Baby Led weaning abroad

[MeganEmily231]

Help!
At the end of the month I'm going over to Germany with my 7 month old to see family.

We are currently doing baby led weaning but feel it will be difficult to carry this on while over there.

Is it okay to give him the 10+ month premade meals that you can get from the supermarket? I can't see how I can give him a sliced up pork chop with BLW but can't give him a pre made spaghetti bolognes that says it's specifically for 10+ months.

I just won't have the time or facilities to make the food for him when out there and don't want to just give him full pureed meals as he get bored of them.

Thank you so much in advance!

We went on holiday with DS when he was 8 months. Just carried on giving him bits of whatever we were having. Porridge at breakfast, bits of pasta and various dips, some cheese and his first ice-cream. Plus rice cakes and some packet purees we brought with us.

Other pre-made meals will be fine too but no reason not to carry on as you do at home.

Thank you.

The food that my uncle gives us / takes us out to eat at is rather salty so I don't want to give him anything that we will be eating.

What actually IS baby led weaning?

We did this when we went to Spain when my eldest was 6 months and had been weaned slightly early. He was eating chunky foods so I got him the 10+ or 12+ jars and he ate that for his dinner for the week. We managed to feed him from the hotel buffet for for lunches.

It'll do no harm for a few days!

Please don't feel the need to be a purist about this. There is no 'can't'. From what I gather, BLW groups on eg Facebook are insane places where people leap on you for giving your child a spoonful of yoghurt instead of letting them eat it themselves.

For what it's worth I did intuitive BLW - just went with what seemed best - but had no issues with occasionally spoon feeding her or giving her mashed up versions of our food. She's bow a very competent 19mo eater (awaiting the toddler food refusal).

My advice would be to keep giving her bits of whatever you're having. Ordering sides in restaurants is a useful way of them trying small amounts of different things. Pack some pre-made food if you're really worried so you have a back up. But please don't think you're somehow cheating, getting it 'wrong', or that you shouldn't give them pre-made food.

If you're worried about salt - can you ask relative to set aside a small bowl of whatever you're having without the salt added?

It will be fine

But you know they have normal food also right? Ds was weaned not in uk, close to Germany

Just pop to supermarket on arrival. They sell some baby food, baby porridge powder stuff, bananas, bread, cream cheese, avocado, pre grated cheese, eggs, raspberries.

Also if you go to restaurants, they almost always sell pancakes as dessert. I often ask for just a plain one made for Ds with no jam/ spread. Or a small portion of cheesy spaetzle if it’s on menu

We took DD to France when she was 6 months and had just started eating.

I took some pouches as she was only on one meal a day at the time, but also let her try bits and pieces that we were eating. I actually found it a lot easier than being away in the UK as there was so much more fresh fruit and veg on menus (eg I ordered meals that included avocado, mango, strawberries, fresh veg as sides). Also I found if a menu includes a dish that features, for instance, banana then restaurants were usually happy to let us buy one for the baby - in fact many were given without charge.

I don't think it will be as tough as you think :) If you explain something is being ordered for a baby then most places will happily cook it without salt etc.

Thank you all for all your comments!

We were going to pop to a supermarket to pick up some bits. I just wanted to know if I could have a back up!

I'm just an insanely anxious person that likes to pre plan everything and my Uncle is a spontaneous person that doesn't plan anything so can never tell what/when we will be eating!