BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[kirsten1985]

Mm croissant...

Freya is poorly, had a high temp and was being sick overnight, she has had diarrhoea for a week now . Going to take her to docs today see what they say. Hopefully after she is over it (whatever it is) she will start eating better again! Shame it's today, I had to take a day off work and it's my first week back! Not good.

Glad to see Aisling ate loads, lol, they're funny aren't they.

 

[Eala]

Hi ladies, can I jump in here?

My daughter is only 4 months old, so weaning is hopefully a while away yet I love what I've read about BLW though, and even just going by my LO's personality, I'm hoping it will work well. She is so independent even now, she's already trying to grab her bottle off me but it's too heavy

I've ordered the Gill Rapley book (should get it today, so excited!). I'm hoping that the book will give me some ideas on how to shut up the naysayers who think I'm crazy. But I thought I'd ask people who are actually doing BLW how they personally have dealt with those who think BLW is daft - particularly family!

I explained a bit of the reasoning behind BLW (from what I've understood from posts on here) to my parents, and my Dad was sort of "Well, sounds odd, but if it works for you...". But my Mum was all "OMG she'll choke, you can't give her X, Y, Z, she'll need baby rice soon..." and so on and so forth. My LO isn't even draining 6oz bottles yet, I hardly think she needs baby rice When I mentioned just letting her scoop up scrambled eggs with her hands, my parents just about fainted

So yerse, apart from coming out with some variation of "My baby, my way", is there a more diplomatic way that you ladies have found to get your point across?

Really looking forward to joining in properly at some point

 

[diz]

Noah has been on solids for 3 weeks (under Dr and HV recommendations...wish i never started but thats a different story)..... he has two small meals a day, offered after a BF. He takes food well, i don't trick him in to eating any more then he wants. We both hold the spoon and he guides it into his mouth. He will hold small plums and pear chunks and eat them.

I have always wanted to do BLW and was wondering if i should just start now? I didn't know if Noah would be confused and would be more likely to choke?

I am currently reading gill and tracys BLW book ( it arrived yesterday so i've only red the first few chapters)

thanks

 

[NIfirsttimer]

for me, it was a case of sticking to my guns and waiting for them to SEE her in action... which mean 2 months of listening to it, but now they cant say much as they can see shes thriving, and people cant help be impressed when they see her feeding herself so well....
so i think you pretty much just have to do the 'my baby my way' thing for a while first!

 

[Lu28]

Welcome Eala,good to have you here!

Diz, my LO started off on purees on doctors orders and I too wish I'd ignored the advice now but hindsight is great I made the switch fulltime to BLW at 7 months and it was absolutely fine. I doubt there'll be any confusion or risk of choking, just keep up with the finger foods too

 

[diz]

thanks Lu.... do you think i could start him on finger foods now...carrot and broccoli etc... have a couple on his high chair tray to play with whilst im feeding him his mush?

 

[TigerLady]

Diz, I started super simple BLW way early with Otter as he was showing all the signs of being ready and wouldn't be put off a moment longer.

I would say the main parts: Make sure he is ready, especially when it comes to sitting up on his own. That is the most important bit to prevent choking. If he is ready, then doing really basic stuff like steamed carrot or fruit sticks once a day won't do any harm IMO. Just let him play with them, don't encourage him to eat them, and he will in his own time.

Just curious... if you don't agree with weaning him right now, why don't you stop? You can go back to EBF until 6 months...

Eala, I agree NI. Itw as a matter of just saying, this is how we are doing it, then sticking to that. Within about 2 months at most (and only a few weeks of a full BLW 3 meals per day) everyone that ever doubted had come around. They are now amazed at how well Otter eats. And the variety he eats. This concept is VERY forgien to the older generations and it takes seeing it work before they relent and understand.

As far as being diplomatic, just tell them respected organizations (such as WHO) recommend only milk for 6 months. There is no real nutrition in things like rice cereal, so milk is actually MUCH better for them. And spoon feeding actually makes choking more likely (despite it being mush) because the baby has no control and tends to suck stuff straight back instead of biting and chewing.

So, considering all that, this is how you want to do things and feel it will be better for your baby. And could mum please try to understand and respect that. Then promise she will be amazed in a couple of months when LO is an excellent eater.

My friend who TW her 10 month old, is absolutely dumbstruck by the fact that we go out to eat and I order off the kid's menu for my 6 month old.

 

[Eala]

Thank you guys, some fantastic advice there It's really helped to know that the doubters you've encountered have come round

Really looking forward to trying this when Romilly is ready for it

 

[Lucy_lu_84]

Lucy, sounds like a daddy's boy, daddy might have to take over one of your tasks from now on!

Would save me a job

Today was much better, he ate porridge...wouldn't use the loaded spoon but wolfed it down with his fingers Lunch time he ate a pancake and a cheese string... he has a new trick. Putting the food in his mouth then blowing a raspberry and laughing! Little monkey.
For dinner he hate sweet potoato and parsnip mash and a wrap. He wouldn't eat with his fingers but ate off the loaded spoon. He ate it all, then ate a whole fruit pot yoghurt thing. So loads today! I don't get it! lol


Lu looks like our babies decided to eat again!

 

[Lucy_lu_84]

TL: I order off kids menu to for Joshua...it makes lie so easy when out

 

[Lu28]

Diz, I agree with TL's advice so won't bother writing it again!

Lucy, Aisling is still eating better, however she's now picking up food, looking me in the eye and deliberately dropping it on the ground Cheeky mare!

 

[Tacey]

Eek. I'm looking for some reassurance! We aren't going for full BLW yet, I thought I'd wait until 6 months but Alice is eating sticks of fruit and veg most days. Yesterday I gave her some sweet potato and she choked. She gagged first then sort of inhaled it and went very red. She was very quiet then sort of spluttered and I saw the bit of food shoot to the front of her mouth. She chewed it a bit more and swallowed but then lost interest in any of the food in front of her and cried. It was really horrible. I know she's going to have to deal with proper food at some point, but I'm really nervous about giving her food she can take chunks out of again. Is it an indication I should wait a couple more weeks?

Also, a bit of tmi, but how on earth do they manage to poo such huge chunks of food?! I couldn't believe her nappy this morning!

 

[Lucy_lu_84]

Lu, glad aisling is still eating better joshua loves to drop food over the side of highchair and then peer at it, before Dog wolfs it up! lol

 

[Lu28]

Lu, glad aisling is still eating better joshua loves to drop food over the side of highchair and then peer at it, before Dog wolfs it up! lol

I'm now making the dogs lie down in another room so I can pick it up off the floor and give it back to her before they get to it!

 

[Elliebank]

Hi girls.

Katie had chilli con carne the other night but I was a bit wary about giving her the kidney beans as wasn't sure if they were a choking hazard? In the end I squished them so she could have them. Was I being over cautious?

 

[Lu28]

Tacey, sorry you had a scare

To be honest, none of the food we offer Aisling now would be any more of a hazard than a sweet potato chunk. Maybe steer clear of the harder things like apples and pears etc and just bake them if you offer so they're softer.

Did you take the skin off? I guess the softer it is, the easier it'll be.

Have you got the BLW book? I can't remember if there's any advice in there about this but mine's under Aisling's cot so I'm not risking it!

 

[Lu28]

Hi girls.

Katie had chilli con carne the other night but I was a bit wary about giving her the kidney beans as wasn't sure if they were a choking hazard? In the end I squished them so she could have them. Was I being over cautious?

I guess maybe cut them in half? With things like grapes, it's the shape that makes them a choking hazard.

 

[Elliebank]

I guess maybe cut them in half? With things like grapes, it's the shape that makes them a choking hazard.

That's what I did at first, but then was looking at them still wondering if they'd be dangerous as I don't know how big Katie's windpipe is!!

 

[Lu28]

If you feel more comfortable smushing them then no harm done!

 

[cleckner04]

Tacey- I know just how you feel. Emma choked on bits of apple a few days ago and it gave me quite the scare even though she got it back up on her own. I have decided if I try apple again I will just bake it as the other girls suggested. Perhaps you can do the same with a sweet potato? I hope this doesn't completely put you off on the idea of BLW. I am still giving it a shot even after our incident.