Has anyone tried BLW properly, found it didn't work for them.... Then what did you do next?

[wombatinwaiting]

I'm really keen to try it with DS (5.5 months) but a little anxious about what to do if he doesn't take to it. I'm ebf, but would hate to think of him losing out on important vitamins, iron etc if he doesn't take to it and then have problems offering purses etc....

DS is my first so please forgive me if I sound a little PFB!

Thanks in advance

I started BLW when DS was 6 months. He was keen to poke, prod and fling food, but less keen to eat anything. I got scared that he wouldn't get any nutrients and started steaming and pureeing like mad. This had even less success as DS refused the spoon entirely, so I went back to BLW.

I felt much more confident when my mum revealed that I didn't take any solids until I was 11 months, and I'm still alive to tell the tale!

Milk, whether breast or formula doesn't suddenly lose all nutrients overnight when your baby turns 6 months. Just keep offering food, and let them play with it and enjoy it. If you're still breast feeding, it's now recommended to supplement with vitamin drops in any case, to keep vitamin D levels high. Milk and vitamins will keep your baby well until they get the idea of eating.

DS didn't start eating properly until he was about 10 months, and we get the odd day even now when he just doesn't want food. I figure he'll eat if he's really hungry and don't stress about it.

There is some research which says that babies weaned at 7 months have higher iron levels at 12 months than their peers who were weaned earlier. So, even if he doen't get a crumb into his mouth during the first month, you can relax, knowing that it might actually be doing him some good .

Have you read the info on Kellymom on why delay solids?

Hi, I did blw with DS2 and sometimes it felt like he wasn't eating much, other times loads. My sis weaned on purees and her 1st ate virtually nothing, her 2nd ate brilliantly, so purees etc does not ensure food goes in. My best advice would be to try it for 6 weeks minimum without fretting at all if anything goes in.

I did always do a bit of spoon feeding for yogurt and fruit puree so if you do that you can always switch later.

As others have said, loads of spoon fed babies consume very little and all is well so try not to worry.

Yes I did but ds started to react to loads of foods so had to rein in the weaning and go back to basics. However it meant that ds was used to lumpy food from go so I didn't puree, just mashed with a fork and worked up quickly to normal food, just cut up.

Food for fun till they're one - that reassured me at the time!

DD was ebf and she continued to get most of her nutrition from breastmilk for a long time after 6 months as I could never get her to show much interest in food.

I did finger foods but I couldn't cope with full on BLW (as couldn't deal with the mess - sorry sorry BLW-ers ) I spooned in the messy stuff!

Oh yes - I never pureed anything, just mashed up and spoon fed!

I started off BLW DS who's now 8mo. He's a big lad and loves both boob and food - can't get enough of either! He has always been exceptionally good at shoveling food in, but got very frustrated quite quickly with the whole loaded spoons thing!

So now, if it's anything like yogurt, soup, something sloppy etc, I do spoon feed him, mainly to stop the massive strop he throws if food isn't injected into his fat gizzard quickly enough. He really doesn't know about the 'food for fun' mantra. Food is for EATING, mother! Anything big enough to pick up, he self-feeds, and I certainly don't do any pureeing - far far too lazy!

Can't officially call myself a BLW-er because he's not exclusively self feeding, but he's as near as dammit.

Hugely helpful replies mners - many thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. Love the descrip of your DS mombo!

Much like Mombo my 8mo ds also gets frustrated with blw when he is very hungry. I found a good compromise was to offer some mashed steamed vege first then finger foods after when he is not so frantic. If the mash doesn't work he gets boob first then mash then finger food. Remember it doesn't have to be all or nothing, you can find your own way that suits you and your baby.