BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[TigerLady]

what ages were your LOs able to feed themselves from loaded spoons?

Otter is nearly 11 months and still isn't very good at it.

 

[polaris]

Hi!

I'm new to BLW but so far me and the LO are loving it.

Both me and DH love our spicy food like chili and curry etc, how did your LO's cope with all things spicy? I'll be leaving out the salt and toning down the chili powder, but I'm curious as to how they got on

I think that's all you need to do, leave out salt and tone down the chilli, and LO may like it. Ruby like curry and all sorts of stronger flavoured food, bland food isn't her bag, just as it isn't mine either...

I was wondering the same thing, as OH and I eat spicy food generally. I ate really spicy all throughout my pregnancy and while breastfeeding, so LO probably has a bit of a taste for it already! I will definitely tone down the spice, but there's got to be a little heat LOL... I figure it will be trial and error - Bun will let us know what he likes! xx

We eat a lot of spicy food too and Thomas seems to like it so far. We do tone down the chilli for him though. One concern that I would have is that if he gets tired and rubs his eyes that the chilli would go into his eyes. I would be more worried about that than about the taste of it as he seems to cope well with spicy flavours.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

That's a good point Polaris! I've done that myself and would hate for R to do it!

 

[Jolinar]

Hi!

I'm new to BLW but so far me and the LO are loving it.

Both me and DH love our spicy food like chili and curry etc, how did your LO's cope with all things spicy? I'll be leaving out the salt and toning down the chili powder, but I'm curious as to how they got on

I think that's all you need to do, leave out salt and tone down the chilli, and LO may like it. Ruby like curry and all sorts of stronger flavoured food, bland food isn't her bag, just as it isn't mine either...

I was wondering the same thing, as OH and I eat spicy food generally. I ate really spicy all throughout my pregnancy and while breastfeeding, so LO probably has a bit of a taste for it already! I will definitely tone down the spice, but there's got to be a little heat LOL... I figure it will be trial and error - Bun will let us know what he likes! xx

We eat a lot of spicy food too and Thomas seems to like it so far. We do tone down the chilli for him though. One concern that I would have is that if he gets tired and rubs his eyes that the chilli would go into his eyes. I would be more worried about that than about the taste of it as he seems to cope well with spicy flavours.

Very good point about the chili and little eyes. When I do chili I might separate out a small bit for him before the spices go in.

Thanks for the replies, I ate a lot of spicey food when pregnant and at the time I was Bfing too so I think his tastebuds should be ok with it

 

[Vix79]

Hi ladies,

I'm new to BLW as my LO has just turned 6 months. I have been giving her bits of puree/baby rice for a couple of weeks and she's eaten about a max of 2 tsps per meal. I always intended to BLW but OH not keen so started on the mush route. Today, after Holl had decided she wanted no more carrot and baby rice at lunch I started a yoghurt which she was desparate to have, so gave her a few tastes, then she wanted some of my banana, which I found if I left the peel on a bit she could eat, then I gave her a few sticks of pear which she tucked into, biting, swallowing and chewing straight away ... so I think she definitely prefers BLW as although she wanted no more mush, was clearly still wanting to eat.

Problem is, my heart was in my mouth the whole time, particularly when she ate the skin off the pear - I wondered if she had swallowed it so had a feel and it was on the roof of her mouth, but I couldn't get it out. She then swallowed the piece of skin and coughed a bit in the process (cue panic!) and when she had the next slice, spat out the skin with that slice!

How do I get over the fear factor and chill out ... any tips from other anxious mummies about what were pretty safe foods to start with would be greatly appreciated. Also if I am scared, how do I convince my OH who is quite against it and has been having heart failure when she's picked food off my plate and mouthed it for the last month or so?! (I have read Gill Rapley's book btw, so know the theory, but still anxious about the practise!!) Thanks x

 

[TigerLady]

TBH, Vix, it will get easier after a bit. I went from near panic at Otter's first few gagging bouts -- having to literally sit on my hands with this look on my face Hoping he didn't choke.... after a few of those, it didn't seem such a big deal, and if he would gag, I would simply watch him until he got it sorted.... and recently I have noticed that I hardly even notice when he has trouble. Of course, I watch him, but coughing and gagging doesn't phase me in the least. Now, I think it would take real choking and him not getting air for me to worry and actually get up to help him (which, of course, I would!!!)

By letting her just get to it, you will learn quickly they they are remarkably skilled at handling all sorts of things. You will learn to trust their ability to handle things and not worry so easily. I promise!

 

[dom]

Hiya Vix

I dont have any advice sorry, but I was exactly the same as you - I think we all were at the start - in that I was bloody terrified

The first time your LO gags will be very nerve wracking, but you really do just have to let them get on with it.

Now however, were only 1.5 months in (Gabriella is 7.5 months) and she hardly ever gags at all - maybe once per meal if that. She gagged today on some pasta at tea time, and on a blueberry at lunch - but she must have gagged hard because it shot right out of her mouth and onto the edge of her tray!!!! It doesnt phase her at all - she'll just pick something else up and carry on straight away

She has however completely gorged herself tonight ... she ate some tuna/pasta/peas/mayo for tea, garlic bread, then a WHOLE tin (bar one, which she dropped on the floor) of sliced peaches, then a FULL mullerrice!!!!!! She ate it all - every last spoonfull, then didnt start to take her bib off (which she normally gives as her 'im done' signal) ... i couldnt believe it - i just dont know where she put it

Since she didnt give her Im done signs should I have offered her something else? Surely not - I couldnt have eaten that much!! She only had 1 oz of milk tonight though - rather than 6, and completely flaked on my bed, lol

I hope that doesnt mean she'll be up during the night - I like her waking at 5.30am for her only boobie feed left of the day

x

 

[Vix79]

Thanks for the encouragement! Dom - I can't believe your lo could eat that much! Last night at tea time, I gave Holly some more banana to show Daddy how well she could eat (and try to win him over), but later at 9.30 (after having been awake for 5 hrs) she got really upset, screamed herself to sleep, with the help of a snifter of calpol. Of course blw got the blame and oh said "I really don't think giving her big bits of food works". He disregarded that she had been to eye clinic, prodded for an hr and given stinging pupil dilating drops in the morning. Can I make this work with a hubby so set against it or should I just try to offer her finger foods alongside mush (I know this isn't really blw ... !) Thanks for any advice! x

 

[Shiv]

Thanks for the encouragement! Dom - I can't believe your lo could eat that much! Last night at tea time, I gave Holly some more banana to show Daddy how well she could eat (and try to win him over), but later at 9.30 (after having been awake for 5 hrs) she got really upset, screamed herself to sleep, with the help of a snifter of calpol. Of course blw got the blame and oh said "I really don't think giving her big bits of food works". He disregarded that she had been to eye clinic, prodded for an hr and given stinging pupil dilating drops in the morning. Can I make this work with a hubby so set against it or should I just try to offer her finger foods alongside mush (I know this isn't really blw ... !) Thanks for any advice! x

Vix - i think it does work best when both parents are in agrement...........however, is your OH out at work most of the day? you could do BLW when he is not there and see how it goes (not that I am in any way condoning lying to your OH ) but if you can get LO used to finger foods then show OH how good it is going you may change his mind! Good luck

 

[gills8752]

has anyone started giving lo food to play with earlier than 6 months? My lo was really interested in my food the other day - shes only 4 months so I gave her a bit to gnaw on and she was loving it. I only gave her a finger amount and it wasnt eaten at all - just gummed to death lol. I just wondered whether it would be alright to let her play with a bit of food this early. (obviously closly watched and the right type of food) She's already gagged on a bit of food and coughed it back into her mouth so her reflexes are working fine.

 

[polaris]

has anyone started giving lo food to play with earlier than 6 months? My lo was really interested in my food the other day - shes only 4 months so I gave her a bit to gnaw on and she was loving it. I only gave her a finger amount and it wasnt eaten at all - just gummed to death lol. I just wondered whether it would be alright to let her play with a bit of food this early. (obviously closly watched and the right type of food) She's already gagged on a bit of food and coughed it back into her mouth so her reflexes are working fine.

I think that she needs to be able to sit up pretty well in order for it to be safe for her to play with food. If she's not able to sit up yet then I think there is more of a choking danger.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yep, I agree with Polaris. I personally wouldn't have given Ruby food at 4 months.

 

[Shiv]

I think 5 months is the earliest I have heard of anyone starting BLW (Tigerlady is that about right for you?). I would personally wait until at least 5 months. You can always include LO in meal times by having them sat at the table with you in their high chair with some toys.

 

[Jolinar]

I wouldn't start at 4 months either.

Well Nic actually bit off a bit of apple and gagged for the first time today, it was scary but I held myself back and let him deal with it. Bless him his eyes were watering like mad but it all came out ok! He's even started chewing, it's amazing how fast they learn when you sit and eat with them. He's gone from sucking to trying to chew in a week, proud mummy moment!

 

[TigerLady]

Otter started with veg and fruit sticks at about 4.5 months old... BUT! He was sitting up unaided on his own at that point and stealing food off our plates. And I was VERY careful of what I offered, when and how. We slowly worked our way up to full BLW by 6 months. But very slowly.

I'll be putting off BLW for as long as possible with his little sister. Of course, I will go with her cues, but I intend to not start until 6 months. If she insists on earlier (like Otter did), then I will evaluate her readiness accordingly.

Meaning - I wouldn't recommend starting early unless baby gives you NO choice and then I would be very careful about how you do it.

 

[sun]

Do they need to be able to sit unaided?? Bun will still tip over if he doesn't have a back to lean against... ?

 

[TigerLady]

I would say yes if you are starting before 6 months. But if you are starting at or after 6 months, I would say they need to be able to sit up straight with minimal support. I would class having a back to lean against as minimal support.

Even at 4.5 months when I started with Otter, he would still tire quickly if sitting up on his own. His back wasn't strong yet -- which was one of many reasons I was so careful. But he did sit straight in his highchair for periods long enough to allow a bit of explore time with veg and fruit sticks. And he could sit unaided on the floor for brief periods before toppling over.

 

[gills8752]

Thanks girls - I'm not intending on doing it full style - but i like the idea of her handling the odd bit of food. I mean like 2/3 times a week havingone piece of something in her hand - not trying her on blw in her chair with a pile of food yet.

 

[polaris]

Do they need to be able to sit unaided?? Bun will still tip over if he doesn't have a back to lean against... ?

I think once they are over 6 months and can sit well with support, it is fine to get started as they will only eat what they are ready for anyway. I wonder whether when Bun gets better at sitting unsupported he will also become more interested in food at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if the two go hand in hand for you and BLW will really start to take off for you in the next few weeks.

 

[jenny82]

I need some food ideas. LO has barely eaten these last few days and his milk intake has gone back up - which I suppose is a great thing, because then he isn't starving :/

He doesn't like porridge/weetabix, chucks toast & other bread items on the ground, hates pre-loaded spoons, won't eat casseroles/curries/stews, doesn't like meat. I'm so confused as a few weeks ago he was shovelling the food in. I was having to give him more of mine! And now...nothing :/

Does like tomatoes and cheese, but he can't survive on those alone! He does like pears & baby corn but doesn't get much off them so they won't be filling him up. I managed to get him to eat some natural yoghurt at lunchtime, but only a few bites! (actually, now that I remember he ate a bit more when I dipped a pear in)

I got so upset earlier and he was just screaming, almost in agony, at the table at his dinner. I ended up going upstairs to have a good cry while OH sorted him out. Was almost tempted to get him jarred food tomorrow just to get him to eat. He ate nothing then, but at least drained an 8oz bottle...

So yea - food ideas. I tried roasted veg but he just kept squishing them without eating. Won't eat bread or meat.