Unsuccessful BLW stories?

[jojo2605]

Hi all, my LO is coming up to weaning age in a few weeks and I have been doing a bit of research. I have been reading Gill Rapley's book on Baby Lead Weaning and have so far found it to make a hell of a lot of sense (although I am not keen on her seemingly negative slant on spoonfeeding...) so much so that I think this is possibly the way we are going to go with Sam

What I was just wondering though was whether anyone has ever tried BLW and found that their little one didn't actually take to it?

One of my concerns is that we might try it for a couple of months and it be unsuccessful, by which time we will have to start all over again.

So to get a balanced view I was wondering if this has actually happened to anyone?

I am not expecting many people to come forward on this as reading about BLW it seems to be a great way and very successful way of introducing babies to food. But it's best to be armed with as much info as possible!

Thanks!!

 

[MumInBreda]

What would count as unsuccessful BLW? I've done BLW with all my kids and some ate more than others. Some didn't eat much but still enjoyed it. I've always said milk should be the main thing, and food just for taste and fun!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I totally agree with MumInBreda.

Ruby was quite slow to start eating and still doesn't eat as much as other BLW babies, or as many different foods, but she's happy and healthy and enjoys what she does eat.

If a LO refused to eat for a long time on BLW then spoonfeeding them probably wouldn't be the solution anyway - some babies just take way longer to eat than others.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Oh and I'm sure there are many cases of the parent not 'taking to' BLW - worries about choking, not wanting to let LO take the lead, etc.

 

[jojo2605]

Perhaps I shouldve been clearer - I'm not referring to parents giving up too soon, not giving it a chance, etc, I mean whether a baby has taken such small amounts for such a time that it has had an affect on their nutrition and therefore a decision had to be made to traditionally wean?

I accept that every baby is different so will take different amounts over varying amounts of time, I'm thinking a problem beyond that.

As I said it may be unheard of but with all methods of parenting, etc, it's good to do a
balanced amount of research!

 

[Lu28]

I think it depends on your definition of success and failure. Like Claire said, Ruby didn't eat much at all until 7 months which to some people would be a failure but it was just that she didn't want or need solids before then, so still a success. However some people would have made the decision that LO needed nutrition at that point and gone down the traditional route instead.

I think it depends on every parent's comfort levels to be honest but I think most people who successfully BLW are happy that LO will eat when they are ready to.

 

[faille]

I agree with the other ladies, I don't think it's the baby that's unsuccessful, but the parent losing trust in LO eating when they're ready to, and the amount they need/want.

Milk will give all nutrients needed until 9-12m and if LO is given the opportunity to eat from 6m until this stage, their natural desire to mimic you should be enough to have them eating by 9m - even if it's only a "small" amount.

Plus, just sucking on the food gives a lot of nutrients so unless you've got a 12m+ baby that still refuses to feed themself, I can't see it "failing" on a nutrient basis?

Like the others have said, I think it's the parent that gives up on BLW, not the baby.

Good luck whatever you decide to do though, and most of all, enjoy it

 

[Lisa1302]

Maybe you could ask the same question in the Toddler forum? I know that in the baby forum I often feel like I have one of the older babies, and most people have much younger babies (who wouldn't have got to the stage where it was an issue if they only took small amounts) ...so maybe ask people who have babies over 1/toddlers - which is when them not eating enough food could be an issue?

 

[adzuki]

Hmmm. I wouldn't consider us a failure, but we do a combination of BLW and traditional spoon feeding. Maia won't take enough by hand yet, but she needs to have a certain amount of solids in her for her reflux - without solids she regurgitates too much and chokes on it, so Dr's orders. Hopefully, as we keep going, Maia will get more in her and then I can back off on the spoon feeding.

But I don't consider it a failure - more like an adaptation! She'll be fine in the end as she would far rather feed herself than have us feed her - usually she ends up sucking the rice cereal off her broccoli anyway!!!


A

 

[tasha41]

Since formula/breast milk should be such a big part of a baby's nutrition until 12 months at least, I can't see a child not eating enough solids to the point where their health is affected by it. I would think a child who didn't eat "enough" solids would fill up on more formula/breastmilk if they were still hungry.. and it would be highly unlikely that they would get ZERO solids. When you begin weaning, solids should not replace milk, just be extra on top of it. If you start to wean at 6 months, I can't see how an 8 or 9 month old who has never been fed on a spoon purees and mushy foods would still not be able to eat what you are feeding them.. as even babies who started off on purees are typically into some finger foods by that age. I have heard of babies who did not need the extra food and were quite happy on BM or formula until 7 months, then I have also heard of babies who needed something else by 5 months. Every baby has a different appetite

Good luck!

 

[freckleonear]

Aaron didn't really eat anything until he was 10 months old, but I wouldn't say that was unsuccessful BLW. I've heard about so many babies refusing purees and spoon foods, but because of the way BLW works I don't really think it's possible to fail.

 

[jojo2605]

Aaron didn't really eat anything until he was 10 months old, but I wouldn't say that was unsuccessful BLW. I've heard about so many babies refusing purees and spoon foods, but because of the way BLW works I don't really think it's possible to fail.

Thanks for this, I think this is what I was trying to get at really, whether it was actually possible for this method to fail! I guess there are no guarantees but just wanted to be sure in my choice I guess!

I'm aware that milk remains the main source of food up until one, and that's all well and good, but if your LO drops feeds and doesn't keep up with his food intake, then i would start to worry!

Since writing this post I have spoken to a dietician in the hospital on saturday whilst Sam was having an operation and she has suggested I perhaps combine the two methods, as when Sam has his stoma reversed he may need to be on more pureed foods for his bowel to be able to cope. I don't want to get to this stage with only ever offering him BLW type foods and then to have to offer purees and him refusing them!!

Thanks for your advice ladies, I think in an ideal world I would go with BLW 100% but unfortunately things have been far from 'ideal' for Sam so far so I guess we have to do what's best for his special circumstances.

 

[Lu28]

Good luck with it hon

 

[Laura2919]

I sort of mixed the two if thats possible lol.

I used to give them stuff to eat themselves but i also fed them. So i guess thats both.

x