Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Original poster

to wonder why anyone wouldn't BLW?

183 replies

Claz1001 · 21/04/2011 13:50

It sounds great for both baby and lazy parent. Definitely the way I'll be weaning my DS soon! Why bother with purees if you don't have to? Why doesn't everyone do this? Maybe I am missing something

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 21/04/2011 21:36

MarianneM - babies can have anything but salt, whole nuts and honey from 6 months.

sausagesandmarmelade · 21/04/2011 21:39

Marianne,

I read somewhere that some formula milks were dairy...
If dairy before 12 months is soooo bad then how come a lot of FF babies grow up to be strong and healthy adults?

Feeding babies dairy before 12 months was commonplace.
Soft boiled eggs, baby rice with milk...rusks soaked in milk, cheese whathaveyou
So the advice has changed now?

and you accuse others of being tetchy??

MarianneM · 21/04/2011 21:42

Really RitaMorgan? Why don't people just give cow's milk at 6 months instead of formula if not breastfeeding? I'm sure I have been advised no dairy products before 12 months.

WorzselMummage · 21/04/2011 21:42

Dairy is FINE.

WorzselMummage · 21/04/2011 21:43

No milk as a main drink before 12 months.

dairy-cheese, butter, cream, milk in cereal is FINE.

sausagesandmarmelade · 21/04/2011 21:43

and err....

How is a baby supposed to chew whole foods without having teeth?
Sucking/gumming a carrot stick could take an awful time...or is a baby supposed to be deprived of a whole range of foods until he/she can chew it?

and I would have thought that soft foods were easier for a baby to digest.

MarianneM · 21/04/2011 21:46

Blimey sausages, you're just as arsey as on other threads! Are you generally such a bad-tempered person?

MarianneM · 21/04/2011 21:47

Thanks other posters about the advice on dairy though, I'm glad to know that. Will be giving DD2 some cheese and yogurt tomorrow...

Happygomummy · 21/04/2011 21:48

are you going to follow up by toddler led weaning all the way to teenager led weaning?

i just don't get BLW - given the enthusiasm with which my babies would stuff anything in their mouths given half the chance, there is no way i'd let them "wean themselves".

seriously, get the blender out - and be a proactive parent.

monkeyjamtart · 21/04/2011 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RitaMorgan · 21/04/2011 21:53

Marianne - cow's milk doesn't have enough nutrients for a baby under 12 months as a feed, but is fine on cereal, in yoghurts, cheese etc.

Sausages - yes, formula is skimmed milk powder with vitamins, fish oils and a load of other stuff added.

Babies can chew fine without teeth by the way - by ds has only just got his first tooth coming through at 8.5 months but could manage roast veg, bananas, rice cakes, cucumber sticks from 5 months, pasta, toast, pizza, strips of chicken, sticks of cheese from 6 months.

MarianneM · 21/04/2011 21:59

monkeyjamtart

I happen to remember sausagesandmarmelade from other threads, I didn't go looking for her .

I just didn't expect someone to jump down my throat - what did I say?

Why is this issue do divisive, it really needn't be.

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:05

I did BLW with dd1 as she was a spoon refuser. Loved it, worked a charm. Yes it's messy but I found it a lot of fun and loved taking loads of photos. I found it a relief that the food wasn't about filling her tummy at all as the milk was still doing that. She's a great eater now too at nearly 3, eats a big variety of meals.

Doing BLW again with dd2, 8 months, she seems to really enjoy it so far but loves her milk. I love watching her take bites and chew and swallow, it's so cute and I'm proud of her for learning to do that so young. She's bf whereas her sister was ff so she has more milk feeds in a day than her sis did, who guzzled enormous bottles, but I'm still finding it do-able.

I'm not smug and do not evangelise, don't find the mess that much of a problem, have never found mealtimes that slow and have managed to mostly give my girls healthy food.

I can understand why people don't want to do BLW though and I never recommend it now, as I've had too many situations where, after chatting a bit about weaning and I say I'm doing BLW, a friend decides to try their spoon-fed baby with a big floret of broccoli and then when said baby gags spectacularly on the broccoli and makes a big mess by mushing it into their t-shirt and throwing it onto the floor, I'm then the evil cow who tried to kill their baby and has caused a big clean up operation Just the other day dd2's gagging was causing a friend who has his own little kiddies to go v pale and terrified worried looking. So no, I don't recommend it, don't want to be held responsible!

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:11

sausages my 8 month old eats loads of carrot and has no teeth. cooked in big sticks, just soft enough to bite and chew but not so soft that it would all break up in her hands. babies don't need teeth to chew.

sungirltan · 21/04/2011 22:14

urgh. why do poster insist that babies without teeth are unable to eat solid food? i have spent months watching dd and her 5 little pals eating solid food with no teeth. one had no teeth at a year and no purees in sight! have i just halucinated it all?

dont blw if you dont fancy it by all means but dont tell me its physically impossible because then you are being ridiculous.

meanwhile a few months back i'd have invited any doubters to my house to observe dd but since she's 18 months no i'd look a bit fraudulent he he

sungirltan · 21/04/2011 22:16

wait. happygomummy 'proactive parent' does my blender refusal make me an 'inactive parent'

smirk

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:17

why all the blw hate on this thread people? it's just a weaning method! saved my sanity too. Ok the name is wanky but it has to be called something and it is NOT "just finger food".

sausagesandmarmelade · 21/04/2011 22:17

Marianne - you've read all my other posts today then...

I'd love to see how they were 'arsey'. How do you define arsey?. I've posted some comments on the relationships board, the 'is my mother a scrooge' and a couple of others....

Do you always try and cast doubt on ALL of someone's posts when someone dares to challenge something that you say?

Anyway...back to the subject. I think it must be really hard for mothers these days who must be feeling increasing inadequate and lacking confidence. They go to their mums for advice maybe...but then receive a load of conflicting advice from here and elsewhere telling them that things are different now.

Most mothers know how to ween their babies...theirs nothing wrong with feeding puree from a spoon...the world's gone mad!

KatyBeau · 21/04/2011 22:18

Thank god there's someone else on here who doesn't think that spoons are evil! Much as I think it's a lovely idea having a baby feed themselves what they want, I also see my daughter's pleasure at grabbing the spoon and wolfing down the purée. I never shove it in her mouth (which is what BLW protagonists seem to think is inherent in spoon feeding). I can't help but think there has to be a middle ground. Yes, let babies develop independence and play, but there's always room for gentle parental guidance too.

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:20

happygomummy, I don't understand what you mean about your babies stuffing anything in their mouths therefore you wouldn't let them "wean themselves"? Do you mean they'd eat too much?

sausagesandmarmelade · 21/04/2011 22:22

Pardon my utter ignorance sun and pet....

But what is wrong with mashed carrot? Why can't a baby have a mix of mashed/pureed foods or whatever the mother chooses.

Just because I disagree with the acronym...and the way this is blown up to be such a big issue, why does that make me a hater. Why is this all being made out to be something new....

The term baby led weaning...implies that anyone not doing this is somehow being cruel...OR going against what the baby needs.

I say, let a mother choose what to feed her baby...don't take away her confidence and make her feel she has to do things a certain way or she's failing.

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:22

I disagree sausages, I think it's great there's more info and choice for mothers out there, so that eg if spoon-feeding doesn't work for your baby, there's another option out there for you and you don't end up tearing your hair out with worry your baby's totally refusing to eat anything you offer on a spoon.

KatyBeau · 21/04/2011 22:23

Sorry, I meant to type 'some BLW protagonists'. Not meaning to imply that everyone says that!

madwomanintheattic · 21/04/2011 22:23

i weaned dd2 (dc3) on quavers.

she was born with no gag or swallow reflex, so blw would quite literally have killed her.

and it hadn't been invented for the other two. it was just called finger food, and we were all annabel karmel disciples with little individual ice cube trays. funny what's trendy at different times.

petisa · 21/04/2011 22:25

Sorry was replying to your previous post. Nothing wrong with mashed carrot! I do offer mashed carrot on a spoon, with parsnip and butter, but put the spoon into dd2's hand for her to feed herself.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8