BLW- starting in 2 weeks. Anyone else? Buddies!

[DirtyDancing]

So I've decided to do a pure BLW appoach and I'm the only one in my new Mums circle / NCT group. Everyone else I know is doing purées. Already feeling left out from the 'how many spoons of food has your LO had today chats!! DS is nearly 6 months so am starting soon.

Any BLW buddies out there?

We're nearly two months in - I'm also the only non-puréer in my NCT group. Happy to share ideas! (Tonight: Turkey meatballs)

I'm doing it for the second time! Enjoyed BLW with DS so doing it again with DD and going well about a week in. I do give porridge/yoghurt/some fruit puree but just because I believe in a variety and some food just is that way - but I uae pre-loaded spoons mostly and let her feed herself a lot.

She's 25 weeks, had all the signs of readiness and this week has chomped on broccoli florets, potato wedges, swede, carrot and beef from our stew, my toast crusts (big hit!) and banana. Not sure how much went in but she enjoys it and that's all that matters.

Hi!
My DS is 25 weeks so planning to start BLW next week.
I'm so looking forward to it! Am planning to go fully BLW but intend to be fully flexible and go with what suits my little fella.
Just reading Gill Rapley's book in preparation.
Be good to have some buddies to share experiences with

I've never read any books - I just go by the principle that whatever baby can have from our meal, baby gets (perhaps saving an unmashed chunk of potato, scraping gravy/sauce off meat etc). If there's really nothing suitable then real littlies can have a rice cake or something to chomp on just to join in. We always all eat together and I never buy "baby food" with the exception of fruit pots which I think make a great alternative to yogurt. And baby biscotti for a treat!

I BF on demand and that will continue so I don't stress about dropping feeds or how much she's eating.

My HV was delighted that I do BLW as she says most people are too scared but it suits my style of parenting. I cook a lot from scratch too which I suppose makes it easier as I can make it baby-friendly.

It's great to find some kindered BLW spirits! For us it's honestly a no brainier- my DS will eat exactly the same food as us, and will benefit from the texture, taste & sensation of real food. All my NCT group think I am a bit mad- am I not worried he'll choke? Won't meal times take ages? How will I know what he's eaten? Won't it be stressful? But already they are worrying about how many spoonfuls, how often, how much their LO have had. Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of each to their own, but I can't see how BLW is more stressful than spoon feeding?!

So today we were out and assessed what our DS would have had food wise on BLW off our plate thro the day- avocado, grilled chicken, steak, chip, stewed apple & a French bean. Not bad! And no prep on our part at all!

I'm very excited to start soon!

I'm also currently demand EBF but am about to start introducing formula in a gradual retreat from breastfeeding. I wouldn't necessarily have done this but have some medical treatment pending that cannot go ahead until I'm no longer breastfeeding. Feel quite satisfied that I've given my LO a good start with EBF up to now
I'm suprised more people don't BLW as it just seems so much easier to me?!

Dasie I EBF my LO for 4 months, then we slowly introduced a bottle of formula for the night feed to start with. He's 5.5 months now and I combined feed him so he can have anything between 1-3 bottles a day (3 if I need to go out for a few hours for example) I agree I'm pleased he's had a good start with breast milk but for me it was time to share the feeding with my DH and give me a bit more flexibility.

DirtyD yes Im looking forward to being a little more free and flexible too. I've just started 2 days ago and am giving a bottle for his 7:30/8pm feed. Will then probably change his late morning feed too in a couple of days. I've no idea really as to time frames for this!
We finally got a high chair today so that DS can be part of the family eating experience now and then plan to start on Saturday with food (if I can wait)

Dasie which high chair have you gone for? Have you got anything to put under the chair to catch the mess?!

I can't decide what first food to give DS. I think maybe a mix of broccoli, carrot and necterine and see what happens!

We have an ikea cheapie, it's ace.

Broccoli is really popular here, along with roast sweet potato, squash and pears.

Have splashed out a little and got a Brother max scoop. The reason is that we eat at our breakfast bar a lot and the scoop has a pressure lift like a barstool so can go up to the breakfast bar or down to the table. Haven't bought a floor cover as we have a wood floor so figured I can mop that as easily.
We've had the odd little tastes over the last couple of days of toast, cucumber and cauliflower. The toast actually went down quite well
Sweet potato is a family favourite so may try that next!

Calamia - heard good things about the ikea one, but not seen one in the flesh as it were. Are you getting on well with it? I've been told it's very easy to hose/ wash down after c messy sessions!

We got a Stokke Tripp trap because we thought it would he useful later on going into a seat... Looks impossible to wash down tho! Might be a bit of an error!!

Dasie- we were planning on eating at the dun

Whoops pressed post too soon!

.. Dining table but we do have a breakfast bar and the floor is easier to clean (we have a rug under our d

Dining table. Might be easier to eat at the breakfast bar.

Sweet potato is a good idea, might add that to the first food list.

I'm not doing v well posting via my iPhone so might give up for tonight!

I love the ikea chair. It's secure, comes apart and it's dead easy to wash. It will do the job nicely. I think I like the little booster seat things for regular chairs to come when he outgrows the high chair.

Hi, how's it going? We had Sunday dinner last night so tried roast sweet potato that went down but unfortunately came back again a little later. And also carrot stick which he seemed keen on but never actually managed to swallow, it kept falling out of his mouth! He was a little grouchy due to the time of day though so maybe wasn't the best time so gave up before we tried broccoli

Can I join you? DS is nearly 6mo and we have been having tasting food for a couple of weeks. . Favourites so far include buttered bread crusts (even sourdough, which I thought would be too strong a taste), brioche, cheese scone (oops, turned back for a scond and he grabbed one), cheese (I bought a lump of what I think is called 5 counties at Sainsburys which is 5 different cheeses layered for variety), melon, and today padta in a tomato and olive sauce which he seemed to really like I did end up with an orange baby though Not much is going in, but he seens to enjoy the new toys!

Since he refused to eat my lovingly made purees I am now adopting a try it and see approach.

Tripp trapp is pretty easy to wipe down. I am putting a big bib on over the harness rather than following their 'top tip' of buying two.

I'm too lazy to do spoon feeding. It just looks so boring, rather than what I've done with my DC of just plonking food in front of them. My parents & PIL have been amazed at how much the DC do eat and how easy it all is.

We have a Tripp Trapp for each one at home, which DS at almost 4 still uses so he is nicely up at a decent height at the table without having to sit on cushions or on his knees. I find it really comfortable to sit on as well!

The Ikea high chair is great as well and we have one of those too. It is so easy to put in the car if we are going to friends or away for the weekend.

I bought a couple of these to put under the high chair, so it saves mess on the floor, means things can be picked up and put back on the table and can go in the washing machine when it gets grubby.

www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectly-Happy-People-K0105-Playmat/dp/B000TETNLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402949200&sr=8-1&keywords=fossil+mat

I started weaning a few weeks ago. started spoon feeding mashed up stuff I had but dd hated being fed. tried finger foods and she liked them. This week she wants spoon feeding again. just be warned not every baby wants to feed themself. you could have a lazy mare like me

But if they don't want to feed themselves, perhaps they are not ready for food.

Food at 6 months isn't about calories, it is about playing and investigating.

Dino I'm with you. Although I'm no expert as I've not started yet(!) my approach is going to be completely relaxed about what DS does or does not actually eat, as he will be getting all his nutrients from his milk for the next 6 months. I'm just seeing it as an exploration of textures & tastes to start with. I think the saying is 'under one food is just for fun!'

DirtyD I couldn't have put it better myself! And as most of the foods my DS has sucked and squished for a few seconds then makes a nose dive for the floor I think it's the only way you can be!
So far his favourite by a long shot was nectarine!!

So glad to see you all so enthusiastic about blw. Only one friend of mine did it even though my Gill Rapley book has been lent out to many!

Did it with my first, second is now 9 months old and doing great. With first I preloaded spoons for yogurt etc but not this time around, Frubes are great. We have the Ikea high chair, so easy to clean and I just put a little mat underneath, although dd2 makes far less mess than dd1 did!

Salmon is a favourite here with peas and sweetcorn but she has her pincer action now so not suitable for the little ones. Baby sweet corn is good, all fruit is loved especially banana and strawberry.

One word of warning, toast and banana are terrible for constipation! Good luck all!

A cheap shower curtain is a good floor cover btw! Much cheaper than buying specific floor coverings!