Baby getting frustrated with BLW

[Laneigejaune]

DD2 is 23.5 weeks. She can sit unaided for 30 seconds or so before leaning forward, and can sit quite happily if supported. Would doubt that she has doubled her birth weight yet cos she was a big baby but haven't had her weighed for ages so no idea. I had been planning to start BLW in the next few weeks. She had other ideas and pinched a banana from me on Saturday . Given the howls of protest each tie I tried to get my banana back I thought I had better start getting on with things.

Since then, I've been offering sticks of carrot/squash etc at meal times. She loves sucking and chewing away on these but I've been getting the impression that she's becoming frustrated at not being able to eat them properly. She struggles a bit with anything too slippery like squash. A thinking I might start supplementing with purees and offering finger food alongside? Pretty sure that's what I did with DD1 back in 2007, not that I had heard of BLW then.

I know food is fr fun until they're one etc but my health visitor says DD should be on 3 meals a day by 6 months and should only be taking 2 BF by then (yes I know, I put her straight on the BF thing). Still, don't like totally disregarding HV's advice.

Anyone else's wee one get frustrated with BLW or am I maybe doing something wrong?

All advice gratefully received

DD got horribly frustrated with BLW. Would play with the food for a bit, giving it the odd chew and then howl. I ended up supplementing with puree too, it was the only thing that worked.

Not sure where your HV is getting her information. According to NHS, your baby should be EBF until 6 months... is she supposed to go from EBF to 3 meals a day overnight?? Unless your baby was prem, but I'm guessing not if she was big

Doesn't sound like you are doing anything "wrong" to me - what makes you think she is getting frustrated? If slippery butternut squash is too tricky, have you tried roasting it?

There's also nothing wrong with purees and finger food if that's what you want to do - just do whatever works for you, eh?

HTH

I made a big batch of stew - just veg at first, then lamb or chicken with veg. Mine would eat the same stew for dinner all week and seemed yo find it satisfying. Some babies like being spoon fed and you could offer steamed broccoli /carrot on the side as 'finger food.'

If she is getting frustrated then just do some purees as well. It doesnt have to be all or nothing (well i done getwhy it doesanyway). Just do some mashed food that you feed whilst she still has finger foods to play with.

Both mine didnt really get to gripswith properly eating the finger foods until more like 7-8 months old....they liked to give them a good suck but couldnt eat enough this way to constitute a meal.

Personally am a bit about 'food for fun until one'?? Mine were on 3 meals by 6mothsas they were obviously hungry. They still had more than 2 milk feeds a day though. They are growing so much at this age that how can it possibly be just for fun.....surely they need the energy from food to grow??

I was also advised to ramp up the meals pretty quickly after six months and I found two of my three responded very well to that. Needed yo go more slowly with DD2.I guess you just look st what signals your baby is giving you.