BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[dom85]

Thanks Claire, Kiddicare have always been good when I've used them before. Did you bother with the table mat thing?

Not sure what that is, so I guess not! Ruby just eats straight off the table at the moment.

Haha, it's like a plastic tray that goes on the table instead of the chair but it's £50. I think I'll invest in a nice big floormat instead

 

[TigerLady]

CD, definitely steam or boil veggies to make them a bit softer. They can do amazing things with just their gums, but they still don't have teeth.

 

[TigerLady]

I use a cheapie table cloth on the floor under Otter's chair. Easier to clean and I don't worry that it gets messed up because it is cheap to replace.

 

[CloudyDay]

CloudyDay, you certainly haven't created picky behaviour, but like I did initially, you've got your baby used to handling a limited selection of foods which he will of course go for over other unfamiliar foods because he knows them.

I had to limit bread and toast to one meal because it was all Ruby knew how to eat. She'd eat it no matter what I put on it, but ignored most other foods. Luckily I stopped this before she was eating large amounts, so she could learn to eat other things without going hungry. Don't worry!

Thanks M2BC! I feel less badly about myself, knowing I'm not the only one who did that! My little guy loves his rice rusks so much that he will also eat them no matter what I put on it! Good trick for getting more variety into his tum tum if he gets into a "favourite foods only" phase again!

I had time to read more of the BLW book. One part discussed this "food fads" issue. The book suggests that babies may sometimes go on these food fads because they instinctively know that their body needs more of a certain nutrient at certain times (e.g. more fat during cold weather); or, to avoid certain foods and it turns out later that they are allergic to them. Oh boy... talk about adding more challenge to BLWing! I'm going to have to be more careful now about my DS's food fads phases to figure out exactly what's going on!

CD, definitely steam or boil veggies to make them a bit softer. They can do amazing things with just their gums, but they still don't have teeth.

Yes, I was seeing him chew foods w/ his gums that I wouldn't have expected! So I just thought, "Let's give him a new texture to try!" You live and you learn!!

 

[CloudyDay]

I use a cheapie table cloth on the floor under Otter's chair. Easier to clean and I don't worry that it gets messed up because it is cheap to replace.

Great idea! This is what I started w/. Then, I got a nice thick oil cloth and I'm absolutely loving it!! It's sooo easy to wipe clean because the food doesn't stick too much to it... even stubborn dried food comes off easily after soaking it for a few seconds!

 

[Shiv]

Hi everyone, Sophia is going great guns with BLW and her nappies although no weher near "proper" poo certainly have a high food content!!

Problem today is that I gave Sophia some raw tomato for the first time and almost instantly her face around her mouth and cheeks went bright red, they stayed this way for hours. She really liked the tomato and had no other ill affects (although I keep going up to check she is still breathing!). DO you think she is allergic to raw tomato?

Cloudyday - I think limiting the pear and apple to once a day is a grand idea, he will get used to the other flavours and start eating anything soon

 

[joeyjo]

Raw tomato is quite acidic so it may just be a reaction to that rather than an allergy; George loves it but does go a bit red so I always offer it at the end if a meal and then rinse his face with loads of water. He has less problems with cherry tomatos as he puts a whole half in and dribbles lessjuice then with wedges of bigger toms.

 

[Lucy_lu_84]

My Lo got a really red face first times he had tomato! Doesn't seem to bad now

 

[Vici]

Very quick question girls - Imi was back tucking into her tea last night after being poorly and she was doing really well. Towards the end I could hear her making lots of swallowing noises. Is this just her learning or did she have something in there that wouldn't go down?

 

[TigerLady]

I think tomato making their cheeks red is common at first. If it breaks out in a rash, causes them to rash on their bums when they poo, or causes stomach cramps/diarrhea it is more likely allergy related.

Vici -- I dunno? Hard to say, I think. Could be either. But as long as she wasn't choking/retching on it, then she was managing and learning regardless.

 

[Babyshambelle]

Hiya girlies! Just popping in! (as I do now and then )

Hope all your bubs are doing well....there are soooo many new faces Liv has had a wobble recently with poorly teeth and a nasty cold, but she seems back on track, apart from she had really started wanting yoghurt and cheese loads and loads.

She will eat other foods, but as soon as I get a yoghurt out, she makes lip smacking movements (that look like 'kisses' ) and just scoffs loads and loads and loads and crys when she has finished a pot I don't like to offer her too much, and try to stick to one a day, but I fear it is because my milk supply is running a little lower than I would like due to the pregnancy (how is your supply doing TL?) and she isn't getting as much milk/calcium as she needs/wants. She also eats tonnes of cheese, and again I have to put a limit on how much I give her because of the salt. I know limiting foods isn't the 'idea' of BLW, but am I doing the right thing here?

Also, I can't believe I never invested in a pelican bib earlier The past 3 days I've used it and I have barely had to clear anything off the floor...a blessing since in getting a huge preggy belly again! At tea tonight, she even pulled a bit of tomato out of it herself that she must have been saving for later and scoffed it inbetween mouthfuls of yoghurt

xxx

 

[candyfloss]

Good days and bad days for us now! He's been teething a bit I think and wanting the comfort of BFing more than solids which means he's not been very interested at meal times which is slightly frustrating seeing how good we were doing a few days ago, but I guess this is the essence of BLW - they decide how much to eat and when!

Still struggle some days with fitting in solids with BF and naps (as someone else posted earlier I think?), as sometimes there isn't enough gap between BF and solids, but trying to have some routine of solid lunch being around 12-1 and tea at 4-5.....and then juggling it all with actually leaving the house, well, there's a challenge some days!

Moan over, off in a min to heat up the pasta he didn't want to share with me yesterday! OH cooking a stew for our tea tonight to share
xxx
Babyshambelle - William LOVES yoghurt! Not tried cheese yet (it gives me migraines so holding off till we've seen specialist end of the month about W's egg allergy to see if its ok to try) but if he's like he's dad he'll be a cheese fiend too!

 

[craftymum]

we're going to start BLW soon, I offered Jacob some banana yesterday and carrot today today just to see what he made of it all, he made the funniest face when the banana hit his mouth and then threw it on the floor, with the carrot he just chucked it on the floor and wasn't really that interested. Does this mean it's still a wee bit early and he's maybe just not quite ready yet?

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

we're going to start BLW soon, I offered Jacob some banana yesterday and carrot today today just to see what he made of it all, he made the funniest face when the banana hit his mouth and then threw it on the floor, with the carrot he just chucked it on the floor and wasn't really that interested. Does this mean it's still a wee bit early and he's maybe just not quite ready yet?

Ruby did that at each meal for several weeks (we started at 6 months exactly)
It could mean he's not quite ready, or just isn't bothered. There's no harm at this point in giving him a piece of veg etc while you're eating though. If he manages to eat the food, he's ready.

 

[craftymum]

Thanks, I'll just leave it a few days and maybe try some broccoli or something

 

[CloudyDay]

I'm back again! Things have been going quite well now that I've relaxed my rigid hangups. DS is getting more variety at his meals and takes in more of the food at most meals.

I'm nearly done reading the BLW book. There's a few things that are nagging at me but I'll just ask about the most pressing one: I find it difficult enough to juggle bottle feeds with the meals (if I feed a bottle too close to a meal, DS is not hungry enough to have much interest in his solids yet don't want to feed solids first then the bottle... he's still too little for that). Breakfast is the one meal that is never consistent... sometimes we have it, sometimes we don't. Mornings are just so packed full and short that we can't always make time for breakfast.

When I do make time for breakfast, we eat what I normally eat for my breakfast - yoghurt. It's an easy, quick, nutritious breakfast. I also throw in some Nutrios for DS to go w/ his yoghurt but that's all he's been getting for all his breakfasts (when we do have them).

I know the book says to try not to feed the same foods all the time. I know that variety is so much healthier but the reality is, I don't have time in the mornings to offer variety! It's already enough to make lunch and dinner different!!

What do you all do about breakfasts?? Is it okay for DS to only eat yoghurt/nutrios at every breakfast??

 

[TigerLady]

Otter gets yogurt or applesauce (usually yogurt) for breakfast 5 days a week. It is a time management thing. On daycare days, I don't have the time to do a proper big BLW brekkie and still get us to daycare and work on time! I vary the flavor of yogurt and he LOVES it, so I figure that has to be good enough. He's had blueberry, peach, cherry, strawberry and loved them all so far. On the weekends I try to do a bigger, varied BLW breakfast. Last weekend we had pancakes with applesauce on them one morning and that was a hit.

BabyS, I am having the same struggles with my milk. It has really decreased in supply since getting pg and is on a downward trend again. Otter loves dairy, too, but I don't think it is related to less milk. I think it is just his taste preferences. He loves cheese and yogurt (as mentioned above). I try to limit the cheese to a few times per week at most.

I also try to sneak dairy in other ways. I add a milk (almond, goats, rice, etc) to eggs when I scramble them. He loves those. I also had milk to mashed potatoes when I mash them. Or sauces or gravies when I cook. Any place I can think to sneak a bit of extra dairy in.

But, like I said, I think it is just his taste preferences. I, too, am a MEGA dairy eater! (When I am not lactose intolerant due to pg! )

 

[candyfloss]

Yay to Williams first solid poo! Confirmation he really is doing 'proper' eating!!!!!!!

Thats all

 

[TigerLady]

Isn't it crazy how happy we get over solid poos?!

Way to go William!!

 

[special_kala]

Can i come in or will i get told off for starting to early