BLW with twins?

[ceeveebee]

My twins are coming up to 6 months old so I'm starting to think about weaning. I really like the idea of BLW (not least because it should save me some time if it works!) but I don't know if this is the best way to go with twins.

I suppose I'm a bit worried about the choking/gagging risk and whether I'll be able to properly supervise two at once!
Also DTS is quite a bit bigger than DTD (she's 2nd centile, was only 3lb13 at birth-not prem though ) so wonder whether she needs to have more of a structured diet to make sure she continues to gain weight.

I'm also a bit confused about how to share family meals as usually they're in bed when we eat (not that this applies just to twins) and am reluctant to delay bedtime and risk messing up their sleeping.

Has anyone done BLW with twins, any tips or things I should think about? Sorry this is all a bit rambly!

Hi - we weaned earlier than 6 months so started on purees but went on to BLW.

We also used to eat dinner when they were in bed but we eat ealier now - usually about 5 ish so we can all eat together and they still have the same bed time.

Things that worked for us

All have the same meal but making theirs chunkier - chip size chunks of veg etc so they can grip it easily.
A crinkle cutter will make fruit, veg and other slippery foods easier to grip.
If your having rice for a meal mix it in to the rest of the food as it can be inhaled and will cause a coughing fit.
Grating cheese in to foods like cottage pie make them gloopier and easier to eat with hands / fingers.
Strip babies naked to eat - save on washing as it will get very messy.
Dont be discouraged if a meal time goes wrong - it happens and is often down to tiredness, not being hungry or teething.
Try to relax and enjoy it
www.babyledweaning.com/ this helped us.
Good luck I am sure you will be fine.

ooooh forgot to say DT2 was quite alot bigger than DT1 when we started weaning. We didnt give them different foods just made sure they both had plenty of cheese, full fat yoghurts and milk.

We did BLW with our twins and it worked really well. They never had any pureed food.

I think there is an advantage with BLW twins as because they are feeding themselves they never have to wait their turn (can you tell I still have guilt that they each used to scream during each other's breast feeds!)

We didn't find the choking thing a problem. My wee girl never choked or gagged on anything. My wee boy did regularly on things like melon because he tried to stuff the entire piece in all in one go but I fpund calmly and brightly saying " big cough, clever boy" encouraged him to cough the chunk back up with much giggling. I never had to whip out of his high chair or pat his back.

Regarding eating as a family. I ate my breakfast and lunch with them and would eat fruit during their evening meal if my husband and I were eating later. We also made an effort at weekends, holidays or if my DH was home earlier to eat together and still do.

Thank you, it's good to know it can work well! Better go and buy some high chairs...

My advice re high chairs is don't spend too much. We had very fancy ones that cost £90 each and looking back I wish I'd just bought ikea ones.

The fancy ones are unbelievably difficult to wash and keep clean. As mine only used them for eating in and not for playing I wish I'd gone for something simpler as easier to wipe!

Oh forgot to say what you do want to buy for when they are a bit older are these:

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002B55AC0

These tiny diner mats are brilliant when you are out and about with twins. Lots of places don't have any two high chairs so we had two of these and two inflatable high chairs from John Lewis in the botton of the buggy.

Also means you don't have to worry about mess as the mat just rolls up on itself and you can take it home to clean. These were my best gadget and very well used.

BLW worked really well for us. The main advantage for me is that I get to eat breakfast and lunch with the boys and then do important online tasks/surf the internet during their tea. I don't want to do the smug BLW mother thing but it is pretty good for their development.

You do need to trust them to eat what they need though and not stress on days when everything gets pushed onto the floor. I found feeding on demand good preparation.

The first few months are messy but you find ways of dealing with it and it makes eating out easier after the first couple of months.

DT1 gagged a couple of times but I just coughed and both of them found it very funny to copy me for a while. So far we haven't had anything more serious and I do buy the argument that they learn to chew before swallowing which prevents as much gagging as with purees. Not sure I buy the argument that it makes them less fussy eaters though - reckon that is just luck of the draw.

My MIL wasn't a huge fan at first but loves watching them eat now.

Thanks all! Have ordered 2 tiny diners, long sleeved bibs, plastic sheeting. Just need to choose high chairs. Anyone used the baby dan, is looks nice and can pull right up to the table so they can properly join in the meals?

We did mostly blw with our two too & it was fine. Messy & have to be able to accept the gag reflex does work. And the `food is fun til 1' mantra. Ours didn't eat proper size meals til they were well over 1 and that can be difficult when other babies are wolfing down loads of purees when tiny.

We have Chicco `quick adjust table seats' hook onto table. They are portable & are great for babies being involved in meals as they use they table to eat from too. However, they are a bit of a pain to clean (though floor cleaning is easy as there are no legs to negotiate) and just have a waist strap rather than a 5-point harness. Saying that, we've just bought another for dd from Kiddicare (£19.99) so it hasn't put us off.

Don't stress too much about the eating all together thing in the evening, it is very tricky for most people in the real world. I stressed too much. Eat together when you can, and that will be fine.

You can do a bit of big proper food (aka BLW) and puree together if you worry about calorie intake. Keep the purees to simple things that are to hand, and things that can be mashed with the back of fork though, rather than doing big batches and freezing them - that is a right pain. It would only be for the short transition until they are better at doing it themselves.

We have the Ikea ones as I loved the fact they stack and are easy to clean. dtds sit brilliantly in them too and they only cost about £14 each. I also have two booster seats which fold down for travel as I found going to a friend's house meant one high chair and dtds having to wait their turn. I don't do blw as dtd2 wouldn't eat - she's almost 8months and is just starting to put food to her mouth where as her sister eats like the cooking monster. I do purees and lots of finger foods and use 1 spoon for purees alternating between them.

I guess I'm doing what whatatip said although I would say it's not blw unless baby leads it all the way. dtds loved tonight's butternut squash risotto - I left out the wine! It was lovely for the whole family to eat the same meal.

We are about a month into weaning. I was really sold on BLW but in the last week have started to think that it is maybe only convenient for people who naturally eat more baby friendly food and who eat at naturally more baby friendly times. My twins certainly aren't going to sit around happily entertaining themselves while I whip up a cottage pie in the afternoon, so they tend to get leftovers as my husband and I eat after he gets home which is at least a couple of hours after their bedtimes. I have found myself cooking up separate food for them on the weekends and freezing it because we also eat a lot of diet food for my benefit and quite spicy food. So the convenience of them eating our food isn't happening for me. I'm cooking twice. I like the psychology behind BLW though. But find there is also a phenomenal amount of waste. Am now reverting to quite chunky purees a lot but letting them feed themselves with spoons. One of my girls is a bit more laid back (lazy pants!) so has decided she would rather be fed than feed herself. It's more of a mixture if traditional and baby led these days. I'd say find your own way. The gagging isn't scary but don't feel you have to stick to anyone else's rules.

Thanks again all. I guess they'll be eating the previous night's leftovers for dinner, unless I eat twice and put all my baby weight back on! Thinking about all this makes my head spin, have just about got into a nice routine and will be all change again. Oh well thats life!

You'll soon find your feet once you start! It's great fun to see them have their first tastes (and watch them rub broccoli in their hair!). Camera at the ready!