BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[XKatX]

With BLW, the rule is that if they can swallow it properly, then their tummy is ready for food. With her being so young, you may want to keep her on the more bland foods until she is 6 motnhs, but thats your decision. I personally would say she is ready if she is eating it!!

 

[sparkswillfly]

She licked some toast this morning. I dont think there is any chance of her eating anything just yet. When she had some carrot the other day she gagged and spat it back out. I think I am going to give her something to play with once a day and see how she gets on.

 

[Pyrrhic]

I found watermelon and cucumber good foods to start with too, as they are quite watery and easy to suck.

Well done Meadow though, starting to show all the right signs! You'll be amazed at the difference in a month!




Niamh is doing well, a month into BLW and she's on three solid meals a day and hasn't turned her nose up once at anything! Cottage Pie for Dinner last night, and this afternoon we're having some stirfry vegetable rice, with onions, peppers, peas and corn

Still getting the funny comments though! When I left MILs this week she put baby rice, rusks and baby porridge in my bag when I was leaving She's seven months ffs, not four!

 

[XKatX]

Ok - so i have been weaning on purees but lately Amelia has been pushing them away but grabing at what we eat - she has tried banana, bread and carrots. So today i offered her some cheesey mash potato and she didn't want to know so i gave her some steamed carrot sticks BUT it freaked me out! At first i was dead proud as she was sucking them and them chewing the bits that broke of before swollowing - she has no teeth either! But then she gagged and a piece got stuck at the roof of her mouth - and i lost all confidence and slapped her back, took the carrot out of her mouth and that was the end of that meal! I am so very afraid of choking - i very nearly died as a toddler due to choking and i can actually remember bits of it - plus my mum is (understandably) OTT when it comes to choking! I keep hearing that it is very unlikely - can someone please tell me why - really need some reassurance/explanation here girls - i am worried i wont have the confidence to give finger foods rather then purees -----even though she seems to prefer them - she smiles and stuffs the food into her mouth. I am scared!

PS - should the carrots be cooked soft enough that bits can break off when she is sucking/gumming them?

Oh hun, I'm not suprised your cautious!! Check this explanation out. If it doesn't help, come back to us! Remember, they are just as likely to gag on purees, as solids, as when you feed purees, you put them to the back of the mouth and they haveno choice but to try and swallow. You'll find that if a baby gags on food, they pick it up again and eat it like nothings happened!! I think it is far more scarey for us than them!!
https://www.babyandbump.com/baby-club/159205-ask-mum-follows-baby-led-weaning-blw-12-7-19-7-a-6.html

 

[Shifter]

Jack is having his 4 month growth spurt atm and I'm wary of anyone suggesting that he needs solids, as I know he doesn't. I just wondered how many of you went through this and how you dealt with it?

I'm working on a theory that most babies go through a change in sleeping and feeding patterns at around 4 months that is often mistaken for a need for something other than milk. The only people who are likely to have a clear idea about this is those who got through this period without weaning early. Would you say I'm on to something?

 

[XKatX]

We had a bit of rough time with Oliver. He definitely had a 4 month growth spurt, but I hung on in there. It never crossed my mind to give him food - milk is all they need at that age. The way I saw it was that I was still bf - so - my boobs, my choice! It just seemed natural for me to ride it out. And I was proved right when we started blw at 5 1/2 months and I'd say it was a good 3-4 weeks before we saw him take a proper interest in the food. This to me was proof that I was right. He didn't loose any weight - in fact, he went up a centile and is still on that one now!!
So, I'd say yes, you're on to something!!!

 

[Pyrrhic]

4 month growth spurt was the worst for us, it seemed to last ages too. Longer than any other one, which is why most people probably think they should wean then.

I just ignored people who told me to wean. Nodded politely, but did things my own way.

There is also a 5 month growth spurt, but it wasn't as bad as the 4 month one for us!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Ok random question girls......

What/how do you like to clean your babies trays ie. what they eat from. Hebe has everything on her tray and I'm really paranoid about making sure it's really clean. I tend to spray it and then wipe with a dish cloth. I soak my dish cloths in Milton once a week but I know they are full of germs. I have Milton wipes but I worry that her food will taste of them if I dont wipe it off after.

Please just tell me I'm over thinking this one.....

 

[XKatX]

You're over thinking this one!! I just use milton wipes - it doesn't seem to bother him! If you're concerned about the taste, wipe a spoon with one, then eat something off it. It tastes of nothing!!

 

[Mervs Mum]

 

[Pyrrhic]

Milton wipes for the bits she touches, flash wipes for the underside/bottom of it and baby wipes and wet cloths on here

 

[rach321]

I've got a plastic feeding mat that has suckers which stick to the table top - depending on how dirty it is I either just wipe it over with an anti-bac wipe or take it off and put it in the sink with very hot water and give it a good scrub! The chair gets sprayed and wiped with dishcloth after each feed - although tbh most of it misses the chair and ends up on the floor! My kitchen floor has never been so clean! Dishclothes get soaked in mild bleach solution overnight ready for onslaught the next day!

 

[sparkswillfly]

do you think theres any truth in it when people say big babies need food earlier? or do you think its a load of rubbish?

 

[helen1234]

we went to a chinese buffet restaurant on sunday everyone was amazed at rhys's eating he had cheese, fruit, bread stick messing with the rice, bread sticks and prawn crackers lol, he was picking tings up examining them and eating it when he starts to lose grip he swaps hands.
he doesnt gag very often but he did abit on sunday and then my mil jumps up yelling he's choking, trying to make me look stupid. but i explained to everyone he wasnt choking gagging and choking are different things.

i use a flannel for his face arms and hands, and dish cloth all the highchair down after, every nite when i change his steriliser i soak all the cloths, i spray down with milton spray, or dettol... i stick the tray in the sink and wash it down. its the straps ont he high chair that drive me mad

think rhys's fave foods are toast, yoghurt, and banana, melon, pineapple, advacado and strawberries.

 

[Shifter]

do you think theres any truth in it when people say big babies need food earlier? or do you think its a load of rubbish?

Personally I think it's a load of rubbish. Just because a baby is big doesn't mean their digestive system is more developed.

Premie babies on the other hand can genuinely need weaning earlier than 6 months as they didn't get as long in the womb to lay down stores to keep them going.

 

[sparkswillfly]

Ive chickened out with giving her food to play with. Too worried about her swallowing it when shes not ready. Im going to wait a few more weeks. Im not going to take her grabbing food and chewing on it as a sign because she was chewing on her bath sponge yesterday!

 

[XKatX]

Ive chickened out with giving her food to play with. Too worried about her swallowing it when shes not ready. Im going to wait a few more weeks. Im not going to take her grabbing food and chewing on it as a sign because she was chewing on her bath sponge yesterday!

!!!

 

[rach321]

Food is officially off the menu in our house till these bloody teeth come in - poor guy just keeps getting one after another without a break!

 

[helen1234]

sam you can give her spoons etc for her to play with in preperation for when your ready.

xx

 

[helen1234]

just a quick question or two lol

is it normal for weight to slow down? rhys has only put on 2oz in 3 weeks making him 17lb 2oz, he looks like he's eating plenty but not sure if it just looks like he is because he plays with his food alot lol, he's eating because he's pooping. hv wasnt concerned as he's becoming a bit more mobile and been sitting up and floor playing more this past week.

so that brings me to my next question, rhys had shepards pie last night with carrots and brocolli he chewed on an apple and had a yoghurt.
because his weight and being worried he's not eating enough he has a spoon and i have a spoon and i spoon some in for him sneakily, i also spooned him some yoghurt, if i just leave him to it he doesnt get much in his mouth more in his eyes, he gets so frustrated he grabs his food scrunches it up and screams angrily at it, i think sometimes he gets tired being sat in the highchair. he starts gagging alot then. does anyone else help their lo's with a spoon? i'm not giving ib to start up puree's but is their anything anyone can think of that's be easier to eat without me having to interfere too much

anyway last night after his bath he was still hungry and he ate a big bowl of porridge at about 6:30, he went down to sleep at 8pm and he slept till 7am which is a first for a few weeks, so i'm wondering if he's been getting enough food.

in the morning he has toast and porridge and i've been helping him with his porridge too, how do i give him the bowl or i hold the bowl, i know it would go splat if i let him have full control of sloppy stuff lol, he's not got the grasp of dipping the spoon in getting it to his mouth and swallowing, is this something they eventually get the hang of?

xx

xx