Baby frustrated with BLW

[wish4baby]

When I put food on my LOs tray, she tries to pick it up for a bit (& is successful sometimes) but if it's hard to get to her mouth, she screams for me to feed it to her. She gets so frustrated when she can't feed herself fast enough.
She has trouble with small things, as she's 6.5 months - mashed peas, beans, etc & slippery things, like a peach slice...she will just stop trying to get it and scream until I pick it up. Then she just sits with her mouth open or grabs my hand and brings it to her mouth.

Ideas to make it easier??? I know BLW is ll about letting them feed themselves, but that just doesn't happen most of the time...

I've tried nursing her beforehand, so it's not like she's starving or anything lol!

 

[JessesGirl29]

My son gets like this too.... We started off with baby cereal with the advice of a nutritionist at my dr.'s office advice to make sure that he gets adequate iron (she said between 6-7 months is key) and then I wanted to do baby led weaning for the rest of it. He likes playing with the food and eating stuff he can get a handle on like apple slices but then he gets frustrated. Sometimes I'll even just come over with a spoon and feed him the smooshed up food on a spoon and he seems to prefer it.
I'm going with him and offer him mushed up 'whole' foods with a spoon as well as finger foods. It's not straight BLW but I'm being baby led by doing what my baby wants. I think he's more excited about tastes then feeding himself right now and the novelty will wear off and he'll want to feed himself soon enough.

 

[steph.]

Both of mine have been like this. I just followed their lead. BLW is a nice idea but I don't think it works for every baby. I spoon-fed and gave them some food to play with, on some days they were very keen to be fed and on others they would reject the spoon and want to feed themselves.

 

[noon_child]

I guess I'd just try non-slippery things for a while or bigger pieces? Like maybe half a peach rather than a slice - then she can grab with both hands. Or a whole banana etc.. Or, if it is sliced, put it in to a more upright container so it isn't sliding on a flat side and getting 'stuck' to the tray/plate.

You'll be amazed how quickly a blw baby 'gets' their thumb and finger grip. I bet in two weeks time she'll be able to pick up nearly everything!!

I also don't think there is anything wrong with handing your baby a piece of food from time to time if it is a bit tricky. What she then tries to do with it is still her choice.

 

[MindUtopia]

You just need to start off with things she can easily pick up, like toast fingers, plain pasta or roasted veg sticks. Avoid the slippery stuff and anything requiring a pincer grip (peas, beans, berries) til shes more skilled. My daughter couldn't pick up a pea until probably 8 months. We just stuck to what she could handle until she was more ready.

 

[petersmamma]

I had a similar problem and I happened to find out about the Food Feeder from the blog I Love You More Than Carrots. My LO didn't have that much trouble holding onto the handles and the cleanup is easier than the mesh feeders. LO loves the Banana Cado recipe. Hope this helps!

 

[wish4baby]

Thanks!
I will definitely look into the food feeder, maybe even those mesh bags. I've seen them, but never even considered it, I don't know why...
We've been doing a mix and she is getting better every day yesterday, she had a spear of zucchini to hold/munch while I gave her some mushed apple & spinach on a spoon. I alternated helping her & just handing her the loaded spoon lol
She seemed to be very content with this method, thankfully!

 

[petersmamma]

That's great!! I do like the Food Feeders better than the mesh ones because they're easier to clean.