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AIBU?

to wonder if I've got this baby led weaning thing right

76 replies

MrsKeithRichards · 04/10/2012 16:35

So I just give him food? Like a bit of bread, cucumber, or basically a bit of whatever we're having and leave Him to it?

No blending or trying to get mush up carrots into ice cube trays?

Is that it? It's that easy? Heinz must hate it!

OP posts:

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TroubleAndFyfe · 04/10/2012 20:29

I have a dog, it's perfect!

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Fairylea · 04/10/2012 20:31

I am tempted to try it with ds soon...... but...I'm terrified of him choking :(

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Gentleness · 04/10/2012 20:35

chips - they learn how to manage if they do gag - that's the theory anyway. And anecdotally it seemed to work. Ds is fine with something making him gag - just pulls it out and gets on with his meal. His friend who was fed on purees from 4mo to 8mo just vomits straight away when any kind of lump get's stuck.

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Flisspaps · 04/10/2012 20:35

wannabeadomesticgoddess not at all - it's just that there isn't only one way of weaning, and after 6mo there's really not any call for puree anyway.

I've BLW both of mine because I am lazy refuse to sit and spoon feed whilst my own dinner goes cold and I didn't want to either cook a separate meal or end up with a freezer full of little ice cubes of vegetables.

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showtunesgirl · 04/10/2012 20:35

Apart from the Gill Rapley book, I would also highly recommend: www.amazon.co.uk/River-Cottage-Baby-Toddler-Cookbook/dp/1408807564/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 if you're BLW or even traditional weaning as it covers a lot of stuff that the Gill Rapley book doesn't. Also it's got great recipes.

DD is BLW and has taken to it really well. The blueberry pancakes recipe from the River Cottage book is her favourite and it's pretty good for me too as I slather my pancakes with honey.

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chipsandmushypeas · 04/10/2012 20:36

I want to try it too when I have my ds but worried about choking, especially with cucumber and carrots etc

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Flisspaps · 04/10/2012 20:36

Fairylea I think any parent, regardless of how they wean, should learn how to deal with choking - at some point every child is going to eat actual solids rather than puree. Besides, it's also possible for babies to choke on puree or mashed foods.

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whatsforyou · 04/10/2012 20:37

I did it and had no choking but did have a bit of gagging at the start which as someone already said is protection and helps them not to choke, didn't bother him in the slightest but can be a bit scary to see at first!
Don't think there is any actual research but I'm sure anecdotally they are less likely to choke with BLW as they are in charge of what they eat from the start and can explore it whereas with purees they sort of 'suck' it off the spoon so are totally unprepared for lumps.
If you are nervous try a children's first aid course and read up the Gill Rapley book it's ace! would also avoid uncooked apples as I've heard a few horror stories!

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CheshireDing · 04/10/2012 20:40

PFB is 1 tomorrow and she is BLW baby, we love it, as does she, massively recommend it. It's so easy to take her out with us.

Today she had blueberry wheats with milk, crumpet and butter, banana, ratatouile, yoghurt, tangerine, spinach potatoes and pizza, makerel sandwich and some raisins. She is still bf from 7pm-Midnight but as you can see eats loads!

Today I had a cheese sandwich and a Coke :(

Prep as if you are about to do some decorating though. We bought one of those vinyl table clothes and cut it in half for her under hair chair.

Try and pick a high chair with as little fabric too as their food gets everywhere. The Baby Bjorn Appetite is fab as its just plastic. I think Ikea might do a simple high chair too.

Enjoy :)

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 04/10/2012 20:41

Im on the fence a bit about it if Im honest.

I can see it makes sense. And I had a very relaxed attitude to DD eating solids, it was the people around me freaking out about her choking more than me.

But I just watched some you tube videos of blw and it looks so frustrating. For them not for me. I can take all day with it. But their little hands not being able to get grip. Id feel so bad.

Probably just me though!!

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EnglishGirlApproximately · 04/10/2012 20:44

Ds has only really gagged once when he got a bit overexcited at his first taste of roast chicken and shoved a whole piece in his mouth. It didn't bother him at all and he proceeded to eat what he'd just spat out

mummy I do the same with porridge has he always manages to pick the spoon up the wrong way round. I give it him to eat then he shoves it in his eye normally!

I've completely converted my Pils, they thought I was mad when I said I wanted to do BLW but then they saw him happily munching breadsticks and pear slices and were amazed at how well he could manage for his age. I think it's really helping with his coordination too, his aim at mouth improves every day.

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TempusFuckit · 04/10/2012 20:44

Did it, loved it, definitely doing it with DC2.

The Gill Rapley book is good, but I actually found her cookbook much better - far less theory, much more practical (and not just recipes).

(It also makes for a much cuter obligatory baby's first foods Facebook photo )

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whatsforyou · 04/10/2012 20:45

You could keep an eye out for AitchTwoOhOneTwo on here too, she's a bit of an expert and has her own BLW website too! This is it here

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Figgygal · 04/10/2012 20:48

I just dont understand why encouraging your child to eat with their hands is a good thing? After all We dont for the majority of our meals?

My toothless ds is 9mo he eats off spoons and with his hands, he has never gagged on food or refused anything. We pureed once was a massive pita which wasnt repeated and he has since eaten whatever we do i must be lucky ? I dont see what is just so amazing about it?

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showtunesgirl · 04/10/2012 20:53

But wanna you could say that about ALL aspects of being a baby eg walking, talking. Being a baby IS frustrating but it's a learning experience for them and that includes learning how to eat.

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 04/10/2012 20:56

Good point showtunes.

Its just all the chasing the banana round the tray :o

I think I will probably end up doing a bit of both really.

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Flisspaps · 04/10/2012 20:57

Figgy It's not a bad thing to encourage them to eat with their hands, it allows them to explore the texture of food as well as develop co-ordination.

You move on to using cutlery eventually anyway - the same as a traditionally weaned baby would have to learn to use cutlery by themselves in exactly the same way.

You do sound lucky - some babies don't eat much at all, others eat what is in front of them and then some.

There's nothing 'amazing' about it, it's just another way of getting your child onto solids.

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Flisspaps · 04/10/2012 20:57

A bit of both is just traditional weaning

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showtunesgirl · 04/10/2012 20:58

I think most people do a bit of both anyway. I did find the evangelical tone of the Rapley book a bit annoying.

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MrsKeithRichards · 04/10/2012 21:14

Interesting points, thank you! I kind of started by accident, just back from holidays and ds is 5.5 months. I think he was ready for food and during breakfast etc I would give him a bit of watermelon or cucumber to munch on and he loved it!

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BeeWi · 04/10/2012 21:20

A month in and we're loving it. LO just has so much fun experiencing food with so many of her senses. Figgy, I really feel like allowing her to eat with her hands is another way of letting her explore the world. She loves dinner times, as do we- it's so much fun!

As other have said, it is messy, but we just put a shower curtain under her and let the dog clear under her chair when she's finished.

At 7 months, she's managing to get plenty chewed and swallowed (you can tell by what comes out the other end) and her diet is really lovely and varied. It's also lovely to sit down as a family and eat, rather than having that intensity of having to spoon feed and eating feeling 'separate' because of that.

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thepeanutsparent · 06/10/2012 08:58

It's surprising how much they're actually getting down when you think everything is either on the floor or in their hair! Figgy what's good about it is that they are in control of what they're eating and learning whilst not being hungry, so the whole thing isn't pressurised for baby or parent. It's obviously not been you experience but lots of parents find the whole weaning process a battle. With blw it's pretty much just fun for everyone.

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BrianButterfield · 06/10/2012 09:05

DS was BLWed and he's now 13 months. He gagged a few times but always dealt with it himself. Anyway the other day we were eating out and they put a bowl of nachos on the table - he had a bit and really started proper choking, but coughed it up himself in the end, and DH did wonder whether the 'training' of BLW had helped DS cope with it.

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maddening · 06/10/2012 10:30

We started with ds in the bumbo (with tray) on a big plastic Matt - we all had a picnic on the floor for a while.

Ds is 20mths now and eats with cutlery and his hands. So good at eating soup with a spoon himself if a bit messy still - definitely aids when feeding themselves with cutlery

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BertieBotts · 06/10/2012 10:35

I did it too and thought it was great.

BTW they don't have to sit up alone - just be able to sit up without slumping over or being reclined, they can have a little bit of support. Leaning back is a big choking risk though so avoid that.

I think it looks frustrating as an adult but as a baby they aren't thinking in that way, they're just having fun trying. Plus letting them persevere without stepping in is really good for them and helps them be more independent later too.