BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[Mum2b_Claire]

I've been wondering that Joeyjo...I don't know! Hope someone else does. Ruby had some slightly pink steak last weekend.

 

[Shiv]

i don't know about the rare meat either - but i think i will let sophia have it once she is over one, we don't have it often so it isn't as if she would be eating it all the time.

 

[MissTanya]

Hiya ladies,

I've been planning to do BLW and am new to this thread...I was hoping you could help with a couple of questions to get me started?

My boy has just turned 5 months today and last week he started grabbing at some of my food (banana, nectarine) when seated in my lap. So for a few days now, I've offered him some pieces of fruit to lick and taste, and given him a zucchini stick to chomp on.

Is he too early to be starting?? Should I hold off slightly instead of encouraging him? I've got the Gill Rapley book and she says to wait till 6 months of age. Did anyone else start this early?

Also...I've just read back a few pages and noted someone said to grate apple or cut it extra thin to help avoid chocking. I thought that was great advice (silly me would never have thought of it and would have given him a nice big chunky piece to eat). Are there any other tips you could offer me?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Shiv]

Hiya ladies,

I've been planning to do BLW and am new to this thread...I was hoping you could help with a couple of questions to get me started?

My boy has just turned 5 months today and last week he started grabbing at some of my food (banana, nectarine) when seated in my lap. So for a few days now, I've offered him some pieces of fruit to lick and taste, and given him a zucchini stick to chomp on.

Is he too early to be starting?? Should I hold off slightly instead of encouraging him? I've got the Gill Rapley book and she says to wait till 6 months of age. Did anyone else start this early?

Also...I've just read back a few pages and noted someone said to grate apple or cut it extra thin to help avoid chocking. I thought that was great advice (silly me would never have thought of it and would have given him a nice big chunky piece to eat). Are there any other tips you could offer me?

Thanks so much for your help!

Hi, I think that starting at 5 months can be ok as long as your LO is meeting certain criteria (i think Gill Rapley has a list ) is he sitting up unaided or at least well with a little support? i think it is really important to avoid choking to be able to sit up well. as long as you stick to fruit and veg until the 6 months and let your LO set the pace then I think quite a lot of mums here started near to the 5 month mark. If you truly let LO do all the work and don't put anything in their mouth/hand then they will only actually eat when they are ready and able. Good luck and enjoy it - it is so much fun

 

[sun]

I second the sitting - Bun didn't really start eating well until he was really sitting up well. He was good at 6 months to sit against the highchair seat, but not stable alone for very long - so he would get tired and slump if the eating session was too long. This is bad cuz sitting upright is one of the biggest things that prevents choking. He also was interested in putting things in his mouth at 6 months, but actually eating on his own took us alot longer. Babies are all different - you need to take cues from them and see. For us, Bun barely a thing until 7.5 months - then really started chowing down a week or 2 ago. For some other babies, they eat like Bun does now earlier than 6 months!!

Good luck! BLW is the best thing ever

 

[Jolinar]

Re pink steak/lamb , all the bacteria reside on the outside of the meat so as long as it's not raw I can't see an issue? Nicholas loves steaks, he makes cooing noises and bats his eyelids at it lol.

Still making slow progress here, very intermittent eating and I've had to add in more milk.

The poo really does pong and omg tuna nappies are the worst!

Just a thought, he must be getting something for his poo to have changed, maybe I'm just worrying about nothing?

 

[eldar]

Not been on here for a while, part because I'm concentrating on getting her fed each day, which takes up so much time -and part because I'm pregnant again! (and morning sickness doesn't mix with food and weaning yech!)

However I wanted to post that today we had our most successful meal ever - she sucked the hell out of a two peaches and loved it! I got left with a pile of skin and a very sticky baby!

very pleased mummy to see that she is getting the idea, very happy sticky baby!

 

[jenny82]

Can I be really really tmi? Blame my wine...

There was a day where LOs poo ponged!!! Like, was disgustng! Later that evening OH complained of errrr... Wind. Then it hit me. It wouldve been totally gross if it hadn't have been so funny. I narrowed it down to a teriyaki sauce I made. Gross..

And back to the topic, LO has been completely off all food for a few days. I'm not too worried though as he has upped his milk. I'll give it till Monday before I properly worry. I think it's either teething or a mild cold..

 

[MissTanya]

Thanks Shiv & Sun!

My boy has just been starting to sit on his own unaided. He is still a bit wobbly and topples if he gets over excited...but he is on his way to mastering the sitting skill.

Thanks for the reminder (or kick up the butt) about not putting food in his mouth. Regarding the nectarine...when it is on my plate in front of him, he leans forward, sticks his head on the table and starts licking the nectarine. So then I pick it up and hold it for him (which obviously I really should not do!!!!!!) he leans his face forward to reach it with is mouth then sucks and sucks and sucks on it.

Last night we were doing this again and he got a small piece of nectarine. I was so scared he was choking (I know gagging is a normal...but he wasn't making much noise and was going red in the face so I started to panic he was choking) and then he spat out a small piece.

So he certainly isn't ready to be swallowing anything. But he seems to be loving tasting stuff.

I guess no more holding the nectarine!!! If he wants it, he has to reach for it (or suck it on my plate like he has been doing!!).

And when he had the Zucchini stick, I offered it to him (he took it from me and seemed to love gumming it). I guess that is a no-no too.

If I were to put some food sticks on a plate in front of him (for him to select if he wants it), what sort of bits of fruit & veg would you suggest? I am really worried about him breaking bits off and choking. Should I be doing boiled sticks so the food is softer? Or only offering soft fruits at this age?

Thanks again

 

[Shiv]

boiled or steamed veg works well, as well as roasted veg as it holds its shape quite well. Pretty much all fruit is good apart from apple.

 

[Miss Preggie]

Hi everyone

Its been a while since i've been on this site. Been busy getting into being a mum and enjoyihg every moment.

My daughter is now 4months old. Until a few weeks ago, she was sleeping through til about 4am, which i kinow is really good. She is exclusively breastfed and, over the last few weeks she has started waking earlier again. Particularly the last few days. She goes down at around 7.30pm and has been waking at either11, 12 or 1 and then every hour or two. Its just like she wass when she was just born!

Anyway.. the reason i write this in this thread is because my sister, who has 2 girls, keeps saying that my lo probably needs to go onto solids which will help her sleep through. Now, i'm sure my sister is very experienced and she has valid points BUT i dont feel right introducing solids to Zaira just yet. She only recently learnt how to sit with support and is still (as a book i'm reading funnily says) 'Mr Bobble Head'. So i checked out this site and found this marvelous thread which i find myself very much in agreement with. Firstly i feel its vital to make sure that lo's digestive tract is mature enough to cope with solids and 2ndls, i feel that i want to give her the lead. She doesnt show any interest in my food and she is only just starting to be able to direct her arms and hands so.

Any thoughts on all of this would be much appreciated...and i will be reading this thread as often as i can! If we can can through this tricky phase i think that BLW is for us!

Thanks everyone! X

 

[Shiv]

Hi everyone

Its been a while since i've been on this site. Been busy getting into being a mum and enjoyihg every moment.

My daughter is now 4months old. Until a few weeks ago, she was sleeping through til about 4am, which i kinow is really good. She is exclusively breastfed and, over the last few weeks she has started waking earlier again. Particularly the last few days. She goes down at around 7.30pm and has been waking at either11, 12 or 1 and then every hour or two. Its just like she wass when she was just born!

Anyway.. the reason i write this in this thread is because my sister, who has 2 girls, keeps saying that my lo probably needs to go onto solids which will help her sleep through. Now, i'm sure my sister is very experienced and she has valid points BUT i dont feel right introducing solids to Zaira just yet. She only recently learnt how to sit with support and is still (as a book i'm reading funnily says) 'Mr Bobble Head'. So i checked out this site and found this marvelous thread which i find myself very much in agreement with. Firstly i feel its vital to make sure that lo's digestive tract is mature enough to cope with solids and 2ndls, i feel that i want to give her the lead. She doesnt show any interest in my food and she is only just starting to be able to direct her arms and hands so.

Any thoughts on all of this would be much appreciated...and i will be reading this thread as often as i can! If we can can through this tricky phase i think that BLW is for us!

Thanks everyone! X

4 month growth spurt is a KILLER! Sophia went through a growth spurt for almost 6 weeks when she turned 4 months old! I can honestly say that i don't think giving her solids would have helped, breastmilk is so calorific. It is really hard work, but give LO some time (hopefully not 6 weeks for you!) and she will settle down again - stick with beastfeeding

 

[Jolinar]

boiled or steamed veg works well, as well as roasted veg as it holds its shape quite well. Pretty much all fruit is good apart from apple.

Is there something about apple that I missed? I'm sure it's on the first foods list and I've been giving slices of apple with no problems.

 

[hivechild]

I think the problem with apple is that it can break off into choking sized chunks easily. It's recommended that you slice it really thin or grate it if it's raw, otherwise bake, stew or steam it to soften it.

 

[joeyjo]

^WSS but also different varieties are worse than others - my favourite apples are very hard crispy granny smiths so I'm Extra careful.

 

[jenny82]

Does anyone use frozen veg? I didn't before today, but my mum gave me a bag containing broccoli, cauliflower, peas & carrots.

My LO quite enjoyed it. The size of the veg was perfect from him and them being steamed from frozen, they seemed to be the perfect texture for him (not too hard, not too soft). He ate a whole piece of carrot, which never ever happens.

Also I have to admit that they were really convenient. I was able to put them on just before the rest of dinner was ready and there was no faffing about with preparing them all. Would worry that the goodness of the veg isn't there - but for the amount he eats anyway, I don't think it makes much difference..

 

[bluey]

Not sure if any of you ladies were the ones who responded to my post a while back concerning the fact that Thomas wasn't swallowing any foods?

Well, I'm needing more reassurance! We've been doing BLW for almost a month (after 6 weeks of completely unsuccessful attempts at TW) and he still isn't swallowing anything. He is picking up everything I offer him, putting it to his mouth, sucking it, gumming it and occasionally biting pieces off but he spits EVERYTHING out. It doesn't even go far enough in to cause him to gag.

I'm getting kinda worried

 

[Shiv]

Not sure if any of you ladies were the ones who responded to my post a while back concerning the fact that Thomas wasn't swallowing any foods?

Well, I'm needing more reassurance! We've been doing BLW for almost a month (after 6 weeks of completely unsuccessful attempts at TW) and he still isn't swallowing anything. He is picking up everything I offer him, putting it to his mouth, sucking it, gumming it and occasionally biting pieces off but he spits EVERYTHING out. It doesn't even go far enough in to cause him to gag.

I'm getting kinda worried

Please try not to worry, your LO will get there in his own time, that is why it is called Baby led weaning. If he is getting food to his mouth and sucking it then it won't be long until he starts swallowing bits. Are you breastfeeding? Either way as long as he is still taking milk then he will be getting everything he needs. I would just keep offering and one day soon he will get it! He is only just coming up 7 months so he will be fine on just milk for a few more months yet.

 

[bluey]

Thanks Shiv, just needed someone to give me a bit of perspective! Have had a couple of days where people keep asking me how he's getting on with eating and it bugs me to admit that he's not really eating yet. But as you say, he's getting everything he needs from his milk (we are FF now, BF until 5 and a half months). I think, because he's always been such a big hungry baby I just assumed that he'd take to eating really easily and quickly. I'm learning that that assumption was wrong!

 

[hivechild]

Jenny, I've been using a lot of fresh veg with all the summer farmers markets around, but I have no problems with using frozen. They often snap/quick freeze so a lot is the goodness gets locked in. they're better than canned veg by and large so if you're happy using them and it makes it easier for you, go for it!

Bluey, I was just flipping through my blw book before & reading where they say it's perfectly normal for them to do this for awhile in the beginning as they're learning to move and manipulate the food in their mouths before they learn to swallow it so a lot will get pushed out of the mouth. I know it can be hard to just take a deep breath and let them get on with it, but try to keep in mind that for the first year, ' food is for fun.' Before you know it, your LO will be eating like a pro!