We're almost ready to start BLW - but i have a couple of questions...

[babber]

DS is 24 weeks and is taking a real interest in dinnertimes, fascinated with what we're doing and copying us chewing etc. I've handed him a piece of bread a couple of times and he's enjoyed giving it a good old suck and gum. I would like to try giving him some more types of food soon but i am just wondering if he needs to be able to sit completely unsupported? I can prop him up in his highchair but really he's not sitting on his own yet and not sure how soon he will be, what if he can't sit till he's 8 months? (like my nephew) do i just have to accept that he's not yet ready?

and, question number 2... should i just jump in with 3 meals a day or is it better to start off with one meal and build it up? does it matter if we eat at different times each day? also any tips about eating at friends houses who may be funny about DS making a mess. Do you think its ok for him to just skip a meal in those circumstances (won't happen too often) as i will still be BF'ing on demand.

also... how do i avoid making my friend who didn't BLW feel like I am criticising her way of doing things? (i'm trying not to talk about it too much but she keeps asking me questions then getting defensive when i answer them).

Thats actually loads of questions so hopefully someone can help. I'm really excited about starting BLW... but also feeling a bit sad that DS is growing up!

[CMOTdibbler]

Is he sitting in a highchair, but sort of slips to one side ? Thats OK, but if he can't sit totally upright with a bit of side support, then its a problem.

They don't eat much at a time, so fine to offer some food at each meal. Just offer when you are eating and don't worry about timings.

When out and about, I offered something cleanish (bread, salad, non messy veg, pasta without sauce on) and it worked out OK. You soon get blase about asking for a dustpan and brush after meals.

I just told people I was too lazy to puree. It diverted the conversation, and since DS ate everything in sight pretty rapidly, no one could really argue

[dan39]

Watching this with interest as just about to think about starting too - friends very suspicious as they think its a criticism of their puree regimes...advice above re saying 'too lazy to puree' sounds great!!

Don't think lack of 3 meals a day is a prob from what I have read, just offer what you are having when its appropriate? And re other people's approach to mess - just aplogise in advance. This is your baby's food and its more important than their carpet! Its not like you will be offering beetroot to be rubbed in after all?!

[babber]

agree with 'too lazy to puree' - will use that one. I'm not making any kind of judgement on how my friends choose to do things.... i just think BLW will work for us, and seems much more natural and easy going than purees - but its just a choice isn't it? ah well, just have to hope that DS turns into a good eater, so nobody can look all smug and say 'i told you so'.
i think i was worryiong too much in advance re: friends carpets... not many friends would mind me feeding him anyway and tbh mess prob not much better than if i was spoon feeding anyway. will reserve right to use beetroot deopending on reactions.

[lobsters]

Babber - you sound like me about 2 weeks again. my DD doesn't sit up completely unsupported (well she did for 9 seconds today ), but she has been happy to sit in the highchair and "eat." I've also used the Bumbo a couple of times.

I started with one meal a day, but moved to 2 quickly. But I've been flexible on timings so generally avoided eating when we're out. Apart from today where she had some veg while we were in the pub.

None of my friends are doing BLW, generally we've not talked about it much, although i have had some curious questions from them. "too lasy to puree works" as does "DD won't let me spoonfeed her", even if oyu've never tried.

My final tip is have your camera to hand, we've loads of cute "DD covered in food" photos

[dan39]

Not to hijack this too much, but I was also wondering what the stance is on introducing things gradually to see if there is a reaction? The puree method seems to be based on try it and wait - is this the case with BLW too or is BLW less concerned with this aspect of weaning? People seem shocked at the idea of wheat and dairy from 6 months too as (certainly in my peer group) there seems to be a tendency to wait til they are 1 - but I don't think I want to do this. Should I just not worry as there are no massive allergies in the family?

[cyteen]

dan39, we're doing BLW with my DS (now 10mo) and we weren't especially cautious with introducing new things as there is no family history of allergies. From reading Gill Rapley's book, it seems her take on it is that the culture of spoonfeeding is historically so tied to weaning before 6m that introducing new foods slowly and carefully has become the norm for that reason, i.e. because younger babies have immature guts and are thus more susceptible to adverse reactions. Not sure whether I buy into this but that's what her theory says.

Either way, DS has done okay so far and loves pretty much everything we give him I haven't given him honey, raw fish or anything else obviously iffy, but he's had (and enjoyed) wheat, dairy, all manner of fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, eggs etc.

[CherryChoc]

My DS is 9 months old and is crawling, cruising, climbing and kneeling confidently but only today sat up for more than 30 seconds without keeling over We've been doing BLW since about 5 months when he was grabbing food as he could sit up in a highchair then. Make sure the highchair is upright, ie not reclined at all.

I never worried about introducing foods. Avoiding dairy and wheat until age 1 sounds like a ridiculously unnecessary and stressful way to go about things. People with allergies in their family will be able to tell you what a PITA that would be, so why bother unless you have to?

I have no idea about regular meals TBH. I have to remind myself to offer food more often Just got DS weighed the other day though and he is bang on the line so having mostly milk must be doing him some good at least

[lobsters]

According to my HV and various lists I've seen there is a long list of things to avoid before 6 months, including wheat and dairy, but after 6 months it mainly seems to be limited to honey and nuts. I've given DD a few things in a meal time, including strawberries as neither DH nor I really suffer from food allergies.

[feralgirl]

DS is 7mo and still slouches, the lazy little sod. Doesn't seem to have stood in the way of BLWing at all. He has eaten what we were having since day one (try stopping him!) and has been having 3 meals since quite early on too. Breakfast and lunch with us and dinner with us when I can get it together to cook for 6pm. He refuses to sit in his high chair though; it's the booster seat, the bumbo or my lap.

I too use the "too lazy line" but I also tell people that he doesn't like being spoon-fed which works equally well. Funnily enough, my friend whose DD is the same age has stopped spoon-feeding after spending lots of time with us and is BLWing too, despite being very about it to start with.

Re eating elsewhere, this is a perfect time to ween I think; just suggest that you eat outside.

[babber]

Well he made a grab for my banana this morning whilst sitting happily (propped up) in his highchair at the breakfast table. I let him have it and he knew exactly what to do... the look on his face when he realised it had a flavour! brilliant - luckily had camera to hand so got some good 'banana all over face hands etc' shots.
so i guess we've started BLW then.....

[cyteen]

Excellent Banana was our gateway too - I knew he was ready after two consecutive days of banana theft.

[nappyaddict]

babber can he sit in the highchair with just the straps supporting him iyswim?

[babber]

hi nappyaddict - yes hes sitting upright in the highchaior just needs a bit of propping so he doesn't fall to one side...
have been including him in meals where possible since my 1st post and can confirm hes definbitely ready - hes loving it! so much for not eating very mcuh to begin with... judging from the last nappy he is DEFINITELY swallowing stuff. eugh. DP can do noext one thats for sure...
so much fun seeing him trying new things

[nappyaddict]

That sounds like my friend's DS and she wants to start BLW but wasn't sure if she could with him falling to the side. What do you use to stop him falling to the side?

[babber]

I have just used a rolled up hand towel... although going through quite a lot as he manages to get food all over it each meal!

[nappyaddict]

Do you put it behind him or stuff it down the sides?

[omaoma]

hiya, i've been giving dd some purees and baby rice for a few weeks and really want to move onto BLW/finger foods (the pureeing is doing my head in) but she has choked, quite worryingly, twice so far... what am i doing wrong? she can sit up with a little support and loves holding food and gnawing/melting bits off but seems able to get quite big chunks off without being able to handle them and hence choking ensues... first on a banana and second on a piece of toast - full on red face/eyes watering/bashing her back over my arm sessions. from what i've read of BLW this isn't supposed to happen! anyone got any advice??

[nappyaddict]

What about cutting everything up quite small if she's not able to handle bigger bits yet? How old is she? Does she slouch forward when she sits up cos that could be your problem?

[omaoma]

she's six months, she does slouch forward a bit - i put her in her bumbo seat so she's fairly upright. she got on better with a piece of broccoli yesterday - just gnawing the stalk, don't think she actually got anything off. i think perhaps shes teething so is really going at things with her gums and then can't cope with the resulting large piece!

[babber]

nappyaddict - i just stuff the towel down the side and it keeps him from tipping over.

omaoma - my ds has gagged a few times when hes managed to bite off big bits but nothing like choking... that sounds scary! maybe just make sure everything you give her is very softy so it can't get lodged anywhere? i'm no expert though - maybe someone will be aloing soon who is!

[nappyaddict]

omaoma This is the part of BLW that no one tells you about DS often nearly choked on his food. We had the purple face, tears streaming down his face etc. I used to leave him 10 seconds and a lot of the time he'd sort it out himself. If after 10 seconds he hadn't I'd give him a quick bang on the back to move the offending piece of food forwards into his mouth and then he'd carry on quite untraumatised.

[omaoma]

leave him 10 seconds!!! ohmygod. i don't think i'm that brave... back to purees tis for me i think.

[nappyaddict]

Well just leave him for as long as you feel comfortable. For me it was 10 seconds and we only ever had 1 occasion where it lasted longer than that and I intervened.

[anchovies]

I did BLW with my dd (now 10 months) and just made sure everything was big chip shaped pieces. Think little pieces are worse for gagging/choking. Oh and bread was difficult too for a couple of months. I was quite lucky in that we have only had gagging a couple of times and she's never not been able to sort it out herself. Think the trick is what you give them though, dd is now an expert at spitting out anything she knows won't work!

[lobsters]

If you are thinking about doing BLW, I can't recommend strongly enough that you read the Gill Rapley book, you don't have to buy it, I know some libraries have it in. There is a big difference between chocking and gagging, the book explains it well. We've been doing BLW for about 6 weeks, I don't think DD has ever chocked, but she has gagged, which is perfectly harmless, a few times. You can give food of all textures, but it needs to be big enough for a baby to hold, put in their mouth and manouvre easily. DD loves steamed broccoli florets, sticks of cucumber and today really enjoyed wedges of melon.