to be fed up that the nursery are obviously spoon feeding

[Rachiesparrow]

...when I specifically asked them not to?

I'm doing baby led weaning, and it's going really well. I asked the nursery if they would also do this, and explained the principles. They agreed and said that whatever I wanted, they would do.

However, I've noticed that when I offer Martha a spoon full of stuff, rather than take it from me and feed herself, she'll open her mouth like a little baby bird and wait for me to shovel it in.

I know I should pick my battles, and it's not a massive deal - babies are adaptable things after all.

She's happy there, and I'm sure that baby led weaning isn't for everyone. They probably feel more comfortable with spoon feeding a 9 month old. I'm still pissed off though.

Should I call them on it or just let it lie?

YANBU and I would strongly complain. Politic aside about which method is "best", you are not supposed to combine BLW with spooning purees, especially for young babies who are only just learning about food.

Here's why: A young baby who is used to being spoonfed will suck the puree off the spoon to the back of her throat then swallow. If she tried to employ this technique with solid food she's fed herself she would be serious risk of choking.

Also surely the point is that it is the OP's child, and the OP is paying good money for the nursery care.

If they were unable or unwilling to provide what the OP wants, then they should have told her so and allowed her to spend her money elsewhere.

But everyone I know has always combined purees with finger foods.

No one's baby has choked. I just mashed up whatever we were having all g with some veg pieces and left mine to get on with it. Fed with a spoon if in a rush.

It's all just weaning.

More about choking risk in babies who are given purees and BLW here.

women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article1961406.ece

From above:

In fact, difficulties are often encountered when puree-fed babies have to face second-stage weaning foods that contain lumps. ?Because babies suck food off spoons, they don?t know whether to suck or chew when they encounter lumps in puree,? Rapley says.

Don't you think the 'risk' is overstated in order to sell more books?

That sounds cynical - but really I don't know anyone who has had difficulties as a result of giving purees on a spoon.

I would say that the advice I received was to give purees and jars before 6 months and give proper food mashed up after. Everyone else did this too.

I weaned all mine before 6 mnths cos advice was 4-6 at the time.

My point is that I think BLW is reinventing the wheel. Most parents don't give purees to older babies

Have only read the first page so forgive me if I repeat something someone else has said. I would be inclined to ask the nursery what the situation is first rather than just assume they are not trying BLW. If every other baby there is being spoon fed, (if that is the case?) is it not possible that your DD is emulating them too?

Agree with semicolon; it's just weaning.

DS was blw and spoon fed. I just did whatever was easiest and most appropriate for the food he was eating. They spoon fed him in creche I think; I don't know any creche that does BLW.

Wow op - I do BLW at home and it is really really messy. So at nursery my baby is spoon fed. It is one thing for me or my DH to clean up but I would not expect Nursery Staff to clean up. My baby switches between both methods without a problem... and just how they would not spoon feed say mushy pees is a bit beyond me.

And I am really interested if any nursery does do BLW?

cantthinkofagoodname, that's the most insane thing I've ever read on here. If you do BLW does your child never eat yoghurt??

I don't think most nurseries do BLW because a) it takes ages and b) it's messy as other people have said.

Agree with semicolan- as I said before BLW is based on scaremongering to sell a book. Nobody used to have problems with choking when my DCs were weaning, and lots of advice is now about going back to weaning slowly between 4-6 months..

The fact the BLW feel the need to tell their nurseries how to feed their babies, just shows how precious and nonsense it all is.

My babies were weaned, were feeding themselves proficiently with cutlery by twelves monts. Could eat a whole apple once they had enough teeth to bite into it.

If a nursery does BLW, children would come home covered in food (those bibs don't really contain it) and parents who don't BLW would complain. Also, as others said, it is just weaning by another name.

Some parents (especially those with more than one child) would think purist-type BLW is a bit loony/faddy so I don't think it would be wise for a nursery to hitch their star to it.

As for the choking risk, it is definitely overstated - mixed feeding is so common I would expect to see a lot more choking incidents. Along with childproofing, believe or not, babies actually have a survival instinct and adapt quite naturally to different situations. I don't see a baby being so lulled into sucking purees off a spoon to then try to inhale solid food. There is the tongue-thrust reflect for babies who are not ready anyway.

Puree v BLW debate is irrelevant.

OP made her choice, nursery agreed to it. It is unreasonable for them to change the agreed feeding method without consulting with her first.

Rachiesparrow - it is a minor thing and I doubt very much it will do your DD any harm but FWIW I would discuss with the nursery. There will be lots of other parenting choices for you to make in the years to come (when and how to potty train, when to drop bottles, etc) where you will need to work together with nursery staff. You need to know that you can trust them and that they will come and talk to you when they have difficulties.

I've weaned three children starting on puree and then graduated to lumps and none of them were as dim as to confuse puree and lumps

I have never seen a baby 'suck' food off a spoon as Rapley suggests. This is just scaremongering. Silly really, as there is some good stuff in her book and it has probably helped a number of parents feel more confident about offering finger food at an earlier stage.

Most parents I know have done a combo of finger foods and spoonfeeding, allowing DC to take the spoon if they are keen but being relaxed about it if they open their mouths to be fed. All the children I know of DDs age (coming up to 2) are happy, confident eaters who can handle cutlery as well as finger food. It's not a big deal.

Yes - I think the positive side of BLW is its more relaxed approach as weaning was very prescriptive when I was doing it with Dd1.