BLW and nursery

[BJR]

DS is 7.5 months and has been getting on really well with BLW. I've just started back to work and picked a nursery that were really positive about BLW and happy to let him feed himself when I went on the initial visit.

Today DS had his first half day in nursery and I picked him up at lunch time. I could hear him crying before I even got to the building. When I went in one of the staff was sitting on the floor trying to hold DS and spoon feed him while he was crying and trying to crawl away. They said he had cried in the highchair and not wanted the food, so they thought holding him might work better.

I really don't want food to be a battle and at home i'm happy for him to not eat at meals if he doesn't feel like it as he still has plenty of milk.

I know I have to accept that things will be different at nursery because they have more children to look after. So do I have to accept that BLW won't be possible at nursery despite the initial positiveness or should I try and discuss it?

Discuss it with them - remember they don't know what you like, and some parents get really funny if their child hasn't eaten. Be clear - please just put toddler food on his tray, and let him decide to eat it or not. Don't put it in his mouth or spoon feed him please. If he doesn't eat, thats fine.

When ds was a baby, the nursery had never heard of BLW, but once they realised all I wanted was for them to plonk food down for him and leave him to it, they loved it

Just tell them that you are happy if he doesn't eat. And that you don't like the idea of forcing him to eat at all. My LO started nursery at 7mo and would not entertain the idea of the spoon. I told nursery I don't mind them feeding DD, but only if she was happy to let them. They haven't heard of BLW at all, and I didn't give them any lectures about it. I just tell them she fed herself at home. Obiviously DD being a spoon refuser, they havent got any success spoon feeding her anyway. Initially she didn't eat much, was upset all the time, but that was just settling in. Was your LO bf? Will he talk a bottle at the nursery? If he is drinking his milk, they shouldnt have any worries.

Basically same as CMOT DDs nursery has no problem just plonking the food on the highchair tray and let her get on with it. TBH if you see it from their POV all they want is a settled happy baby. It will get better.

Thanks for the replys. I'm glad I didn't mention anything at the time becuase i'm sure part of it is going back to work wobbles and not helped by going to collect DS whilst he was really upset.

You're both right in that it doesn't have to be complicated, I think now its actually best to just say happy for him to feed himself and don't worry if he doesn't want anything. In fact its probably easiest to avoid calling it BLW. In the end it makes their life easier if he gets on with it himself, one less baby to feed!

He fights when taking a bottle from anyone other than me usually but I guess that will get easier in time too.