What the difference BLW & traditional weaning?

[sproutly2003]

As the title says really. I'm due to start weaning my LO in 4 weeks. Excited but nervous.

 

[liz1985]

TW you start with purees, then gradually make the food thicker and lumpier, eventually chopping. You will add finger foods in as well along side the puree. BLW involves them eating normal food straight away, no purees or mashing, you just give the food as you would eat it. You would start with soft, easy to pick up food, such as steamed veg sticks, soft fruit or toast etc but really anything your having. I have done both. We TW ds and BLW with dd. I haven't found much difference with end result, there isn't one more fussier than the other for example. I did however find BLW much easier, she could sit and enjoy family meals right from the start, rather than me and OH taking it turns to feed while our food goes cold, or having to feed at a seperate time. If we go out for a meal, we dont have to mess about taking our own food or mashing up their food. I also love watching dd tackle new foods, they can eat all sorts you'd never imagine. We started dd at 5.5 months and she took to it straight away but i have read on here quite a few blw babies take a while to actually eat rather than play with their food. If i had another child id choose blw again but its really just personal choice, i dont think one way is superior to another, just what works best for you.

 

[noon_child]

As above really but I also think of BLW as a natural progression from demand feeding (whether breast or bottle). Rather than have a schedule of preparing x amount of food x times a day you let the baby tell YOU how interested they are in food.

An easy way of doing this, once LO has the ability to sit unaided or with a little support, is to sit them on your knee during meal times. If they are interested they may grab at food and try to eat it. If they have the skills to get the food, pass it to their mouth and chew it then they are developmentally ready for food, whether this is 5.5 months or 7.5 months.