What does BLW mean?

[2luvlyboys]

Pretty self explanatory really. Genuine question not been a mumsnetter for long. Baby is 8 months.

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

baby led weaning - they feed themselves instead of you spoon feeding. Soft chunks of fruit and steamed veg at first, moving onto almost anything. They eat what you eat within reason.

[Tortington]

i think Aitch is resident guru but might be mistaken.

[thisisyesterday]

baby led weaning.

the basic premise is that a baby's gut develops in tandem with its ability to feed itself and swallow food.

thus, if a baby is allowed access to food and can pick it up, place in mouth, chew and swallow, then it is ok to eat it.

So, you can basically offer your baby whatever you are eating (as long as it doesn't have lots of salt/sugar/other baby unfriendly ingredients) and let him/her get on with it

[2luvlyboys]

My lo hasn't taken to finger food at all he holds a rice cake for example looks at it and eventually drops it sometimes sucks abit and seemes to enjoy the little he does have! Most fruit and veg he finds far too slippery and drops straight away. I thing he'd starve if I used this method!! What are the benefits to blw? Would other mners recommend it?
At his 8 month check last week the hv said he hasn't got the finger/thumb movement yet. (Can't remember what she called it.) I remember my ds1 did that very well at his 8 month check. HV suggests to encourage this by putting peas on his high chair tray and let him practice picking them up. Tried this tonight he didn't really bother. Also he's been referred because he has a lazy eye.

[2luvlyboys]

Also aren't you supposed to not give babys anything with salt in it? For example I like to cook casseroles inn my slow cooker using stocks/gravys etc. Isn't that too high in salt for a baby? Having said that eating what we eat does make sense. I used to cook seperate food for my ds1 now aged 2.10 but he eats what we eat now so looking back it does seem a totally pointless exercise. I just haven't got the time for that with my 2nd! Although I've always thought that they shouldn't have any salt in their diets at all.
Also how does blw work for food that needs to be eaten from a spoon? For example my baby loves porridge for breakfast. Obviously that can't be a finger food although my 2 year tries really hard to make it one!

[thisisyesterday]

no, don't give anything with too much salt in.

a teeny bit won't hurt, but generally it's a no.

porridge def can be finger food :D lol
we give 9month old ds2 a spoon to use as well as his fingers, he'll get the hang of it eventually. just make it extra thick

[2luvlyboys]

Still not sure if blw would be right for my baby or not. Still bf. Has just started to sleep through the night - BLISS! Don't want that to change but he hasn't taken to finger foods as prev mentioned. So probably won't go totally blw!

[thingamajig]

see here www.babyledweaning.com
Definately worth a try - dd (7m) loves a bit of toast and philadelphia