Baby lead weaning terrifies me.. anyone else?

[MumofHennHals]

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I did BLW with my youngest 2. Started with soft avocado sticks at 6 months. As long as the food can be squished it's fine. I had my moments where I freaked out but honestly it's not as bad as you might think. There are so many benefits to feeding them whole soft food. If you breastfeed I recommend boob to food on Instagram if you are on SM.

No one who does BLW likes gagging when eating! What a weird statement. It’s normal and I’ve seen babies who were weaned with purées do it too, their gag reflex is very immature and further forward than ours. My two rarely did it, often if they shoved the spoon too far in or tried to eat too much at once.

I was a professional, trained nanny for years. The amount of babies I saw doing baby led weaning who dropped enough weight to concern the HV at weigh-ins was crazy.

One mum was so insistent on continuing to do it, despite the dropped weight that the HV referred her to the GP for closer monitoring.

I think a mixture is the way to go. Purees are a fab way to get nutrients in them and fill up their little tummies. They can play and investigate whole foods alongside that.

I know other posters will say it was because those mums weren't doing BLW correctly... But I saw the weight drop happen time and time again. Far too often for it to be a one off "user error".

Surely the problem here isn't BLW versus spoon feeding purees, it's that the parents (and others involved - the nanny?) have dropped too much milk feeding too soon?

Babies starting weaning should be fed milk as they were, whether that's breastfeeding on demand or maintaining the same schedule of bottle feeds.

If carers are withholding milk and expecting a baby to eat food to regain the lost calories, then the process isn't baby-led, is it?

I didn't do it. Nothing wrong with it, but I think it's overhyped. Both mine had purees, then I introduced easier foods and worked up. They both eat fine. Never had a full-on choke (so far and hope I never will..) but I think you will get some gagging whatever you do, as they progress.

You don't have to do it. If it feels wrong for your baby, then it probably is @MumofHennHals

Did blw with my sons, one of the best decisions we ever made, they are teenagers now and have never been fussy, they eat anything - proper foodies. There's nothing to be afraid of. Remember gagging is not choking. Educating babies about normal food is normal.
I can't believe people are still faffing around with purees and being marketed "baby food pouches" of orange slop... Yuck.

I did purées and spoon fed until my dts had enough teeth to chew. The idea of blw didn't appeal to me.

I gave dd puree and then mushed up food. BLW when she about 10 months. Mine showed less interest in milk around 8 months. Gradually dropped her feeds from 4 to 2.

I think that was likely the case with a couple of them. I know for certain the most severe one was the baby had started to refuse milk and was showing an interest in solids, but simply wasn't consuming enough calories via the BLW and his mum wouldn't compromise.

In my opinion a combination of BLW and purees is a great option, especially if they are showing less interest in milk.

Everyone knows their own baby, but sometimes it can be hard to be truly objective when there's a philosophy or baby rearing idea that someone likes the sound of. Some mums feel like their baby is less capable or they are a failure (which is sad).

I’ve done it four times. No it didn’t scare me at all. Partly, because I’m a doctor with several years experience in paediatrics and I know how to deal with a choking child. Although also I’ve seen the outcome of fatal choking so I do take it seriously. However, none of mine ever choked - the whole point is that young babies have a very pounced and protective gag reflex and will deal with food that is too large for them in their own way. It’s not pretty sometimes but it is safe. I think it’s a fantastic way to wean and I loved that while other parents are letting their own food go cold spooning food into their baby I was just getting on with my own meal while my baby did the same. It felt much more like our babies were part of meal times. But yeah if it bothers you so much don’t do it although your any is going to have to eat solid food eventually.

They are just as likely to choke on purees as on finger food. That's a fact. Cut things how you're supposed to, cook things as soft as you're supposed to. It makes their eating long term so much easier. (And do a First Aid course - it gives you confidence.)

you’re right they weren’t doing BLW properly. Baby led weaning is baby led so with my 4 I continued to breast feed on demand alongside offering solids. 3 of them didn’t show any reduction in milk feeds until around 10 months. None of them dropped weight. You can’t blame baby led weaning for parental error.

@FupaTrooper "I know other posters will say it was because those mums weren't doing BLW correctly... But I saw the weight drop happen time and time again. Far too often for it to be a one off "user error"

Interesting. How many babies are you talking about?

Nonsense. I did BLW, didn’t bf either of mine and was not an SAHP. I found BLW far easier than the endless faffing with purées my friends did. Don’t be so judgmental 🙄

Don't do it then- I didn't follow this trend and did it the traditional way
12 years later I have a very healthy pre teen who eats anything
Don't worry about it

So much judgement on lifestyle approaches around weaning. I sort of did BLW. By that, I mean I mainly gave finger food they could feed themselves but would spoon feed naturally runny things like weetabix or scrambled egg. (So the purists would probably say that is not BLW). I personally thought it was ott to follow recipes to bake runny foods into fingers they can hold, but each to their own.

Personally it was so much easier than purees. Instead of making a veg puree, I gave them some chunks of veg I was cooking for us. I made sure the floor (or mat underneath) was clean and then put the food they dropped back for another go! Out and about I could take things like a banana or cucumber sticks with me for them to eat (obviously took more as they progressed). It was cheaper than pouches which many did as easier than making their own puree.

I work as a SALT. Parents often talk about difficultly moving their child through textures and them gagging when lumps are involved because they can't figure out the change. For me it seemed easier to start as you mean to go on.

I had 2 bottle refusers, so lots of bf, but went back to work when they were 9m old and they were eating fine. I agree parents need to respond to their child's needs, and if they are dropping weight that's an issue. (Likely needing more milk as one PP said, as it's much higher calorie than puree). I understand there are reasons why people choose to do it differently, and there is likely some judgement from the evangelical BLW crowd, but some of the posts in this thread are a bit judgemental the other way.

Reading this thread I've no idea what I do 😂. Traditonal weaning isn't about feeding purees from a pouch! My baby is 1 and has probably had 3 or 4 pouches in his six months of weaning. He eats whatever we are eating, just cut up into smaller bites, but we generally spoon feed it becayse othereise hed just throw it all on the floor. But it's certainly not puree and no pouches in sight. He will often have finger foods for lunch. I guess its a mixture of both, you really don't need to be fixated on one particular way of feeding your baby, do what works for you.

@TwistedSisters you did "traditional" weaning which is spoonfeeding, whether puree or more textured food, alongside finger foods. BLW is just no spoonfeeding and not starting with puree or blended food. They are both routes to the end goal of a child using cutlery to feed itself, so it doesn't matter which one people choose to do. Pick whichever suits you and your situation, and your child.

I hated it so I stopped. Poor baby was wretching, gagging, red faced, vomited a couple of times. It just made weaning so stressful, so I moved to purees. And it was fine. He's now 2.5, he eats by himself beautifully. Uses cutlery. Great varied diet. Isn't adverse to different textures.
And this idea that if they don't do all the gagging/choking as a baby they'll do it later when it's more dangerous/gag reflex is further back - hasn't rang true at all for me. He moved from purees to solids gradually and there has been no gagging. I definitely won't be attempting baby led weaning for my second.
Works great for some babies/mums, not for others.

We did a combination. A piece of squishy avocado or soft roasted sweet potato is basically puree once it's in their mouth anyway.

Hybrid is the best way anyway, a bit of puree/mashed food to start then a combination of mashed up food you are eating and things they can pick up. Apart from watching the salt levels you really can do a mix

It terrified me too I won’t lie.
I started with purées and just worked our way up to soft foods, chunkier textures then finger food and at 17 months she now eats a completely normal diet or all verity or textures.
Don’t feel pressured to do what you think everyone else is doing do what you think is best and most comfortable with x

I would say -and am to old to have done BLW-if you are doing purées then make your own.Commercial Jar food is so utterly bland, I think it makes them more fussy later. They get used to tasteless food and won't eat anything else. Also it's true that we all offered finger food like toast. I seem to remember that you never give grapes unless cut up because they are a perfect choking hazard, but I don't know if that has changed. Our Asian neighbours didn't do purée, even then.

Did BLW because I am not afraid of mess. Did the first aid course but baby never choked. NCT chum did purees, her baby did choke when the dad didn't mash the apples. I think BLW puts you on higher alert for what you give baby, whilst puree you think once it is served it is safe. No right or wrong answer, just my baby would have baby porridge and feed themself and I would clean up. More time consuming so if you have more than one I understand why not.