Does anyone else feel like BLW is taking a risk?

[becknnico]

There is so much talk about it but I still cant seem to think it is the best way to begin feeding DS. All parents that seem to advocate it seem to have a more naturalistic approach to parenting so I thought 'well, this has to be better' but feel like I would be risking my child chocking every time I go to feed him. This is not my only problem with it either. Although DS (8.5 months) gets most of his nutrients from my breastmilk, BLW would essentially ensure he never really started ingesting anything until he was over a year old. I do like the idea of him feeling out and looking at the textures and colors of food but picture myself giving him the Heimlich every time I think about it. The first time I gave him an apple he started chocking on it and dont think I will do it again. He is clearly a bright baby so no problem there. I just cant help but feel like our ancestors have been pureeing food for babies for sooooo long for a reason. Its kinda scary to start just giving them hunks of food. Anyone know where I am coming from???

FWIW I did BLW, and my best friend in ante-natal did annabel karmel purées. Both children are now 2.3 yrs and are equal in their use of cutlery, fussiness and amount they eat. I really don't think one is better than the other, it's what you feel is right that counts. Don't feel pressurised if it isn't your thing. But my personal experience was very positive and DS never choked, even when I gave him whole apples (with a bit bitten out).

It is rude if I feel the need to defend myself as far as being an overly cautious parent, which I am not. Or that my child has less skills than another, when he is very bright. Or that I restrict my child's diet, which I do not.That is irritating and yes, I find it rude. Once again, thanks to those for their helpful responses, it is appreciated.

It is rude if I feel the need to defend myself as far as being an overly cautious parent, which I am not. Or that my child has less skills than another, when he is very bright. Or that I restrict my child's diet, which I do not.That is irritating and yes, I find it rude. Once again, thanks to those for their helpful responses, it is appreciated.

Really. No-one was being rude. Try the AIBU threads for Rudeness

My DS didn't really eat much in the way of food until he was one. He is fine :)

Have a look at the blw website for loads of ideas and answers to a lot of your concerns. [not being rude]

becknnico sorry if you thought I was been rude, really hope you don't find me on MN on a bad day

Erm, you do sound a bit tetchy tbh

DD1 choked on a puree too (at about 10mos so it had lumps in it).

DD2 refused spoons at all attempts and BLW. She is now a thriving 3yo and actually sturdier than her older sister.

I never quite get why people get so het up about this subject. Do purees, do a mix, do pure BLW. Babies' main form of nutrition in the first year is milk - bf or ff - which is why the DoH recommends a baby up to one year still gets either as many breastfeeds as wanted or a pint of formula until age one. The leaflet containing this advice is issued by the DoH and Unicef.

That's an interesting article, Ilovemountains, but doesn't negate the food is for fun philosophy. Milk alone still meets a large proportion of the infant's nutritional needs between 6-12m.

I certainly would not equate weaning foods with, say, ice-cream - which is definitely "for fun" and not nutritionally necessary.

I think the food is for fun philosophy is more about recognising children's individuality and not getting stressed about it. As a poster pointed out, the outcome for her BLWed toddler is no different to that of her friend's purée-weaned toddler. Or take my dd, who was grabbing food off our plates at 5m, compared with my ds2, who was utterly uninterested in solids until 8.5m. Not forgetting of course the need to give the child the opportunity to experience a wide variety if tastes and textures.

OP, it's a shame you feel got-at. The thread certainly doesn't read that way. If you choose to interpret a general statement as criticism or prejudice then you miss the point. Nobody here is judging you for your weaning choices.

But, in a way, that is the point. Try something. If you like it or it works for you, fine. If not, then stop and do something else. Equally, fine.

Oh, and one more thing:

Yes, it is kinda scary giving your PFB hunks of food. But after few times of enjoying their wonderment at this new experience, and seeing it change into recognition, so that a rice-cake/ stick of cucumber/finger of toast/etc is greated with such shrieks of joy that they struggle to actually catch hold of it in their excitement, will change your mind. And best of all is when they disappear behind a massive piece of food and mumble and burble away in delight as they gum at it.

Weaning my PFB was fraught. Weaning subsequent dc was exciting, because I knew what was coming.

I really dont think that anyone is saying your child is not 'bright' and the use of cutlery is by no means an indicator of IQ

Tbh i think that this is something you will look back and cringe on

I'm sure your child is a lovely, alert baby and the way in which you introduce self feeding will have no influence over this.

BLW babies may develop certain fine motor skills a month or two earlier than a baby who is spoon fed purely because they practice an action. This is no indicator of ability at all just of an environmental factor.

My younger son bum shuffled and became very proficent and speedy, moving along like a chimpanzee and was able to push toys cars alongside. People would remark on how fast he moved. My elder child never did this, i strongly suspect the reason was because we moved between children and the new house had laminate floors. Several years on they can both walk, run, crawl but neither bum shuffle now (have carpet again).

The only thing making me cringe is your lack of compassion for a young Mom looking for advice. If I felt offended, why do you feel the need to only offend me further instead of sticking to the advice? I feel People spout off on here very quickly and perhaps would think twice with your choice of words if we were all sitting in room together face to face. I was simply asking for some tact.

I am offering you advice, but you are choosing not to see it

In a nutshell i have told you:

You are now introducing finger foods, dont worry about the term BLW at all, it will just complicate things

Some foods are better than others, raw apple/carrot not great due to the way they break down into hard lumps

Offer very large pieces so whole piece doesnt go into mouth at one time

And seriously dont fret over the abilities of your child compared to others

wow maybe you need to go over to the dark side

chillax dude

noone has been rude
I think I am the first

I've re-read the thread, and I can't see anything offensive in it at all. TBH it really does read like a conversation between a group of mums in a Starbucks!

Trinity's right. You may prefer the atmosphere in the Other Place.

my ds2 really was eating steak and chips at 6 months!

If it worries you OP then don't do it! There is nothing wrong with starting with purees (make sure they are not too smooth though - it may be time for you to start mashing rather than blending) and you can gradually add some finger foods when your child seems ready as well as make his food more lumpy.

My DS was choking alot to begin with so I started giving him little cubes of bread and butter at about 7 or 8 months which he could cope with easily without choking on it. Now he's progressing really well onto harder stuff and picked up a whole clementine yesterday and started to bite into that, ditto bananas.

He still has problems with apple though because they are really quite hard, so I'm grating them, but that just ends up on the floor! Just go at your child's pace and don't feel pressured into any particular method.

The only rude post I see on here is yours OP. People have given you the advice you asked for and shared their experience which isn't being competitive or saying anything about your LO's skills. Saying their 6 month old can do whatever is just negating some of your statements like babies need teeth to chew (and I can categorically state a newborn can bite damn hard with those gums as my boobs will testify ) or that they don't get much food in before 1. No one mentioned your child.
For what it's worth BLW is not really new. Its only the last few generations who have given purées because they have weaned early snd can't give anything else. Because the recommendations have changed back to 6 months purées are no longer necessary and BLW has become "fashionable" again as it appropriate with a 6 month old but not a 4 month old.
At the end of the day how you feed your child is your decision and no one will judge you on it as long as you feed them.

I found the idea of finger foods scary, but as soon as I saw my 6 month DS gumming away happily on some potato it seemed the most natural thing in the world. I have been giving him a mix of finger foods, whatever I am eating (except for all those very BAD foods I eat!) and mushed foods(not pureed just a bit mashed with a fork) since he was six months and he is a robust little eater and I have never had any problems with choking.
I think you have to go with whatever your gut instinct tells you to do - if you don't feel ready to try finger foods then don't - your babe is not going to suffer at all for it.
It's fun though.