Is anyone else doing baby led weaning?

[Travellerintime]

I was intending to Annabel Karmel-ise ds, but he has other ideas.

Not that I had anything against BLW (ok apart from being nervous about the gagging thing), but I just felt too tired to learn new tricks, having used purees with dd.

So ds is now nearly 7 months and seems to hate the whole concept of being fed purees. I only ever get about 2 mouthfuls into him before he gets really upset and refuses to eat. In the last week I've started finger food and he gets really absorbed and has started to eat it.

Have read up about BLW but still looking for ideas on what to serve - and especially what to give for breakfast - I just can't get over the idea that I can't give porridge!

[Travellerintime]

Hi,
Thanks, had a look - looks great, really helpful.

[Habbibu]

Ooh, fancy, LL! But I do hope the peas come with a little disclaimer about pincer grips.
Traveller - porridge pancakes for breakfast are good - recipe on Aitch's blog somewhere. Also toast, ordinary pancakes, crumpets - ruddynorah is good at providing big lists!

[Habbibu]

oh - here is the porridge pancakes recipe - I was that spingle...

[MrsBadger]

lapin it look great but the links in the top bar are bust

[fedupandisolated]

Enjoy travellerintime (btw was going to abbreviete your name but decided not to )

I did blw with my DS (now 5) and it was a fantastic way to wean. Now I am a HV I rave about it to other Mums - some of whom look at me as though I've stepped off a different planet. Usually though - once they try it they don't go back down the mush route.

[MrsBadger]

[fourlittlefeet]

the site looks great and much easier on the eye! i blw'd dd who is 14 months and loved it (still loves her porridge too, but I love oat pancakes now, how weird. you can guess who ate them all - with bacon and banana and maple syrup though .)

[mamabea]

Hello Travellerintime, I am starting BLW with my DD2 (6 months). Limited success so far, able to take food to mouth, get some in her mouth but she really doesn't seem to enjoy tastes yet and I know that this is probably normal.

Tried banana, broc,sweetpotato, peach- she makes a 'bleuch' noise/disgusted face and gets dispondant quickly.

gonna persevere. Can you let me know how you are getting along as time goes by?

I am going to visit Aitch's site again!

[mamabea]

oOOOh Littlelapin, I really like the new design, very inviting. In fact I'd go so far as to say beautiful.

[ThingOne]

BLW def the easy way to go, T in time. Did with both mine (although didn't have a name first time round). Best bit is you get to sit and eat your meal at the same time and don't have to watch it get cold while you feed your child .

[fourlittlefeet]

well I'd say the three of you have done a fantastic job!

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

fab new look!

[Travellerintime]

Habbibu - love the porridge pancakes. Maybe I'll be a convert to this after all...

Mamabea - our first success was with an Organix rusk. He seemed to get the chewing idea with this. Since then, sweet potato and Galia melon have gone down quite well. will let you know how we progress.

[talilac]

Ooh thats soo pretty!

I'm on my 2nd BLW DD now, its fun. Do put a mat on the floor and stock up on kitchen towel though.

Travellerintime, I recommend slices of ripe avocado, because its ever so healthy, so a good thing for them to get a taste for. And also because you get to see what your child looks like green, which is always a plus in my book.

Do it right before bath time though.

[fourlittlefeet]

pear is also a winner (you can tell I weaned in autumn). Cutting little notches in slimy fruit works too.

[EasyLife]

My 8month old just gets whatever I get manage to russle up! I try to make healthy meals for my 3 year old, myself and DH and cut up the veg into fist holding sizes for my youngest.
I try to remember what he's had over a period of days so that he get variety. I don't worry too much about choking - basicly I put food in front of him and if he can pick it up, it is probably because he's ready to eat it. I take tough skins off apples and cucumbers etc. but otherwise just keep a close eye and be ready to help him if needed. He much prefers feeding himself and wants to try everything we are eating. So far has only refused baby rice!!
I also give him 'baby mush' jars every now and again (i.e. when he's in the mood and I manage to time it right).

Having worried a lot with my first (who didn't really start eating until he was a year), I've totally relaxed and just enjoy watching my second play with his food. Also to busy trying to keep 3 year old sitting down!
I just avoid chilli, strong garlic/onion/ spices. Add sugar and salt. He loves playing with rice. Gluten free pastas are good change from lots of wheat. Bits of toast. Sugar free fruit crumble. (And grandma's ice cream!) Think BF babies tend to know what they need and kind of regulate themselves (from what I've read).

Hope that helps.
Have fun! And be ready for lots of cleaning up afterwards!

[Pheebe]

Can I just say you don't have to do one or the other, they aren't mutually exclusive. After much dithering and some great ideas and encouragement from the mn team my ds2 has led me to do a mix of blw and 'mush'.

He loves his porridge for breakfast with some fruit in followed by toast fingers, some of which he dips in the porridge! Almost every meal is a mix of mush and finger foods, he dips, I scoop and between us we have great fun. He loves his veg as well so long as it comes off my plate!

Just a thought anyway

[LuckySalem]

Me and DD are doing BLW (much to the annoyance of DP cos of the mess )

She likes it and although she doesn't really eat that much (she's relying on her milk) she enjoys being part of dinnertime instead of sat in her bouncer watching us.

hint get a splash mat or big towel for under the highchair hint

[Hadeda]

We're doing BLW with my DD (about 29 weeks now, started at 26 weeks). She absolutely loves it and is turning into a real piggy!! We have just come back from Italy where we spent a week with family. It made life SO easy - we just ordered pasta with veggie sauces in restaurants and let her get on with it. She was the star of every place we ate! Also had lots of fruit and fresh veg which is easy (zucchini in stick shapes went down well). She's had so many different foods in the past 3 weeks (i.e. since we started weaning) that I've lost count! Only foods we use a spoon for are yoghurt and porridge, but even there I give her the spoon to put in her own mouth.

Mothercare sells bibs that are sort of a raincoat - long sleeves and made of plastic. I've found these great for covering child/clothes and for using as a sort of table cloth when you don't want to ruin some restaurant's white table cloth!

For info/ideas the blog is great, and weaning section on mn is also good. Generally, my HV gave me 4 absolute don'ts - no salt, no sugar, no nuts and no honey until one. Apart from that everything goes, although obv use discretion (so I wouldn't give eg shellfish or any raw meats yet).

[ExterminAitch]

sign up to the new forum, will yas please? cos when we swapped over we lost about 200 accounts that the new programme deemed to be 'dead' . blah blah blah truth blah blah blah accuracy, i just want to be back up over 1000 members again... ggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.