Getting enough food with BLW

[Gidders]

Hello, I'm hoping someone can advise me on feeding my DD.

She is just 6 months and we started weaning her a couple of weeks ago as she seemed ready (sitting up, eager to eat, able to pick up food and put in mouth etc). I stuck to mainly purees and baby cereal at first because I didn't really feel confidant about her eating proper solids before six months, and it went really well, she wanted to eat loads.

We are now giving her more finger foods, which she loves, so much so she pretty much refuses the mush, which is fine, except that she eats barely anything that way and I do feel she needs to eat - she wasn't content on just milk.

So, I need ideas for reasonably filling foods which she can eat herself - and unfortunatly toast is out at the moment because we tried her on it and she got horribly constipated. We plan to cut out wheat for a week or so and then try again.

Any ideas?

soft fruits are good - fresh apricots, plums, very ripe pears, banana

cooked veg sticks - broc, carrots etc

pasta can be good too

rice pudding / yogurt / porriage - give baby a spoon and put mouths in with your own while they try

meat - let them suck - dd will still get the taste / juices

just think lots of varity.

babies should not have the low fat/ high fibre diet that adults have nor should they have sugar or salt

have fun

At this age it should be more about exploring and playing with food, the textures and tastes rather then the calorific content - she should still mainly be either BF or FF and that should be where she gets her main 'food' from for at least the first year.

DS is six months too, and we've tried him with broccoli, roast potaotes, chunks of roast beef, garlic bread and baguettes, though if bread disagrees with her, then best avoided.

Things like bananas are good - leave skin on and chop in half, then cut down a few inches so fruit is free and baby then has a great handle so easier to hold then slippy banana. Pears and apples, and carrots and cauliflower are all good.

Chunks of meat or rice cakes with hummous spread onto it.

sorry for typos baby on lap wreaking the desk

Mostly what MrsPear said, but the thing about BLW is that the baby is in control of what they eat, so just let her have a bit of whatever you are eating, with no salt, and not low-fat. Most BLW babies don't get the idea that the food is what fills them up until they are about 10 months, although some get it straight away! Have fun and be prepared for a bit of mess while she gets the hang of it!

And I kept telling myself, whenever I worried my DD wasn't eating enough, that apparently in Spain they don't give any solid foods before one year (does anyone know if that's true?). I found it reassuring anyway.

Do you have the Gill Rapley book on BLW? It is really helpful, as is her site www.rapleyweaning.co.uk

that should be www.rapleyweaning.com sorry!

Thanks for the tips. I think perhaps the problem is I am still nervous about her choking - so not sure I about giving her meat or more difficult things. My issue entirely, she's happy enough, but I swear my heart stops every time she gags. She also has a tendency to shove anything I give her whole into her mouth, even if it's a long stick shape or a whole rice cake ( baby size, obviously) which terrifies me. I have been guilty of fishing things out, which probably isn't the best idea. Perhaps I'm just too much of a wimp for baby led weaning??

And when you say pasta, do you mean just normal pasta shapes?

I always use the normal pasta shapes. I think you can get extra large ones in Asda, though, if that would make you feel better?
Definitely read Gill Rapley, she explains all about the gag reflex and makes it much less scary.
I also did a baby first aid course, for a number of reasons, but it was helpful when we started weaning by BLW to know that I would know what to do if she did actually choke. Could you see if there is one near you?

I gave my DD full size rice cakes - she couldn't get those into her mouth whole!

Thanks Pookamoo - just bought some giant fusilli today to try. I am already signed up to a first aid course, but it's not until oct, which is ages.

Btw, I have a cat called Pooka and I always call her pookamoo!

how weird! I'm not your cat in disguise!
It was a misunderstanding over pokemon and pikachu which came together as "pookamoo" !
Good luck with the fusili! DD likes her pasta with a bit of pesto (low salt) or tomato puree.

I had similar issues with DS (he is a really big hungry baby and was drinking massive amounts of milk but was still hungry).

I know BLW is mainly about exploring new tastes and textures but he is really more content if he gets extra calories. So, as well as the usual fruit, veg etc, I try and give as much carbs as I can. Obviously if bread is out, then potatoes or pasta can be good options. I make cheesy mash and then dry fry them to make sort of fritters just so they are easier for him to eat. I now add bits of peppers, mushrooms etc. and sometimes tuna or other fish to make fishcakes.

If its any consolation, he is now just shy of 8 months and I would say 85% of the food I give him, does actually get eaten

Don't know if this helps, but this thread here has lots of ideas. We listed everything we had tried on page 23 (if you have it in pages with 25 posts on each page). Lots of ideas there for finger foods - hope it helps.