BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[DarlingMe]

Well my son is near 1 and still not eating , I have him some pear yesterday in a nubby nibbler, not used it in a while just throught I would try and he was enjoying it then threw it up again. He seems to throw anything he tastes up its weird. I am worried. He will not take anything else and throws all food away. Any one elses baby throw up? he was like this months now and I thought it would go away.

Hi Dragonfly, just stalking this thread and reading about your LO. I was watching a show the other day with an older special needs child. The child would only eat pretty much pureed foods with a straw! He reacted by throwing the foods on the floor, gagging, vomitting, and screaming. The therapist told them to feed him small amounts of food and watch him through the baby monitor or peeking from the other room pretty much ignoring the erratic behavior. The first couple meals the child did the same thing. By the third or fourth one he tried for minute and then stopped ate his meal. They gradually started coming back into the room for short intervals. I wonder if the leaving the room thing would help? If you can do it safely of course with a video monitor or something.

I think Supernanny or someone had a baby that did this throwing things off the chair thing too. She said to give them toys to throw off and encourage them to do so. They are experimenting and learning by throwing the toys (food) and arent doing it to throw it away but because they want to see what happens. So she said to encourage the toys and play for a few minutes, but reinforce that food stays on the tray. She explained to have different times of play and food and not to do it in the same "session" so LO learns how to treat food vs toys. She also suggesting feeding LO on a blanket on the floor if it is really an issue. I am not sure how she expects them to sit still though!

I wonder if a change in environment would help your LO? Does he do this everywhere you try to feed him? Like if you feed him in his stroller or in a walker or bouncer would he do the same? Maybe he has associated his chair, the kitchen, etc with this whole gagging and throwing behavior?
Just some ideas! I cant say I have any experience with any of this but I thought maybe I could help since your HV is worthless. I can imagine how frustrating this is!!

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

Been BLW now for about a month after violet pretty much dictated that this was how she wanted to be fed. It's been going quite well actually and I'm starting to see results now because well the proof is in the nappy lol. I never really had the confidence to thoroughly BLW with my son so we just gave finger foods from time to time.

 

[DarlingMe]

It seems like there are so many different interpretations to BLW. I was watching videos tonight on YouTube and people are giving preloaded spoons, chopping up little pieces of foods, and preloading spoons then holding them up for LO to eat. I thought that the point was large pieces they could put in their mouth themselves to feel the textures. Another video showed 6 month old, first food raw broccoli and cucumbers. I thought more steamed and soft foods were the idea? I have the book on hold at the library but am I misunderstanding the purpose here or are this videos off?

I just don't get how some of them are calling it BLW when it seems like TW to me? Not really that important, However they want to do it; just frustrating trying to learn the effective way for LO to benefit from it.

 

[Vee_Bee]

I wouldn't get too stuck on where the line is drawn between TW and BLW - in my opinion it doesn't matter.

I give LO raw pepper to munch and he loves it, but he also loves roasted sweet potato, steamed veg, bananas and dried apricots, and spoon feeding himself Weetabix.

We don't put any food in his mouth, he does it all himself at his own pace including putting a pre-loaded spoon of Weetabix in his mouth. We only pre-load the spoon as his coordination isn't up to doing it himself yet, but as soon as he is able we will be letting him do that as well.

All food that we put in front of him is big enough that he can hold it and stick it in his mouth.

I think that giving him a variety of food prepared in a variety of ways and with different textures is the best way to avoid having a fussy picky eater.

Just do what you feel suits your and your LO - mummy instinct always comes out top!

xx

 

[StarlitHome]

planning to BLW my LO, she's 11 weeks today so won't be for a bit but my email "your baby's development" thingy today was talking about starting baby rice, etc Thought it was time to really start thinking about this!

 

[DarlingMe]

Starlit they push solids so soon here! My doc keeps talking about it like as soon as he is 4 months!

 

[StarlitHome]

Starlit they push solids so soon here! My doc keeps talking about it like as soon as he is 4 months!

I know!

 

[summer rain]

BLW is more about your baby eating what the family eats; perhaps with minor adjustments such as putting the salt in after you make the food, so this can include pre-loaded spoons placed on the tray/table in front of them, and its fine to make the food into pieces that your baby can handle whatever size those may be. Also some foods are fine given raw; but some foods are safer given lightly steamed or softened; so cucumber would be totally fine raw, its soft already but apple slices may be a bit dangerous. Also cherry tomatoes and grapes must be given cut into pieces; otherwise they are a choking hazard, and it goes without saying to avoid whole or chopped nuts (ground is fine), large seeds, honey, raw or undercooked fish and meat, unpasteurised dairy and honey xx

 

[DarlingMe]

What items or techniques have you found to minimize the mess when BLW? I keep hearing how messy it is. I am thinking that cleaning the floor, LO, table, and the high chair 3 meals a day will be pretty time consuming. By the time I finish cleaning it will be time to cook and eat again! I have heard a sheet on the floor and naked baby as some good tips. (I am a bit of a planner, can you tell?? )

 

[Natsku]

They get less messy after the first couple of months. I used to strip Maria down to her nappy but now I leave her clothes on. I still have to clean the floor as she likes to throw food but it only takes a couple mins, and I wipe her hands and face with a flannel afterwards and that only takes a couple mins.

 

[Thumper]

Totally agree with natsku. Billy barely chucks anything on the floor now, he's too greedy! He will even pick bits off his legs to eat. Get through the first 2 months (which aren't 3meals a day anyway) and it's much easier

 

[Natsku]

Oh and if I'm feeling lazy I don't clean the floor and Maria cleans it up for me when I get her down

 

[DarlingMe]

Oh and if I'm feeling lazy I don't clean the floor and Maria cleans it up for me when I get her down

I have 3 dogs so I guess the floor wont be a problem now that I think about it!

 

[Natsku]

Oh and if I'm feeling lazy I don't clean the floor and Maria cleans it up for me when I get her down

I have 3 dogs so I guess the floor wont be a problem now that I think about it!

Your dogs will think its christmas every day

 

[blondey]

When I go to my mums, their cats circle underneath LO's highchair like sharks!! Anything that is dropped is either gone in a second, or if it's extra yummy, one of them snatches it and runs away and growls! Here, our cat is a bit more particular about what scraps he bothers to eat!

 

[StarlitHome]

we explained the concept of baby-led weaning to my in-laws last night they're very supportive of all our parenting decisions, thankfully, so it went well.
came up because Molly was sitting on my lap while i ate dinner, and she was fascinated with the plate of food

 

[Jodie.82]

hi ladies
im planning on doing BLW with Cleo once she is 6 months and/or ready. atm she is exclusively breastfed .
ive started having a lot of people ask when im going to give her baby rice, why i havent given puree yet etc and a friend even brought round a jar of baby food the other day and was a bit put out she couldnt give it to LO!
we are going to stay with MIL for a month after new year and cleo wont be 6 months until the day we leave, im already worrying about her trying to feed her solids, or not understanding why I havent
have you found it hard explaining to family or friends or whats the best way to deal with this? I know she is my baby and I sound like a wimp but I feel like if i have MIL and her sisters, friends etc on my case OH will just let them feed her

 

[DarlingMe]

hi ladies
im planning on doing BLW with Cleo once she is 6 months and/or ready. atm she is exclusively breastfed .
ive started having a lot of people ask when im going to give her baby rice, why i havent given puree yet etc and a friend even brought round a jar of baby food the other day and was a bit put out she couldnt give it to LO!
we are going to stay with MIL for a month after new year and cleo wont be 6 months until the day we leave, im already worrying about her trying to feed her solids, or not understanding why I havent
have you found it hard explaining to family or friends or whats the best way to deal with this? I know she is my baby and I sound like a wimp but I feel like if i have MIL and her sisters, friends etc on my case OH will just let them feed her

I have been telling people that "new guidelines state that solids should wait until 6 months. Since babies are more developed at 6 months, some parents chose to skip pureed and go right to soft finger foods." I think people hear BLW and think it is something crazy. When I put it into simple terms they leave it alone! It is all in the presentation! Sometimes I mention increased allergy risk and lower ability to digest foods at 4-5 months.

 

[Lauki]

I always use the Health Visitor/Doctor advice! I'm being told by both set of grandparents to feed her, but I just say: No I'm not risking it, I'm waiting until 6 months.

She's still thriving on breastmilk and is happy, alert and gaining weight.

My baby - My rules!

 

[Jodie.82]

thanks ladies
I will now learn how to say that confidently in spanish haha!