finding weaning a faff

[feekerry]

Dd is almost 7 months and ebf. Started blw at 6 months and she loves it but we've had quite a few serious gags so find myself constantly taking food out her mouth etc which i no i'm not supposed to. Just worries me. So tried spoon feeding her a bit but she's not that keen and i find it a faff. So i find myself not bothering with either. Bf is SO easy compared to solids. Boob out. Done. A big part of the problem is we have a very active outdoor life and often out and about for 6 hours straight so much easier for me to whip boob out!

I hear you .... My ds is 7 months and we are trying BLW... First 2 weeks he was not interested at all and what did go in was gagged up... I too picked food out which I know is wrong but when you fear your child is choking I thing pretty instinctive. Now he hardly ever gags, can't get food in quick enough and is making lots of mess.... I really need a dog to help me clear up! We are always out and about too but I have spent a bit more time at home these last few weeks so I could do lunch. Seem to spend my day thinking about food, meal times and trying to sit him down in the right mood! No real advice but I have found the River Cottage baby and toddler cookbook really good... Lots of things that you could make and take with you...muffins, soup, eggy bread which I cover in banana and he gobbles it down! If we miss a meal I don't stress as he is still a boobie monster! Good luck!
I tried the spoon thing and he just clamps shut but he will take it from me and shove in his mouth or in his cheek, hair, neck , ear depending on the aim!

Gagging and choking are two different things, have you read the info on the babyledweaning website on choking? If it is really worrying you, maybe enrol lying on a Paed first aid course would help. Try your local children's centre or British Red Cross or St. John's ambulance.

If you are out all day do you eat?

Ye she's def not choking, its just gagging but still feel uneasy sometimes. I dont tend to eat if i'm out and about hence why its easier just to bf her when out and about. Must get better organised this week and take sandwiches out with us. God I'm just so lazy tho lol. Bf is by far much easier!

Personally I don't think it's much of a problem if you only bf during the day. You could always offer breakfast and then a meal in the evening. It's upto you. You might not want her relying so heavily on BM when she's nearly 3 though (looks for BM obsessed dd emoticon).

Some of the lovely benefits of bfing are that you can travel light and there is no needs for routines [hsmile]

I'm not into the weaning either. Have no idea why people are so keen to do it early

DS is nearly 7 months. We've done a few BLW bits & some porridge. He's not really eaten much but pulled some funny faces

I didn't bother at all with food last week as he was ill and it was great. It is just a major faff which I don't seem to be able to get the hang of

Lol! You've both echoed my thoughts. There is no rush to solids is there. It is such a faff. I go back to work in 3 months so might try a bit harder after xmas. Think over last couple of days dd has had a chew on a bit of toast and that's about it. Thank god for the boobs !!

So glad others are feeling the same! Was about to start a thread asking for advice on BLW as am trying not to get stressed but it's hard work.

Have been offering DD (27 weeks) solids for about 2 weeks. First week it was amazing watching her pick up and stuff everything she was given in her mouth. Now she really can't be bothered, protests whenever I put food near her, picks it up and throws every handful on the floor. (no dog here either!)

Trying not to compare to friend's BLW DD who was eating like a horse at this stage as well as being an amazing sleeper.

DD took ages to 'get' food and I hated weaning, 'faff' is exactly the right word. I'd forget about doing it, or not offer anything exciting.

It took weeks and weeks for it to really kick in. But somewhere between 7-8 months she finally worked out what was going on and wanted her food.

Just keep going with the offers of food but don't stress about it at all, if she isn't interested then she isn't interested, she's getting all her needs from milk. She'll get there when she wants to get there, and then it will probably be like a switch going on and you won't be able to get enough in to her!

I hear what you are saying and it is a faff! DS + BLW = lots of food on the floor and a mother twitching about waste. And it takes so long to have a meal!

But please remember that gagging is a reflex to prevent choking. It is not a bad thing. It doesn't hurt them and it's better that they gag, really. It is unsettling for us but far less so than choking, which, by the way, is horrible. It is so quiet.

The reason you aren't meant to hook stuff out is because you might push stuff further down and what might previously have been a gag, a retch, a cough, a burp and a disgusting sucked-to-death piece of food popping out could turn into a choke.

Do do do do find out about baby and child first aid, particularly if you are nervous because knowing what to do in an emergency may take the edge off the worry!

Bit of a hijack here - how long does the gagging last for, not to mention, erm, vomiting? 5.5mo DS grabbed a well-cooked carrot and took of some chunks (gag, gag, vom). Grabbed some mashed potato tonight (gaggity, gag, vom). It's unsettling.

Maybe not quite ready? My dd vom the first few times she gagged but seems now to gag without the vom!
Just a little update, dd is now just over 7 months and eating has picked up quite a bit this week. I have gone purely blw as find this much less faffy and she rarely gags now at all. Still don't spend any real time on weaning but i just give her whatever i grab to eat and she comes pretty well now. I also don't bother with bibs and don't faff with wiping her down afterwards. Just a quick bf seems to clean her face up a bit. God i'm one scutty mum lol!!