as I held it.

We offered the sippy from 6 months, and we have a free flow, took a while but she is brilliant with it now, looks really grown up! I only offer water with lunch and dinner, not breakfast.

We let Maria play with fruit and veg from 5 and a half months and introduced cups around the same time.

anyone doing anything special for Halloween? I was thinking something with pumpkin like risotto and some apple and spent biscuits cut into shapes. Maybe with some natural food dye for goo and blood but can't think of an appropriate icing substitute.

Hi everyone,

I've embarked on the messy vomit-filled world of BLW - it would be great to chat with other mums who have just started too!

Ethan is 6 and a half months and will stuff into his mouth broccoli, toast, dried apricots, organic rice cakes (apple flavour and carrot & tomato flavour), banana (although he seems to prefer chewing the stalk! - ).

He has been putting various things in his mouth for ages and so seems to be already chewing most of the food he is given rather than sucking it and spitting it out. Problem is that a lot of the time he gags, and more often than not he'll end up vomiting up the milk he has just drunk as well as the food that he is gagging on. Is it normal to bring up milk a lot at the beginning? I wouldn't mind but it's so bloody messy!! All down his front, on his legs, the highchair and the cushion that he sits on to make him big enough for the highchair.

Really hope that this passes soon!

Looking forward to swapping news and tips and hearing how the new BLW-ers are getting on

Vee

xx

I think it's normal. Well, I hope so because mine does it with certain foods.

With the rice cakes, does your baby suck them until they become squishy? Because mine just goes straight for chewing and coughs and chucks over them. She loved the taste and reaches for them everytime we are eating one but it freaks me out so I have stopped giving them.

Right now, the only food going into her tummy is banana. I can see it in her poo on the days she eats it.

She has been trying food every couple of days. It's good because I get to see her having fun but she is still being nourished by milk so I haven't needed to pack anything on days that we go out.

We have started in the last couple of days. I offer him food at breakfast time and then depending on what we are doing for the rest of the day he may get offered things at other meals too. I have been giving him my leftoveers from the previous night alongside various fresh veg and fruit. He has been having toast or weetabix for breakfast. I do sometimes give him yoghurt but at the moment I spoon feed that (he has aonly had it a tiny bit).

So far I dont think anything is going onto his tummy but he definitely enjoys playing with the food! He does takes bites and chews but then spits out or gags!!!

Rmar - I think he mainly sucks the rice cakes as they are the flavoured Organix ones, so he's just interested in the apple or carrot & tomato flavour!! He gets really excited when he sees the packet so I know he likes them.

Chocojen - I can't get a spoon anywhere near Ethan's mouth, so porridge etc isn't an option. Although, I did read at the very start of this thread that someone gave toast with porridge on it - might try that! I also read that rolling banana pieces in crushed bread sticks helps LOs hold the banana so it doesn't get too squishy or slip out of little hands. Great idea!

x

Hello girls, trying to do my reading in prep for LO turning 6mths

I wanted to ask if its ok to give LO kinda spicy food? OH and I eat alot of curries, fajitas etc. Will I be ok if its in manageable strips and is it ok to let him try rice straight away? Just worried!