Please talk to me about your experiences of BLW and/or traditional weaning (title edited as thread moved from AIBU)

[IceNoSlice]

Or can someone please tell me why they chose traditional weaning over BLW?

I have just read the BLW book, all seems good but am thinking I've only seen half the argument. I want to consider whether purée and finger foods might be the way to go...

Ps sorry this isn't really an AIBU but wanted your attention. I clearly d

[mrsjay]

Oh and another thing I always worry when parents follow a type of parenting babies are little people and they dont read the books or are interested in all the stats every child is different and will have different reactions to food pureed or not, and in the end we are all able to eat and chew etc

[HappyJoyful]

familieShareGerms.. I think we must have been musing on similar thoughts!
I'm with you with the muddling along, and relaxing - that's what I always find so amazing, so many people seem unable to just think 'relax' not as if a child isn't going to ever learn to eat a variety of stuff however they are weaned.

[Scheherezade]

You can mix them. Don't be daft.

I had to do pureed as I was sectioned in a mother and baby psychiatric ward. Mums were fed hospital food, no allowance was made for babies. The ward had a kitchenette with fridge, microwave and toaster- so how was I supposed to cook meals?! DP would cook batches of stews and purees, which could be frozen at home, every day when he visited he brought enough to last the day. I gave him bread, fruit, cheese to hold. Cut broccoli with a bread knife and cooked it in the microwave. He had sandwiches for lunch.

[ChilliJo]

Both DCs weaned at 6 months. DC1 wanted full control and ate finger foods. DC2 wanted the food but couldn't be bothered to do it herself so I spoon fed her lumpy purees.

DC1 was a totally fussy eater, DC2 ate anything and everything. DC2 used cutlery way before DC1. I just added those to dispell some of the BLW myths flying around out there.

[CheungFun]

Have to say I don't like the title of the thread as apparently I'm 'ridiculous'

Ice try BLW or do purées & finger foods - I honestly don't believe it matters what way you wean your child onto solids. Do what works for you and your child and please don't judge others, everyone is doing their best.

[IceNoSlice]

Cheungfun you ate clearly not ridiculous. Sorry. Bad choice of title in an attempt to get responses. Worked though.

[Lifeisontheup]

I do think parenting has become big business too and there is a lot of money to be made out of it so it is prudent to be wary of any particular way that is prescriptive.
I believe that it leads us to not trust our instincts and that is something I see more and more now.
Parents are frightened of saying 'well this works for us' if it isn't backed up with some research baring in mind that not all research is good research. It needs to be evaluated with a very critical and sometimes a cynical eye.

[THERhubarb]

Now I remember, this is what got my back up the most, the BLW supporters stating quite clearly that you CANNOT mix BLW, it has to be either all or nothing.

That is just so bloody rigid and inflexible and designed to make mothers feel naff. (not getting at you Fissplaps, just stating what the BLW advocates say)

Most mothers are happy to do a bit of both but oh no, along they come like bleeding authority figures to say that it HAS to be exclusively BLW or it simply doesn't count and it's "just" traditional weaning. Which is apparently very bad for baby.

[Scheherezade]

FWIW part of the reason I had a complete breakdown and was forced to the ward was because of all the pressure- such as your post OP. I got so terrified of constantly doing the wrong thing I became very very poorly.

[CheungFun]

Thank Ice I know I'm not ridiculous really! Honestly though, try out BLW weaning first and if it's not working, try purées and just relax, babies aren't always interested in food at 6 months. I really think people (myself included) are conned into thinking weaning is a major thing, it's not it's a natural progression and mealtimes should be fun not stressful with the parent worrying how much their child has eaten and what they've eaten etc.

[Fairylea]

I puree until about 8/9 months as dd now aged 9 nearly died of choking doing blw with soft potato at about 7 months old. Anyone that has witnessed a baby nearly die of choking would puree too - not necessarily for the baby but for your own anxiety. I couldn't cope otherwise.

Does it really matter??

Ds won't be eating puree when he is 18 years old. And I let him have the spoon and feed himself.

[RobinSparkles]

Only read first page - CBA to read 5 pages of people getting uppity about the way they feed their babies.

Pretty much let DD1 feed herself completely from the off because she preferred to. It must be quite off putting having someone staring in your face shovelling food into your gob, tbh. She refused to be spoon fed.

I spoon fed DD2 basically because at 6 months her hand-eye co-ordination was shit and she was lazy. It was either feed her or let her not eat or sit her at the table forever. Eventually, at about 10 months she refused to be spoon fed and has fed herself since.

Tbh, if I was to have another I would be inclined to repeat what I did with DD2. She eats fabulously, in fact they both do, but DD1's table habits are shocking despite being screamed at repeatedly told how to eat. DD1 is five and DD2 is 2. The table is usually spotless from DD2 but DD1 still drops spaghetti on the floor!

[IceNoSlice]

Scheherezade I'm so sorry you had to go through that. And my OP was not intended to make anyone feel that way

It was an inflammatory title to draw people's attention to my question which most people would probably think is boring: 'what are the advantages of purée/mixed feeding over BLW'.

[mrsjay]

Just curious and I really can't be bothered to google but what is supposed to be so bad about purees ?

and ice report your thread and get the title changed it is a bit daft

[mrsjay]

maryz dd1 used to chew yoghurt how can you chew yoghurt it would go round and round for ages and she used her hands

[IceNoSlice]

mrsjay I will report it. Sorry all.

And thanks again for all your input.

[PeazlyPops]

YABVU. I don't care how others wean their babies, and find it odd that anyone would.

[RobinSparkles]

OP, you should have posted in the food topic and asked "what are the pros/cons?" I know it probably wouldn't get as many responses but I think that this way people will be too fuming from the title to read your OP properly and won't get that you don't really think that they are ridiculous.

[IceNoSlice]

Ooh Maryz that is interesting. Don't suppose you remember where you heard/read that?

Yes RobinSparkles I think you're right. I've reported myself.

[Themobstersknife]

Interesting debate.
I don't think BLW is a money making method. Unlike purees! You can find everything you need to know on t'internet. BLW is NOT just finger foods. In fact I think people are doing that and maybe coming a cropper later on. It is letting your baby feed themself, exactly what you are eating, with the only exceptions of nuts and honey. Of course that includes finger foods, but it is not exclusively finger foods. It is just a good way to start. Those saying it has been around forever. It has! Rapley coined the phrase particularly when she observed second or third children, where parents found it easier to feed everyone together, with the same thing, and had no choice but to leave the smallest ones to get one with it themselves, because of having to deal with the other kids. Those saying it is new - it isn't. The advice that you can introduce lumps from 6 months has been the case for a while. The difference is that there is now a debate about feeding before 6 months. Babies younger than around 6 months can't handle lumps as well generally, with exceptions, so the new thing really is whether there is a need to do purees. Those who think BLW carries a risk of choking - all weaning does. BLW actually can help protect against it. Those doing 'BLW' and just giving their kids bread sticks and cucumber. This is not BLW. Please stop doing this!
I really couldn't care how people wean, but I think it is a shame that people are slagging off BLW without having read anything about it.
Right best get back to the baby chucking banana and sandwiches all around the kitchen...

[MrsBungleBear]

families I understand all that. My first dc is only 3. I lost my mum when pregnant and had no one to ask about baby raising. I bought the books.

What I meant was its a lot easier with your second and with experience. You realise your own way to do things and are more confident.

I didn't explain that properly in my first post.

[Themobstersknife]

And what Maryz said. It is interesting research. I think there is a lot to be said about moving away from a culture where you are encourage to clear your plate.