Where do I start?!

[Twinklestar2]

There's so much info out there that I don't know where to begin?! I know I don't want to give baby rice, I'm not that keen on puréeing everything so I think BLW would be good for me. How do I start and what do I give at each meal time? Help!!

We've just started BLW in the last 2 weeks. It's brilliant - no hassle, DD gets to join in with our mealtimes. She started by stealing my toast from my plate; after that she's been given stick shaped pieces of normal food. Started on veg - carrots, roast parsnip, asparagus, but now she's having a great try at most things. She's just gummed toast and hummus to death.

I'm giving her bits here and there atm and being quite relaxed about it. A lot does end up on the floor. She breast feeds a million several times a day and her weight has always been fine so I've never been bothered about the exact quantities going in.

Anyway I read the Baby led Weaning Bible by Gill Rapely and someone else before we started, plus there's loads of info on babyledweaning.com

Its fun! And sooo much easier than spending hours pureeing :)

Thx winks! I'll have a look at that book

Dd loves blw, I didn't purée a thing.

Veg quite soft so easy to bite with no teeth, broccoli a hit, loves roasted sweet potato, roasted butternut squash, meatloaf, savoury muffins.

Be mindful of salt content, ham, bread and cheese are all quite salty and good foods to give but just be aware only 1g a day.

We introduced meals really slowly as quite lengthy and faffy.

Buy a cheap plastic table cloth for the floor, we also bought bibs with arms (bibetta I think) so she can get as messy as she likes without ruining her clothes.

And enjoy! Don't stress if baby doesn't take to it, it's messy play not nutrition to start.

Thanks little.

What breakfast cereal are they allowed to have?

I'm only giving DD porridge because I'm conscious of the amount of salt and sugar in cereals, but I might be a bit paranoid about it. I'll probably give her some weetabix when she's a bit older too.

When you say porridge do you mean baby porridge or normal oats?

Normal oats. She's had porridge fingers (porridge made extra thick then let to cool so it can be cut into sticks), and regular porridge pre-loaded onto a spoon. The porridge fingers are nice, like an

Like an unsweetened flapjack. I'm going to take them in for breakfast when I go back to work.

Thanks winks

I give dd porridge fingers or mini shredded wheat. I soak in normal milk enough to make them soft but not fall apart and she wolfs them down. No added salt or sugar

Get a decent high chair or one of those seats that attaches to your table. At mealtimes put baby in the chair, or on an adult's lap, and put some food in easy reach.

Don't worry too much about what the food is - broccoli, carrots, small pieces of meat or fillet fish, peas, loaded spoons, really as long as your diet is healthy then you don't need to do special food for baby. Then let baby get on with it. You may also want to give snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Give milk or formula before eating times.

BLW is all about being baby led - they do the work**, you get the fun of watching.

**except for cous cous - don't give cous cous unless you have a really good vacuum cleaner

Thx both. Looking forward to starting next month