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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Hissy fits at dinner time

12 replies

gemmeg · 24/04/2012 16:30

I have been trying blw for a few days with not much success. Firstly, my LO won't pick up the food himself so I tried putting some toast in his hand (I know this isn't strictly blw but I wanted to see if he'd eat it) and he starts chomping.....then he drops it and immediately screams, so I give it him back....he drops it again....yet more screaming. This continues until he's wound himself up so much he no longer wants to eat anymore. If I put the food to his mouth he'll eat it all up with gusto. I feel the whole playful aspect of blw is missing. I ended up giving him a puree as I thought he must be too hungry and was frustrated. What should I do?

OP posts:

OneLittleBabyTerror · 24/04/2012 16:49

The whole point of BLW is to let them get on with it. That's why it's frown upon to put things in their hands, especially if they don't want you to help. (That's why many think loaded spoons is ok). If you let him just do whatever he likes, will he get upset? If you don't think you can relax and let go, then BLW is obviously not for you. Do you bf? It's the same as bf, you never know how much your LO takes. They can be sucking away for 15min but not actually swallowing. At the same time, they can finish a feed in 5min if they really want to.

Also, they won't eat much until they have a lot more motor skills, typically around 9mo. This is even with the most enthusiastic babies. DD puts everything in her mouth, food or not. And her food intake only began to overtake puree babies around 9mo. This doesn't affect her growth at all. She keeps to her centile line on her 12mo health check. They will just make up the calories they need by having milk.

Original poster

gemmeg · 24/04/2012 17:27

I realise I'm not doing proper blw but he doesn't make any attempt to touch the food at all yet if I put it in his hand then he eats it or if I hold it in front of him then he guides my hand to his mouth and does eat it. If I just let him sit there he cries. He's been having purees for past month which he eats well but was very interested in blw as I like the idea of him trying lots of textures.

OP posts:

Flisspaps · 24/04/2012 17:38

How much food are you putting in front of him? If we put more than one or two pieces in front of DD at first, it'd be ignored or launched.

Original poster

gemmeg · 24/04/2012 17:47

Today I put a couple of fingers of toast & a 2 pieces of pear on his tray whixh he ignored. Theb as I said, I put the toast in his hand and he seems to enjoy it until he dropped it and screamed. As soon as put it back in his hand he calms down but then he drops it again & eventually he loses patience (he takes after his mother ;-)

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Original poster

gemmeg · 24/04/2012 17:49

Sorry about all the mistakes....I'm trying to type & bf at same time :-)

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OneLittleBabyTerror · 24/04/2012 18:57

If he's having purees, have you tried putting the finger foods there when you feed him? By the way, this is traditional weaning, but it still will get your LO used to feeding himself. Maybe he will be happier to play if he's not hungry? You can also gradually increase lumpiness in his purees. Like adding mince, soup pasta, or even just using a fork to mush. There is no one right way to wean. Some baby just take to traditional weaning better.

Also will he scream say if he drops a toy onto the floor out of reach? Maybe he's frustrated he can't get to it?

OneLittleBabyTerror · 24/04/2012 18:58

In the first post I thought you were doing pure blw, hence the reply, btw.

Original poster

gemmeg · 24/04/2012 20:33

Thanks for all of your advice. I'm certainly going to keep offering him different foods and hope that he "gets" it soon enough. I did notice the other day that he wouldn't touch the pasta I put on his highchair table but when I was holding him in the kitchen picking at the leftovers that's when he tried to grab some out of my hand! He really likes to eat & hate seeing him get frustrated when he can't keep hold of the food....he doesn't usually cry when he can't keep hold of a toy. I think I'll still give him a bit of puree then offer him some of what we're having too even if it's just to squish!

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Justfeckingdoit · 24/04/2012 20:40

Please don't worry about this. They all "get it" in the end

My small DD (bottom centiles) was spoon fed against all my woo principles and at 10 months will not eat anything she does not feed herself with.

All I can say to help you is relax, and even if you spoon feed, as I had too, they will get independent soon enough.

Original poster

gemmeg · 25/04/2012 07:12

Thanks justfeckingdoit (great name by the way!). My DS is only just 6 months so still very small, will just keep spoon feeding & offering him bits of food. He tried to take my toast off my plate this morning while he was sitting on my lap, so I gave him a bit & he ended up in tears again. He didn't drop it this time though, I think he was getting frustrated coz he couldn't eat it quickly enough :o

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Justfeckingdoit · 25/04/2012 10:29

gemmeg I predict that in a few months time he will will flinging brocalli and cheese around with abandon and laughing while it's you who are crying tears of frustration

Iggly · 25/04/2012 10:31

Honestly, don't get too hung up on this. Maybe he doesn't realise that the pieces of toast randomly on the high chair are food. Babies mimic - hence him grabbing food you eat instead. So eat meals with him, spoon feed and let him grab bits off of your plate then progress to putting your food on his high chair and he'll get the hang of it.

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