Anyone fancy joining me on a baby led weaning support/ tips/ sharing thread?

[WinkyisbackontheButterBeer]

We have just started and although I have read quite a lot it all goes over the same things and doesn't cover other questions.
It's all so new and exciting/ terrifying.
I wondered if anyone else would like a place to share experiences and recipes, ask daft questions and generally share the journey?

Yup, I'm all up for this! DS is 6.5 months. We're doing well on puréed food and he's got very good hand eye coordination so we've tried a few finger foods but have to admit I'm bricking it at the thought of actual food

How old is your DC?

Follow babyledweaningideas on Instagram, she's fantastic.

Also there's apps with recipes you can get

Loads of stuff on Pinterest

it's really fun

I'll get us started.
Dd is 6 months. I had her weighed on Wednesday (16lbs 12oz if it's relevant) and was told by the hv that she was fine to get started.
I put it off until I was with my mum on Saturday because I am a wimp. Dd had some banana. She put it straight in her mouth, pulled some belting faces and gagged a bit but seemed happy enough. I didn't realise quite how slippery banana is.
Sunday morning- we shared another banana for breakfast. She ended up frustrated at it slipping out of her hands and tried to bring her mouth to the high chair tray to get it. Maybe banana wasn't the best first choice.
Had some steamed carrot fingers for Sunday lunch. Much easier to hold. She scared grandad to death. Got a bit fractious so taken out of the high chair and quickly stole a green bean, parsnip and a handful of mash off aunties plate and shoved them in her mouth in quick succession.
Parsnip definitely her favourite.

Must go out and buy some big plastic sheets today.

Ok so I'm not starting us off

Haha!

Sounds like you're making a great start. Have you tried any purees at all? Best thing to suggest in terms of potential allergies is to only introduce one of the top 14 allergens at once (e.g. Gluten) - to be fair though if you've not got allergies in the family I think it would be safe anyway.

There is a great infographic which shows the difference between gagging and choking which I've attached.

Are you breast or formula feeding? This is the thing I'm struggling with the most - there hasn't been much of a drop in feed quantity yet but we're only having 4 x 8oz bottles a day (we are formula) and sometimes a dream or night feed depending. I need to tackle the sleep issue separately (classic regression). We've got breakfast and dinner established (9 and 5) but lunch is the one I'mgoing to struggle with as I think that on top of the bottles will be too much, yet not sure of the consequence of dropping the midday/1pm bottle as DS is already not the greatest sleeper and generally needs a top up overnight as it is.

Any advice? Should I drop the lunchtime bottle in favour of a bottle around 2pm and then bedtime one at 7? He generally wakes around 7am - just seems 7-2 is a long time to go without substantial fluid.

We offer water with meals too which he loves.

Winky I'm not BLW at the moment but just thought I'd post about slippery bananas and little hands! Cut a third off with the skin on, then cut them in half length ways. Then cut half the skin off so they can grip where the skin is but still eat it. Hope that makes sense? I've attached a picture!

And a crinkle cutter helps for other fruit and veg!

We haven't tried any purees at all. I'm hoping to avoid them if I can, just because I am lazy and they seem more complicated.
Thank you for the graphic. I will send it to my parents. I think they secretly thought that I was a neglectful and risky parent but would l d never say anything. I have a feeling that purees might make an appearance if they have her alone.
I can't help much with feeding. She is formula fed too but Dd is a bit of a grazer and will often have her 6oz bottle in three bits over the course of an hour. It sounds like you are further along than us with sleep as well. We have recently taken a bit of a step backwards.
She goes to bed at 8 but is waking hungry at 10:30, 12 and 2am. I assume that she is not getting enough calories during the day but she won't take any more milk during waking hours. I am hoping that weaning might help with this.

teaandbiscuits that is great thank you.

Hmmmm tea and biscuits.

Place marking!

Ds isn't six months til mid April so not started yet but wanted to steal your ideas haha

With regards to formula I wouldn't personally go from 7 to 2 without any

I would offer a smaller bottle mid morning instead

I will add ds is my DC4 so I'm not a complete novice trying to give advice lol

My DS is 9 1/2m and we're struggling.
I've stuck to blw since 8m (did blw then purée when things didn't progress)

One thing which is a hit with my son is potato croquettes. I batched made a few different ones, potato and pea, potato and broccoli etc and s.potato and swede.
Really easy to make if you buy some breadcrumbs!
Will keep on a eye on this thread for ideas

Another tip (sorry!) - have you got the BLW cookbook? It's great for ideas for meals and snacks and it has a good section explaining BLW and what size to chop things into. It's pretty much still my go to cookbook these days even though DD is nearly 2!

My DS is only 11 weeks at the moment but when it's BLW time again, I'll just offer a bit of whatever we're having if he's awake when we're eating. You can pretty much make anything BLW friendly so don't be afraid to eat normally and offer it in a way that is accessible to a 6 month old. Obviously just watch the salt content and no whole nuts or honey!

Tip away tea the more the better. I have been trying to avoid buying any more books but am very tempted by that one. Hmmmm

I got a wipe clean table cloth for £4 from Asia if anyone else is after something to protect the floor. It is big enough to cut in half so I have one for the house and one in the change bag for use when out.
Gave dd peas at teatime which she seemed to enjoy chasing around the tray.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a first Skippy cup? Lazy little madam is not keen on holding one herself and bites the valved tomee tippee one that we have. The sound sets my teeth on edge.

Asda not Asia
Sippy not Skippy.

I haven't been drinking tonight honestly!

Croquettes sound really good ponder. Might also be a good way to sneak veg into fussy dh.

No that's not a typo, I really do mean dh.

We were forced to mostly blw after DS would not entertain the idea of purees.

He loves raspberries and blueberries, i squash them a bit otherwise he just rolls them around his mouth
He also loves toast. I recommend brown bread rather than white because it breaks up easier. White bread tends to form into a stodgy ball that then gets gagged on and spat out.

As for milk, mines a little sod and seems to have massively increases his intake (formula) since weaning started. He easily drinks 6x 8oz bottles a day, 2 of those during the night. He takes sips of water from his sippy cups but doesn't seem overly interested in it.
I use the doggy sippy cups from IKEA, they're free flowing so he gets wet through but he needs changing after meals anyway.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/baby/babies-tableware/smaska-training-beaker-art-20137573/

Watching as well
My wee one started a bit early on purees but was double birth weight sitting up interested in food grabbing etc but gave up on them as she was just trying to grab the spoon herself and it was a mess so have been trying finger food, just so paranoid about choking! That infographic is really useful have saved it.

Just unsure about how it all links in with bf on demand and when to give water? I know at this stage it doesn't matter how much they eat and all from milk still but am returning to work soon and pumping isn't an option, so would like to be at a stage of feeding morning/night and not needing to use formula during the day, is that likely by 7 months?

youngishmum93 given how much formula my almost 9 month old is currently taking I highly doubt you'll manage to get yours down to morning and evening by 7 months.

My DS (9m) is FF every 3 hours during the day and 4 at night. He's never really shown much sign of slowing that down but then he's never piled on the pounds so I wouldn't want to try and reduce his milk. It's the only thing he seems to enjoy or take an interest in!
How is your baby doing with weaning? Most babies I know are still feeding 3-6 hours during the day depending on the food intake.

Youngishmum At 7 months you're unlikely to be able to drop all milk during the day so I think you'd have to introduce formula. As for BF on demand, offer whenever baby asks but then don't offer food for 30 mins. Or, if you know you're eating lunch at 12, offer a feed at 11:15. With water, it's easiest to start offering it at mealtimes. BF babies don't need water, it's more to get them used to it so mealtimes is easiest and then you can work up to offering it throughout the day.

Winky We used doidy cups which DD could use on her own by 8 months. They're great because they learn the skill of drinking from a normal cup from the start but obviously they're open so they've got the potential to spill. Luckily DD wasn't a thrower!

Agree you need more than just night and morning milk at 7 months. A lot of the food doesn't actually go in at this age so they need the milk for nutrients
What highchair is everyone using?
I have a cossato waffle although I haven't yet built it

We got a chicco one but lb started crying as soon as he got into it. I then got a cheap £15 one that can go on the floor/seat and he seems much more relaxed about meal times now! Also it folds away and can be taken into the garden easily etc.

I've got a Joie mimzy snacker. It's ok. Folds easy but is quite big. The back reclines which is handy because DS will feed himself milk but won't tip his head yet so has to be reclined to drink.

Yeah my mum had said I'd been down to just morning and nights by that age but definitely can't see it happening by then! But then she said she'd given us watered down cows milk which I'll definitely not be doing!
Thanks for advice, feeling a bit lost with it all.
I was going to go for that white ikea one for cheap cheerful and easy to clean but not so sure now.

She probably weaned you at 12 weeks though!

I kinda wish I bought one that reclined like I did with the other DC! Ds at 5 and a half months still not sitting so he's not gonna be able to use it for a while I don't think