BLW support thread anyone?

[MrsNPattz]

Just wondered if anyone wanted to join me on our BLW adventure, I could do with it (see my earlier thread)! We went to my uncles today, luckily my cousin did BLW with her two little ones so they were very accommodating and he tried carrot, sprout, broccoli, turkey and potato! It was very successful and it was lovely having my cousin to talk to! Unfortunately she doesn't live near us, but is at the end of the phone! What did your babies eat today?

Toasted squash sounds yummy and easy to hold too. The beast loves mango and melon, but drops it a lot.

Today I cheated and gave her some pear purée as someone had given us some of those Ella's pouches. In my defense I gave her a preloaded spoon and let her put it in her mouth herself. She loved it, the bugger. Back to proper blw tomorrow, she can have leftover pasta that I just ate, and know I am about to fry banana drop scones for breakfast!

Oh, and glad to hear others have monster milk babies at night. Fed an insane amount last night.

Oh pants, burnt butter whilst typing. Start again!

Has anyone tried their little ones with fish yet? If so what did you give them? I don't like it apart from Tuna but I don't want little man to miss out!

We're considering fish here too. I saw a friend give her baby bits of salmon. All fish except white fish makes me gag (particularly tuna) so DP will be in charge if its that. But I've heard people say waitrose fish fingers or homemade beefed fish fingers are good. There is a recipe in the blw cookbook. DP suggested crab sticks but I'm not to sure as I've never eaten them and thought they were processed rubbish so I plan to look on a pack in shop today.

Let me know how you get on with the fish! I don't eat meat or fish, but DH does so it'll only happen when he's around. I don't mind cooking meat but hate the fishy smell

Hi can I join? I tried BLW but DD didn't take to it as had stopped putting things in her mouth before 6 months, very disappointed. So we had to go the spoon fed route. We've always given her finger food since 6 months but she's never figured it out. Can't just leave her to feed herself as she eats with us & gets REALLY upset if we don't feed her.
She's nearly 1 year old & seems pretty bright in other things (couple of words in correct context, climbs the stairs without help, we obviously stand right behind her) so I don't think she's 'slow'. I don't think it's am issue with not liking food, she eats everything we give her. Is there anyone in the group with an older child or any experience of this, need help please!

Dd loves tuna! I've also made a white fish with rice thing & she wolfed that down too! Have sea bass in the freezer too

Crab sticks are absolutely disgusting - they are processed shite & have the taste of salty flehm. Yuk

Hello fellow BLWers, I would like to join!

By a happy coincidence I have just (1 hour ago) given DD her first taste of white fish. It was part of a frozen pollack fillet that I'd baked in the oven with some courgettes etc. Obviously it all flaked to pieces when she grabbed it but she made a pretty good effort to stuff it in!

I also have a question - how do you give your DCs their vitamins? Will they take them off a spoon for you?

Hello again. I have been stressing about BLW as DS just doesn't seem to eat much but lunch today was a bit more successful. He had avocado, Papya, cheese and cucumber.
When I do fish I have done fish fingers and taken the coating off. I have also given him salmon.
Tonight is roasted veg, and chicken.
I do struggle with breakfast though. What does everyone else do?

Hi 50shades, DS is my first so no experience here, hoping someone else might be able to advise? I guess as long as there is finger food around she may try it sometime, but no ideas on how to coax her into it.

Violetta I tried a spoon with DS and he dribbled it all back out again (also the dose was 2.5 ml which sounds tiny but actually seemed like quite a lot for him to swallow & not dribble). So I got vitamin drops instead. They come with a tiny (0.5 ML) syringe. What I do is to let DS put the end of it in his mouth but I keep hold (& try to keep it pointed sideways) so he can't accidentally jab the back of his throat with it, and gradually push the syringe in to dribble bits into his mouth as he slurps and chews it. It takes a little longer but actually seems to stay in that way and I'm not just shoving it in his gob! He seems to enjoy it anyway.

Am hoping that by the time we've finished the drops, he'll be ready to take a spoonful. I do give him some things on a spoon, so he's gradually getting the hang of putting it into his mouth & licking the food off.

battery At the mo breakfast is always fruit loaf. Not morning people so tend to just have a cuppa, so if we have a slice of toasted fruit loaf DS will eat some with us. There doesn't seem that long between when he's up for the day a.d first nap so figure I'll focus on giving him some variety at lunchtime.

Hey all,

I've been feeding ds breakfast for a week and a half now, I know it's not blw but I am pleased he can do the swallowing thing! Ive tried tea this week, since Monday and he is not happy with tea, does not like puréed veg whatsoever. I really want to give him stuff to eat himself so today I but the bullet and did chip sized cucumber fingers. First he threw them at me, and eventually was nomming on them! Was so surprised! But then he got a chunk of cucumber off and I totally panicked and took it out of his mouth! All I thought is what if he chokes? What would I do? I need to let him swallow it don't I.

Anyway I got mango and papaya and melon today, do I cut these up like chips too and just let him get on with it? The way of doing oranges with the skin on sounds a good idea, I want to try that but he had mild reflux when tiny and don't want to aggravate it if he's still like it.

Feel free to tell me how rediculous I am, I know

I've loved reading your blw stories and have a bit of inspiration now. I will still spoon feed breakfast at least for now but when he's old enough I'll maybe be brave enough to try toast or something else. Am struggling for variety ATM, am trying to avoid too much processed stuff in jars/boxes

Any tips for breakfast for now (am assuming no dairy etc as under 6 months, 23 weeks now)? He has had baby porridge, rusk and banana rusk don't shoot me

Thanks :)

DS happily takes his vitamins off a spoon, it's only 5 drops though (NHS ones for Northern babies) and he's had them since 5 weeks old. We use a special yellow spoon that we don't use for food too.

French toast was a big hit for breakfast this morning.

Kyzordz - babies have a very good gag reflex which brings food to the front if the mouth if they try to swallow it & it's too big. My dd bites of large chunks of apple - in fact she often ends up with a mouthful - she doesn't swallow any of it & just spits it back out.

I was the same as you when I started weaning her & panicking when she had non-squishy food in her mouth, but then I witnesses the gag reflex & realised how effective it is. That said I am aware that choking can kill so I keep a first aid book in the kitchen & have read up on what to do when a baby chokes (I hope I never have to use it). It's good to be aware of the dangers. In fact putting your fingers in a babys mouth can be really dangerous as you could accidentally push the food down the babys throat. Make sure you never leave your baby unattended with food.

Sorry, I realise I've probably completely freaked you out - that wasn't my intention!

Sorry kyzordz, I've just realised your DS is under 6 months & not sure if what I've told you is relevant for a baby under 6 months. Help someone??!

Thanks for the fish ideas! Will leave hubby in charge cause he 'does' fish lol

Do you guys give puddings? I spoke to a very helpful hv at booby group this afternoon about little mans night feed, and she also mentioned giving him puddings like apple pie and custard to get the calories in?? Not sure about this!

Also, we haven't been given vitamins, should we have?

Hi Kyz

I think citrus is not recommended under 6 months either - feel free to correct me anyone if I'm wrong.

I tried mango this morning but it just wasn't ripe enough, think I will give it a few more days in the fruit bowl! But yes just do chips. DS has only gagged once and is swallowing some banana and avocado. I am going to do a first aid course so I am more confident in case there is any actual choking but I keep reminding myself the gag reflex is there to protect him from that.

We went out today and DS ate some avocado from my plate. However, although he is able to pick up food and put it in his mouth, he seems to prefer eating from my hand which is obviously not the aim. If I pick up a stick of banana to encourage him his head dives in like a little bird! Anyone else find this?

MsJJ yes, DS (not quite 6mo) would rather eat sitting on my knee, while I give him the odd thing from my plate. I'm thinking of putting him in his high chair, letting him watch us eat, and then giving him something after a few minutes; don't know whether or not this will work...

Dd has vitamins, but only because she was prem. she has 0.3 ml via a syringe.

Haven't given her puddings apart from fruit so don't know about that, but it does seen a bit weird!

Thanks all - I will avoid the orange for now then jj :) I am booked on an nct 1st aid course too for 4th may, it was supposed to be before now but it was when we had snow (march?) and it got cancelled. I'm hoping this helps put my mind at ease.

I spoon fed him purée again for tea but he didn't have much, it was sweet potato, apple and parsnip with runny mashed potato. He had maybe 3 spoons, it was very sweet but he's not fussed with it. He loves breakfast though. Baby steps I keep telling myself, baby steps :) I will let the mango and papaya ripen and do some chips. The bit of cucumber i fished out of his mouth wasn't very big but it was my natural instinct .

Can I do him sticks of banana then too? He loved mashed banana when he tried it, and puréed pear (he had the tiniest bit about a fortnight maybe ago)

I think my problem is I keep trying to think of hard things for him to gum almost as though I am trying to make sure he can't break a chunk to choke on it but then obviously he won't be actually eating anything if I do that :/

Oh and talking of fish, the avocado he had was from a crab salad so I suddenly worried in case he turned out to have an allergy but fortunately it seems not. I'm sticking to fruit & veg until he is 6 months next week - we have a meeting with the hospital as he has CMPI so hopefully will get some advice on how to tackle that when weaning.

By the way it was naice crab, no sticks!

We won't try crab sticks then :-) I just know nothing about fish and meat. I think DP was just thinking the finger shape I've never seen him eat them either.

Pudding here is yogurt or fruit. I have bought some apples to do baked apples as I love them

Breakfast here is toast or wheetabix slightly wet from milk cut into two fingers (you could use bm or formula to avoid dairy), banana, I've tried porridge fingers with no joy.

My fail this week has been cauliflower mac and cheese (without bacon and no salt added) its something we have a lot and I thought with big pasta and little cauliflower trees it would be a winner but basically got spat and pushed away.

www.strandsofmylife.com/jamie-olivers-30-minute-cauliflower-macaroni-cheese/

I even tried some left overs the next day as well and got the same response.

Must admit when this happens I usually just offer fruit, avocado or a breadstick to try and make sure he eats something as at e moment he is going all night without milk.

Hello baby led weaners,, a word of warning about pouching. I thought dd had an empty mouth tonight, then after dinner, we were playing peek a boo in a mirror, and then, when she smiled, a piece of carrot popped out then back in again. I didn't fish it out as I wanted to see what would happen, but obviously didn't put her on her back. It didn't come out for 40 minutes! So beware.

Good tip nicknamefail we've had hidden food a few times. At the end of every meal I try and make him open his mouth by going ahhh at him. He usually only smiles rather than repeats and I can see!

I need to join this. My nearly 7 month old DD is not enjoying spoon feeding and refuses to swallow. I think BLW is the way forward for us but no one else around me believes in it. She has a couple of teeth through and I've been giving her bits of fruit which she wants to bite. I'm terrified about choking though so haven't had the confidence to really let her put anything in her mouth. I know I just need to read up on how to help her if she chokes and go for it because she clearly wants whats on offer.