BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[TigerLady]

Re: beetroot, I roast it.

Actually, a yummy roasted dish is to roast beetroot and sweet potato with a bit of olive oil and rosemarry. Yummmmm....

 

[sun]

I haven't REALLY started BLW yet, but I was eating oatmeal this morning and thought I would see what LO did with a preloaded spoon. I sat him in his chair and put the spoon on the tray. He picked it up and poked himself in the face with it a few times before he got it into his mouth. Then he chewed and sucked on the spoon, grabbed it with his other hand and basically got the oatmeal everywhere. I actually can't believe that it was only a little spoonful that made all the mess LOL!

Anyway - does this sound like he is ready to try it out for breakfast every day? I did try some sweet potato but I worry because he bites off big chunks that I worry he will choke on. Do you ladies steam until it is really soft (almost falling apart)??? So worried about him choking! Yikes!

xx

 

[TigerLady]

Sounds like he could be ready, Sun! Don't steam it until it is too mushy -- then it just falls apart in their fingers and hands and they get frustrated. They don't know how to judge grip at first, so usually use a hard grip on everything. So, things should be just soft enough that they can gnaw bits off, but not so soft that it will squish in their hand when they hold it tight. I hope that makes sense!

 

[Mary Jo]

Roasted veg are great because they hold firm in the LO's hand and don't fall apart but are soft in the middle. I would cut the end off a roasted potato wedge and Adam would suck the middle out.

 

[Punky79]

Hi ladies

I've not managed to read the whole thread but we started BLW on Monday with just fruit and veg as LO is 5 months.

So far so good and he seems to love it - my big question though is when I check his mouth after eating there is usually a chunk of food in there - tonight was cucumber. What should I do about this and is it normal? Will he eventually learn to swallow it?

Also any good tips to check their mouth?

 

[TigerLady]

Otter has been doing BLW for 5 months or more -- he still stores food like a chipmunk. Last night while he was in the bath (after dinner) a pickle suddenly appeared in the water after he had dunked his face in. The night before that, he hoarded a piece of beef in his mouth for 45 minutes before I managed to fish it out.

Just try to make sure their mouth is as clear as possible before they go down for their next nap or sleep. I usually use my finger to sweep his mouth. Having them drink water from a rimmed cup also works (food washes out into the cup). Making him giggle so I can see into his mouth is also helpful.

 

[TigerLady]

BLW fun! Otter eats his sub sandwich for dinner last night. (warning, long)

For those of you just starting out, this is what BLW will bring in a few months.

https://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx223/TigerLady_Otter/th_MVI_2050.jpg

 

[jenny82]

After we're finished, I normally give LO some water to drink from a bottle. He doesn't seem to mind and enjoys the water I think - it also flushes food residue away.

Am going to get a doidy cup this week though.

 

[Punky79]

Thanks girls - will try the water tonight - we're having carrot!

Tigerlady I LOVE that video - such a clever boy!

 

[joeyjo]

Took George to see HV this morning coz I had a few questions (We've had completely dry nappies overnight about 10 times in the last few weeks)

Anyway we weighed him too & I wasn't expecting much gain coz he's been ill but he's lost 5oz in the last 3 weeks He's dropped from just above the 25% line to just above the 2% line. Just not sure if BLW is enough just now, but he'll barely be spoon fed anyway (unless its yogurt but he's fine with preloaded spoons of that too and at licking it off anything available!)

 

[florabean1981]

Tigerlady, what an awesome video of Otter! He's so good!

 

[TigerLady]

JJ!

Has G started moving more? Could that be his weight loss? Otter lost a half pound in 2 weeks a couple of weeks ago. It corresponded exactly with his increased mobility (crawling, pulling himself up, and cruising walls/furniture).

 

[dom]

Tigerlady your videos of Otter fill me with such confidence - I can remember watching the one of him eating pancakes and apple sauce and thinking how great he was, and now he seems like such a pro. Its hard to believe hes only 10 months old - especially with the way he drinks water from a cup

To the ladies whos LO's go to nursery/childminder etc - How did you find they went on with them and BLW?? Gabriella is starting nursery in July when I go back to work - at which point she will be 8 months old. She will be having breakfast and lunch there, and possibly tea too although I may be able to pick her up before 3pm (they have tea really early in nursery!!) . They have never had a child there that has BLW and I am incrdibly nervous about how they will deal with her eating. They dont know anything about it and Im dreading it. Has anyone else come across this, and how did you go on??

Also, when did your LO learn to drink from a cup? Ive been offering it to Gabriella for about a week, but she just plays with it, although I think she may have had a little suck on it tonight as I saw little bubbles coming out of the spout.

xx

 

[Punky79]

Dom I spoke to nursery (though he's not starting til January) and they said they'd just give him the toddler's finger foods and they were fine with it. I think they have to support your eating choices really.

I was SO excited this morning to discover bits of carrot and melon in his nappy! Had NO idea he was swallowing yet!

 

[Punky79]

Do you guys prepare all your finger food fresh? I was thinking whether it would work to boil/steam fingers of veg and freeze them and then defrost on the day?

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Do you guys prepare all your finger food fresh? I was thinking whether it would work to boil/steam fingers of veg and freeze them and then defrost on the day?

I chop up veg like butternut squash and sweet potato, then freeze without boiling or anything. I find they cook straight from frozen a lot quicker than from fresh!

 

[Elski]

Hi girls!

I'll be starting to offer LO some bits and pieces of food to explore in a few weeks so thought I'd join now and have a nosey at all your posts

 

[Racheldigger]

Rowan's nursery was fine with BLW, but they only do meals for babies over 12 months old: babies starting younger could have purees, but BLW babies had to bring packed meals because their toddler meals weren't suitable for babies in the first few months of BLW. I was so glad when Rowan turned 12 months, even though it's costing me ever so much more money, because getting up at 5.15 in the morning to prepare three little packed meals was not an unalloyed maternal pleasure.

 

[TigerLady]

Otter's daycare had never heard of BLW and were terrified of it. I had to go in and feed him lunch a couple of times under the director's supervision so she could see how it was done. After she saw that it was okay, she started giving him his lunches. Then another staff member eventually got comfortable enough to feed him. Finally, after about 2 months, his full time caregiver felt confident enough to feed him.

Most of the staff were (and still are) terrified he was going to choke. But he started much younger. He was at daycare starting at 5 months old and started BLW at daycare at only 6 months old.

I pack his lunch for him everyday (as everyone does for all the kids there). And I take them snacks that they can choose from. He gets a snack at 830 am and 330 pm and lunch at 11 am.

 

[florabean1981]

I'd be paranoid that the nursury would secretly not do BLW & do whatever was easier for them instead... I dont have much faith in people