BLW - Baby led weaning support thread

[kirsten1985]

Violet looks like she's having a great time!

Claire I've been using fruit spread which you get in the same place as all the jams and stuff. It's basically mushed up fruit sweetened with grape juice instead of sugar so all natural. Read about it in the Anabel Karmel book I think.

I've now decided to trust myself instead of the silly HVs and doctors and I'm ditching the purees totally and just going with BLW although I'm a bit nervous. We were away for the weekend and ran out of home made purees (which she has at lunch time) and had to try her on another jar which she once again point blank refused. It's just such a hassle and I'm not convinced it's doing anything for her weight or that her weight is even a problem. I don't have anymore homemade stuff in the freezer so it seemed like a good stopping point. So yesterday when our friends served a chicken roast she had chicken and roast parsnip and loved it. She still won't eat carrot batons though.

I'm hoping to make her sweet potato wedges today with some chicken and cheese. Does anyone have any idea how long to cook the wedges for?

Sweet potato goes soft very quickly, so it depends how you want it! I tend to bake my potatoes in the microwave then cut them into wedges and roast for about 10 mins. So for sweet potato it would be 5 mins in microwave and 10 in oven, but I guess a bit longer if just done in oven - 30 mins?

 

[Pink_Witch]

violet looks rather pleased with herself!!! we were naughty tonight and had kfc for dinner as there is one which opened just down the road today, so i gave ern a couple of chips and a piece of chicken without the skin on and also his fruit fingers........the chips and chicken went straight over the side of the tray without even being tasted and he munched on his fruit!! he seems to really really enjoy the watermelon!!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

V

I've now decided to trust myself instead of the silly HVs and doctors and I'm ditching the purees totally and just going with BLW although I'm a bit nervous. We were away for the weekend and ran out of home made purees (which she has at lunch time) and had to try her on another jar which she once again point blank refused. It's just such a hassle and I'm not convinced it's doing anything for her weight or that her weight is even a problem.

I was chatting to a friend who's a BF supporter the other day and she said the whole early weaning for weight gain thing is nonsense, as breastmilk / formula has more calories in it than any solid food. I was quite interested to hear that!

 

[kirsten1985]

V

I've now decided to trust myself instead of the silly HVs and doctors and I'm ditching the purees totally and just going with BLW although I'm a bit nervous. We were away for the weekend and ran out of home made purees (which she has at lunch time) and had to try her on another jar which she once again point blank refused. It's just such a hassle and I'm not convinced it's doing anything for her weight or that her weight is even a problem.

I was chatting to a friend who's a BF supporter the other day and she said the whole early weaning for weight gain thing is nonsense, as breastmilk / formula has more calories in it than any solid food. I was quite interested to hear that!

Yeah I have read this quite a lot too.

 

[faille]

Yep, I've also heard that. There's a section regarding 'bigger babies needing to be weaned early' in the bible as well, I guess it's more or less the same thing.

I've just decided to do what I feel is right but luckily my HV is well into BLW as she done it with her son 17yrs ago and the other staff there are also really encouraging it and said that they can't tell me anymore than whats in the bible.

Violet had rice krispies with pear and yogurt again today which she loved again! She managed to keep it in the bowl this time, until she decided she wanted to eat that instead


She keeps on falling asleep at lunch time for quite a while and ends up missing out on lunch... Do you reckon that's a problem at the moment because she's not eating for hunger yet? Or should I really be waking her up for it..?

 

[kirsten1985]

I wouldn't wake her up for it, I am planning on just letting Freya eat at the meals when she is awake until she is eating to fill herself up.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah, I agree. If you wake her up she'll probably not be in the best frame of mind to play with food anyway. Having said that I'm not doing things exactly 'by the book', she can't really sit in a highchair yet so the possibility of her eating with us is a bit limited. I tend to just give her food to play with whenever she's in a good mood, to practice.

 

[kirsten1985]

I am doing stuff as and when the time is right, really. Obv I am on my own with her all day Mon-Fri so when she seems in a good mood I am doing breakfast for me and her, not doing lunch as she is usually asleep and then I am making more of an effort at tea time and making meals with stuff in for Freya to play with. She hasn't eaten anything yet, just playing.

 

[Lu28]

Part of me wishes I had stuck to my guns and just kept bfing til 6 months but I was worried I'd be seen as not taking proper care of my baby!

She had strips of chicken last night with the sweet potato wedges. She seemed to really enjoy it although she squished the potato to a pulp and then couldn't figure out how to get it into her mouth!

We seem to be doing a mixture of eating with her and just doing finger foods for her on her own, she eats at odd times so its not the easiest.

 

[faille]

I think the hardest part about BLW is trying to be laid back about it! It's meant to be a laid back process but we still get stressed and worried that we're not doing it "right" lol


Violet was awake for lunch today and we had scrambled egg on toast (was meant to have it yesterday but she was asleep). She actually ate some of the toast... She got a bit off and she was starting to push it out, then she closed her mouth and when she opened it again it was gone. I dunno if she meant to swallow it or not but it didn't bother her anyway, she just shoved another bit in!

 

[maccy]

Hi there...My 2nd LO is only 5 months I am new to BLW and my first daughter who is 5 now was weaned on puree at 4months (which i feel bad for doing now..but I didn;t know about BLW then) My baby is so interested in food and takes things out of my hand all the time if she's sitting on my knee so I have put some veggies on her bumbo tray this week and she loves em, she has butternut squash batons and sucked them till they were mush and has done the same with banana( well those tiny bananitos from Tesco), carrots and beans too....I have the Bible and I agree with alot of whats in it. Do you think I should continue with this or take it away till 6months? I haven't stopped any bottle feeds and am not going to either. I'll post some piccys and if I can video clip of her with a bananito now. She had some potato tonight and bit off huge bit and gagged and coughed it was hard to watch but she brought it up herself..scarey though!

Any advice on this by you pros is much appreciated....my 5 year olds is a fussy eater and the only fruit she likes is apples only veg carrots and pots..so don't wanna go the same way this time if I can help it.

 

[maccy]

Hope this works...she coughs a bit at the start but she was sucking this banana for about 10 mins...she's usually in her Bumbo..but this was my banana and she grabbed it so I let her go with it, she hasn't got the skills to hold it properly yet..but


https://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj124/kellytanner_photos/?action=view&current=31102009079.flv

 

[Lu28]

Maccy, I couldnt' get the video to work Sounds like she's enjoying herself!

Aisling had more chicken and sweet potato wedges tonight with cheese and veggie burger. I'm finding that for anything at all soft, she grabs it so hard that it mushes and she can't then get it in her mouth. I let her fend for herself while I'm eating and then help her. I know that's not what we're meant to do but I also feel bad that she's going hungry because she hasn't learned the skills yet. If you pop bits in her mouth, she practically takes your finger off at the knuckle! Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[CountingDown]

Aisling had more chicken and sweet potato wedges tonight with cheese and veggie burger. I'm finding that for anything at all soft, she grabs it so hard that it mushes and she can't then get it in her mouth. I let her fend for herself while I'm eating and then help her. I know that's not what we're meant to do but I also feel bad that she's going hungry because she hasn't learned the skills yet. If you pop bits in her mouth, she practically takes your finger off at the knuckle! Does anyone have any ideas?

Sounds just like Olivia!! I try to offer Olivia hard and soft foods at every meal so at least she gets to knaw at something instead of mushing it all into a pulp. I think over the next 2 months they should develop a pincer grip and also have a better gage on how to handle softer food instead of smushing them into their fists.

 

[faille]

Hi there...My 2nd LO is only 5 months I am new to BLW and my first daughter who is 5 now was weaned on puree at 4months (which i feel bad for doing now..but I didn;t know about BLW then) My baby is so interested in food and takes things out of my hand all the time if she's sitting on my knee so I have put some veggies on her bumbo tray this week and she loves em, she has butternut squash batons and sucked them till they were mush and has done the same with banana( well those tiny bananitos from Tesco), carrots and beans too....I have the Bible and I agree with alot of whats in it. Do you think I should continue with this or take it away till 6months? I haven't stopped any bottle feeds and am not going to either. I'll post some piccys and if I can video clip of her with a bananito now. She had some potato tonight and bit off huge bit and gagged and coughed it was hard to watch but she brought it up herself..scarey though!

Any advice on this by you pros is much appreciated....my 5 year olds is a fussy eater and the only fruit she likes is apples only veg carrots and pots..so don't wanna go the same way this time if I can help it.

I know the bible will say take it away until 6months but tbh, they don't actually eat anything yet so personally I don't see the harm in letting them explore and play with food.

If they're ready to take the food themself and put it in their mouth themself then I say theyre ready

 

[maccy]

Oh no... it works when I go on there...Oh well she was enjoying it anyway..LOL

Thanks girls.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

What high chairs have you all got? I'm beginning to think mine is not very BLW friendly as the tray is too high Thanks!

 

[kirsten1985]

Stokke Love it as she can eat at the table with us. It was my sister's when she was a baby.

 

[Lu28]

BabyDan, again so she can eat at the table with us

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ah right...OH and I never eat at the table unless other people are round or it's a special occasion, shame on us. Maybe we should start!