BLW basics for a beginner - please share your top tips!

[mardarse]

Hello,

DS is 24 weeks, so just a couple of weeks from the magic 26 week mark and I think (since he took a pitta bread strip off me on Sunday and started munching it) he is ready to try a spot of BLW.

What are the best things to start with and how big should I cut them? I was thinking of chip size roasted root veg sticks until both he and I get the hang of it a bit and then I think I'll be more confident about just giving him bits of our meal. Also, when do you stop panicing about them choking? I mean, how do they deal with it if they manage to gum a larger piece of food off - do they know to chew it rather than just swallow it? I want mealtimes to be fun and relaxed so I need to get over the whole choking thing, but it is a worry for me.

And, is BLW really as easy as everyone says?

Thanks in advance.

mardarse no need to give the root veggies at first if you don't want to. Part of the beauty of BLW is that you don't have to prepare anything special, provided of course that you are eating fairly healthily .

As for choking, giving purees is no guarantee that they won't choke, any baby can choke but part of the idea of BLW is that they don't swallow until they are ready and able to cope so choking should be less likely than with purees. Have you read this on the BLW website? Think it sums up it pretty well.

My only other tips are to get some low salt stock cubes, a cheap shower curtain to put on the floor and some bibs with sleeves.

I am just starting too so watching with interest. My DD has so far chomped through a breadstick ( not that she swallowed much!), but seems to find fruit/veg sticks a bit off-putting so far, I think because they are a bit slippery to handle for her yet .

Have a look at this site and that should give you a good idea of what's what.

Top tip is always eat with DS, and don't focus on him, get on with eating your own meal, talking to other dining companions, (or tapping on mumsnet if you're on your own) keep an eye on DS and what he's up to more as an aside rather than the main focus.

That way DS will get to watch you eating so will enjoy copying, won't feel that he needs to perform. When PIL started giving DD lunch after a few months of her happily eating, they used to just sit next to her watching her angelically and not having anything themselves. They were just really happy up to see their first GD of course, but DD took this to mean she should play with them, which just caused stress all round after she started playing with the food more than eating it and making even more of a mess.

On choking you have to relax, and you have to see how well DS will deal with gagging - and once you realise that they're pretty good right from the start, you will relax. They won't try and swallow something too big for them. And they have to learn to deal with it anyway unless they're going to be on pureed food forever.

Other top tip, never make a special meal just for them for dinner, although if it's something really successful keep leftovers to give them for lunch or accompaniment the next day when you're having something DS is more likely to struggle with - but still give it to them.

Just check they haven't stored food in the roof of their mouth to choke on 10mins later!

I agree with everything fredfredgeorge said

If you can get hold of it, read the Baby Led Weaning book by Gill Rapley. It will reassure you that BLW is safe. The main things I got out of it were:

Leave them to it (a lot harder than you think but try!)

Give them a baby fork to play with. Loaded forks are good.

Offer different foods more than once, they may not like it first time but will the next.

If you eat a healthy diet, they will too.

Give them milk before meal times (i think i read an hour before on MN but i just made sure she had bf feed before she sat down) and remember milk is the main source of nutrients before they're one.

Don't worry if you haven't established 3 meals a day; it will come eventually - this was something I worried about initially and there was no need. Sometimes she didn't have lunch, sometimes she did.

Have dc with you when you eat and offer them what you are having (within reason, my dd hasn't had crisps or chocolate )

Dc might be sick a few times at the beginning if not ready for weaning. We started at 25 weeks and she wasn't quite ready, 10 days later she was! Funny really how they just 'get it'.

Trust that dc will eat what they need, they'll go mad for one sort of food one day and snub it the next. Mine eats lots of protein when teething - assume for energy for all that crying

Only foods to avoid are honey (not before 1) and choking hazard foods like whole nuts, grapes & cherry toms (cut in half, my dd loves them).

You can read about things to 'be careful' of such as berries, dairy, egg, wheat due to allergies and some people are more cautious about introducing these foods but there are no allergies in our family so dd had everything we had, I think I held off on meat until a few weeks in. Others might have more info on this
I visited dunelm mill as they sell those PVC/plastic sheets by the metre, so we have one on the floor to save my dining room carpet from getting ruined!

Good luck!

Just marking my place on this thread as I am very interested in this. DC3 is a little over 6 months and has not really been into the pureed foods before. She just spat them out, but today she had a piece of bread and sucked on that while we had our lunch (she did have a full bottle before). Therefore I am considering trying the BLW approach. There have been some great tips on here so will think about them and look on the websites. Thanks MNers.

Overcooked broccoli is a great one to give to them. The stalk acts as a grip and the mushy head is easy for your dc to cope with and is difficult to choke on.

Also works as a great indication of how much they've swallowed as it shows up well in nappies!

Do a first aid course as it will make you more confident and take anyone else who will be feeding your child on a regular basis ie partner, parent etc.
Dive straight in. DS will eat almost anything we give him. He find some things easier to pick up than others but normally finds a way or we load a spoon and he puts it all over his face) in his mouth.
We read Gill Rapley's book on BLW and it was very useful. Don't shy away from strong tastes like garlic, DS loves it but beware of cooking your meals with salt if you are sharing.

Can help to give foods not mixed up to start with so they can choose the flavours they like and you don't end up with 'they don't like pasta bake' when it may have just been one food in there they didn't take to.
Makes our life easier as we don't have to take food out for DS (6m) during the day

Just wanted to pop back and say thank you for all of your tips and advice which have been duly noted. We've had a selection of vegetables, fruit and bread, toast, pitta so far. I still haven't been brave enough to offer meat but most foods have been well received and often end up on the floor, but hey he's having fun exploring them.

Candr, funny you should mention the First Aid course, I'm actually booked on one in a couple of weeks time - something I have been putting off for years.

Thank you again.

When giving meat (and other food items) give a bit big enough to hold so it pokes out of their fist and keep an eye on it so you can see how much they bite off so you know to fish it out if necessary. Make sure you cut it against the grain so it does not break into tiny bits.