Baby Led Weaning (solids)

[jasperc163]

Hi - I've read a few posts on this on this board and wondered if anyone has used this approach with a baby with reflux and (resulting) feeding issues?

My LO is 6.5 months old and we started trying to wean (with purees) a couple of weeks ago. However she has gone from being fairly uninterested (normal i imagine) to getting unhappy when she sees the spoon. She is already difficult to bottle feed due to the reflux problems when she was younger and so i am reluctant to continue for fear of a real feeding issue.

I have been reading about BLW on various boards over the last week and so decided at the weekend to stop trying to feed her and just put her in her highchair with steamed veg/fruit etc on her tray. As yet she isnt showing a whole lot of interest in it, but of course its early days.

Just wondering if anyone else has tried with with a baby who isnt of the 'loves food' variety?

thanks alot for any help
alice

ps also how many people have done this who weren't breastfeeding by the time they weaned?

Jasper, I can't help I'm afraid. But you might want to join the Yahoo BLW group - they might be able to give you more info. \link{http://groups.yahoo.com/group/B-LW\BLW group}

Hi Alice. We do half and half... I was all up for pure BLW but can't handle the mess of yogurt etc. My DS was not a lover of food. He had all the signs of being ready but when it came down to it, he wasn't into the tastes at all. He was 6 months when we tried. He was at least 7 months before he really ate more than a few bites through BLW at all. He's still really odd about food and can give or take it to a degree - he's 9 months. He goes nuts when you try to offer him savory food on a spoon. But is OK with yogurt & puddings (not daft eh??).

I really like the approach that he picks and chooses what he wants to eat. He actually eats most things, just not always a lot of them. I don't want him to be funny about eating either and I think this relaxed approach is definately the way to go.

Try your DD with some toast - it was a huge hit with my DS and actually got him eating something! But don't worry if she's not into it for a few weeks yet. If she has feeding issues then it may take her a while to get her confidence back. let her play with the food and enjoy herself.

Oh - you might like to try her with apple rice cakes too. My DS sucked them as he liked to mouth things and that helped him get into the swing of things too.

Hi - I've been trying to wean my 6m3w baby for the past 5 weeks and despite a promising start decided to give us both a break for a while as she was just point blank refusing after a couple of teaspoons of puree, rice, etc. I had a chat with a health visitor about this last week and she suggested using the BLW approach, especially since at her age there weren't many restrictions as to what she could eat. She also recommended getting a high chair as previously I was feeding her by spoon while she was in her Bumbo. One Svan highchair later, and for the first time today, she has enjoyed some toast, half a pot of fromage frais, a little shepherds pie, while I have been having my breakfast alongside her. I'm finding this a much more rewarding way of teaching her to eat. The amounts have been very small but I feel it's a valuable start and would advise any parent to try this approach. Good luck!