Blw without becoming a hermit

[stmarymead]

Hi folks,
So me and the 9 month DS have been bobbing along BLWing. Generally I like it, mealtimes take on a convivial relaxed air, he eats new things, likes different flavours and laps up the whole experience(and his dinner). Even my mother and mother in law approve; double stamp of approval!
However I have one problem, aside from my own house and the houses of family and (close) friends (with wooden floors), I just cannot feed him when out. I could easily take food with me, or buy food when out, my ds is willing to test his tastebuds! But it's the mess.... The great big mashed, squished, spat out food mess. Whilst my floor may resemble a Jackson Pollock post lunchtime I am loathed to sit in a carpeted coffee shop and see the ring of wasted food gather around his chair. I know I could pick it up, but soft, mushy, oft spat out food on carpet just isn't pleasant and quite frankly as he sits next to his spoon fed cleanish companions I am embarrassed. Maybe I shouldn't care, but I think back to my pre-kids days and I would've been annoyed if a babe did that at my house. All this results in my dashing off as the clocks strikes midday...I have become the Cindarella of coffee shops/mornings as I mumble my excuses -'I only put an hour in the car park', lest I start a mini landfill on the coffee shop floor!
So all this brings me round to the purpose of this post...what do you do? How do you maintain the integrity of BLW whilst not ditching your buds for the comfort of your hard floored house every lunchtime?
I look forward to hearing your experience, advice and thoughts.

[CelineMcBean]

I did blw. I can't remember it being this messy and we certainly went out without major incident.

How about spreading a metre square of oil cloth on the floor to catch anything? Then you can just food it up and deal with it later.

Is he better with any particular foods? Out and about I used to give fairly solid food like bread sticks, apple pieces, squares of firm cheese like Emmental, sticks of mango etc.

[littlemrssleepy]

I did blw and loved it - after a nightmare eater first time round it was great to see a baby eat! Not so great now she is 18 months and can get into cupboards herself.....I often follow a strew of cheerios, breadsticks or whatever she has managed to get her hands on without me realising.

Anyhow, back to the point in question. You could try and take your own splashmat type thing to put under the highchair and show you at least mean well. And if all else fails, tip well.

[CelineMcBean]

Lol at tip well. I'm really trying to remember what we did when out but I can't. I know it was easy or I would have been shovelling Ella's Pouches in mine and blw was easier than that

Perhaps I gave a milk feed first? I do know we didn't have much routine and were quite flexible so it's perfectly possible I gave non-messy food when out or a milk feed and fed him properly later.

What do you mean by the "integrity of blw" btw op?

[stmarymead]

Thanks dudes. V helpful.
'Integrity of blw' I meant actually doing it, rather than switching spoonwards when out! :)
Maybe I've got a messy one? Even sticks of cheese are mushed down, spat out in tiny soggy pieces.

[CelineMcBean]

I gave mine spoons occasionally for things like yoghurt and weetabix but only at home (couldn't be arsed with taking sticky spoon home and weetabix on the go is tricky). That doesn't compromise anything. Some folk prefer loaded spoons but frankly life's too short IMHO.

Sounds like your boy is just having too much fun! Give a mat, big bib, anti-bac wipes and passing one thing at a time a try. Worst case is you never go back...

[Seeline]

Would one of those 'pelican bib' type things help? I remember my DS used to go round for 2nds and 3rds by trawling through all the bits in the pouch! Also I assume he is usually in a high chair with a tray in front - surely that catches most of the bits? Or leave him in the buggy with a large towel spread over him. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it in shops/cafes etc. They should have sweepable/washable floors - much more hygenic than carpets

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

Stop worrying or you will never get out! DD is 18mo and is even messier than before. Even pureed babies would be self feeding by this age. Some of them are worse than others. I try to clean up a bit by picking food off the ground, and wipe sauces on the floor with the napkins. And yes to tip well.

Today she was actively flinging weetabix during breakfast. She has a spoon to eat with too. Spoons are no miracle to stopping the mess. By the way, she went to nursery with dried weetabix crusted on her jeans .

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

Oh I do stop her flinging food when out. Don't want anything to land on other customers.

[stmarymead]

Thanks once again everyone. When I think about it more specifically the times when I find things a real problem are those when no highchair is available or only one of those wooden ones with no tray.

[CelineMcBean]

Ah then you want one of these

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

I find that if no highchair / only a crap highchair is avaliable, I leave dd in her buggy and give her more fingerfood stuff (baguette, panini, sticks of veg, chips, chicken breast). Then I chuck the seat cover in the was when I get home and add venue to my Avoid list

[CMOTDibbler]

If you get a v cheap shower curtain, they fold up very small and you can just gather it up.
But I got used to just asking for the bill and a dustpan and brush

[moojie]

I have some large muslins that I bought to keep ds cool in the summer that never was and I lay them down on the floor then just scoop them up afterwards and wash at home. Yes they get stained but it works well. Did exactly that yesterday in costa, got some funny looks from younger people but smiles and nods from older generation as 6mo ds munched on his rice cakes, avocado and cheese!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

We did BLW with DD and I can't remember a huge mess either. Have you got those bibs with a pocket at the bottom to catch food?

[BakingBunty]

Some sheets of newspaper under the highchair works a treat when out and about - and is more transportable than a mat...

I found the mess reduced significantly once DS hit 12 months.