BLW help please!

[birdofthenorth]

DD is now 9.5 months and we started BLW at 6 months. She like mealtimes and plays happily with most foods offered. Some things she now eats quite effectively but others she nibbles a tiny bit of then discards.

My main problems so far are:

She still isn't keen on breakfast so only eats solids twice a day

She doesn't like sloppy foods & won't really countenance cereals or yoghurt

She still throws 80% of her food on the floor (sometimes deliberately, sometimes not)

She still eats stick-shaped foods more effectively thn anything else though she's getting good at little rollable items like peas & beans

I'm not convinced she's eating huge volumes

She get's bored & fractious after about 15 minutes in her high chair (varies on mood & hunger but it's always her who calls time on lunchtime/ teatime).

I'm pretty relaxed about all the above (bit concerned about the lack of yoghurt though?) but she's staring nursery at 12 months & ideally I'd like to be more confident that we're doing ok before I start to preach about what/ how she likes to eat to new childcarers!

PS apologies for the typos above!

Second question is -how many breastfeeds a day is normal at 9 months? And any tips on how I can get DD to graduate from BF to cows milk after 12 months? Thank you!

My DS was a little like this at the same age, he enjoyed tasting lots of things, but didn't really eat huge quantities, he also still bf a lot during the day.

I was starting to get a bit worried as I was going back to work part-time when he was 11 months. But I found that it did suddenly kick in and he started to eat more (luckily just before he started at the childminder!) He eats anything and everything now (4yrs).

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, and having a relaxed attitude to food will really help in the long term.

Just like the above poster I found that DS suddenly discovered eating real measl (rather than just bits of finger food) around 10 months or possibly later. Before that I was starting to worry what would happen when he turned one, but by then he really was eating the same as us.

He also dropped his milk feeds relatively quickly too - went from 6 a day to 3 in only a couple of weeks.

From what you say, it sounds absolutely par for the blw course.

Thanks that's really helpful. Just wanted to check we aren't being nonchalant if DD is in fact way behind where you'd hope she'd be on the BLW journey!

I am quite encouraged by the sudden progress with your DCs eating, fingers crossed DD is listening! Though I do remember several people telling me she might suddenly start sleeping through at 6 months... still waiting for that particular revelation!!

Weeeell, both my children did 'suddenly' start sleeping through (i.e. I didn't do anything to make them), but I'm afraid to say that it was significantly later than 6 months....

I'm a bit behind you at 7.5 months and was getting a bit disheartened with BLW and like you concerned as I have to go back to work when DS2 is 10 months so wanted some more solid eating by then. I found it hugely reassuring to talk to others in the same boat through a really good BLW forum for those just starting plus great recipies at www.babyledweaning.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=2a9a29a5e28723871be2ffd938ccba20

If your baby is getting better at a pincer grip a friend of mine now gives bit sized pieces rather than stick like food and finds that rather than taking a bite and chucking the rest her baby eats most of what she is given.

On the yoghurt I wouldn't stress as she is still getting her nutrition from BF. I find that it is the texture that influences whether a baby likes a food as welll as the taste. DS1 would only eat potato in mashed form as a baby, how was he to know it was the same thing in other forms? You could try yoghurt as a dip with say rice cakes to see if she genuinely dislikes yoghurt or whether it is the texture. On cereals try them dry or with differing amount of milk, again to make them less sloppy.

On the sleeping through all I can say from DS1 is that it does happen, can't remember how so there is hope. With DS2 I'm trying some ideas from the No-Cry Sleep Solution book which has a nice gentle approach, time will tell if this helps as only just started. Would recommend it as a good read though.

Thanks all really helpful!

Good tip re tiny food pieces. Will give this a try as she's eating peas etc quite keenly.

Oh please let the sudden sleeping through happen before I return to work!!!