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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

blw...alternate theory

42 replies

spillyobeans · 17/02/2016 05:58

I was just googling about baby led weaning, (i tried starting it from the get go but hasnt gone very well.) My lo doesnt nibble at all and only bites off huge chunks and has nearly choked - not gagged - twice. Hence me hardly giving finger foods for the moment. He can even bite through a raw carrot stick and only has 1 tooth!.

Anyway, the argument for blw is that its the most natural way to introduce baby to eating etc....but is it? Not bashing etc and if it works for you great, but surely its more natural to help baby eat. If you were in a tribe in the wilderness what you would surely do is chew food first before giving to baby, like alot of animals do, food is 'mashed' in effect. ?

OP posts:

dodobookends · 17/02/2016 17:13

The very first thing my dd did when she was given a rusk to dribble and suck on for the first time was to bite off a big chunk, try to swallow it and go blue in the face. I've never moved so fast in my life. Upside down, pat on the back and eventually it came out. Thank God.

Original poster

spillyobeans · 18/02/2016 07:38

I love how people take what you say and make it into a sweeping statement. I never said blw was wrong, i actually love the idea of it, but it doesnt work for my baby.

As for gagging, gagging is one thing, choking is something completely different, and my baby has nearly choked several times whilst giving him appropriate blw advised finger food and not inappropriate food.

Also i dont make purees, which isnt wrong either, i did 2 or 3 weeks of purees then went onto very lumpy family food.

And its not faffing because i make our family meals and just seperate a bit for baby before i put any salt,if any, in ours and mash it a little. Literally takes an extra minute if that

OP posts:

Original poster

spillyobeans · 18/02/2016 07:39

Also, yes i use a spoon to feed my baby, but he holds the spoon too, plays with the food, picks up peas and small bits of food and uses his motor skills too and explores food so hes not by any means deprived of that, which i feel is what your trying to say

OP posts:

Original poster

spillyobeans · 18/02/2016 07:40

I never really bothered with baby rice etc either tbh i just went for our home cooked meals but with no salt or sugar in it. Saying that i dont think id give ds a spicy curry

OP posts:

Passthecake30 · 18/02/2016 07:46

I agree that it depends on the child...one I practically shovelled on spoonfuls of purée on a conveyor belt...the other refused the spoon and refused to eat until she grabbed my fajita so it was blw for her!

motherigloo · 18/02/2016 07:54

Ugh yes probably! But most of my friends who didn't BLW used pouches and jars and progressed through numbered stages. I never bothered.

I just gave DS what we had, but whizzed or mashed and minus salt. One of the bugs advantages 'sold' to me as BLW is that baby just eats what you do.

DS's gran was aghast that I was giving him blitzed up mince at 7 months for example! She wanted to give him just parsnip or sweet potato or apple!

EarlGreyTeaAndToast · 18/02/2016 08:04

Fed one baby with a spoon and gradually introduced finger foods, did pure BLW with the other one.
They are now older teen/child, and they both eat anything pretty much and have never had food issues.
So I'd say do whatever you like ☺️ but tbh baby led weaning was a lot easier and cheaper.

SoupDragon · 18/02/2016 08:07

I fed DD how she wanted to be fed so I count that as being baby led even though it was mashed up on a spoon. She didn't want to get her hands mucky I think

I agree that there is no point getting hung up on one method or another. Just feed your baby how they want to be fed and get on with it - if you aren't forcing them or feeing inappropriate food then there is no right or wrong way.

bruffin · 18/02/2016 08:11

The apparent advantage of BLW is that they eat what the family eats is completely nonsense. My dc ate what we ate all the time, i just whizzed up or mashed up what we were eating. I had similar reaction from MIL motherigloo, but she admitted that she was really impressed with both dcs eating later.
I dont think the choking/gagging is natural, neither of mine did it and they were chomping on whole apples/bananas as soon as they had the teeth to bite into them. Going through the puree stages and gradually courser textures meant they didnt gag.

Millionprammiles · 18/02/2016 09:05

Speaking as the parent of a 3 yr old in nursery, neither blw nor spoon feeding are any guarantee of good or poor eating habits in toddlers later on. Many parents at dd's nursery who religiously followed blw are deeply disappointed by their picky eating 3 yr olds!

So don't worry about it. Try a range of foods, don't feel you have to stick to anything your child doesn't like at this age. I do think its good to get them used to regular solids to help ease reliance on milk and if that means spoon-feeding purees then so be it. It really, really won't make a difference later on.

Mammabrown · 18/02/2016 09:14

Mothers used to chew food and give it to their babies I dont think cave babies were chewing on mammoth legs at 6 months there is no evidence BLW is more natural or better for babies its only a theroy BLW hasnt been around long enough to be a definite better for babies thingb i dont believe the food is fun before 1 mantra but many do its your personal preference use purees use a spoon and baby's own bowl and crack on

Mammabrown · 18/02/2016 09:17

I weaned both mine the old fashioned way 1 was a picky eater by 2 yrs old the other scoffed everything

Muskateersmummy · 18/02/2016 09:22

Another mummy who was keen for blw but dd had other ideas (running theme throughout my motherhood journey tbh!)

babyandnames · 19/02/2016 18:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

NickyEds · 21/02/2016 14:09

We've done traditional weaning (I think!). Both of mine started at 6 months on normal food, mushed up and spoon fed if it's something I'd eat with a spoon, finger foods if it's something I'd eat with my fingers. I've made some pureed fruit to put on weetabix or porridge.

I find strict adherence to a method a bit restrictive so wouldn't puree everything or faff about making thick porridge, let it go cold to make porridge fingers either.

I've met a few avid BLWers and they all seemed to be of the opinion that anyone not doing BLW feeds their babies either crap out of a jar or baby rice thickened fruit indefinitely. I've never found this to be the case.

As pp have said babies often make the decision for you. My nephew simply wouldn't put food into his mouth and gagged on anything thicker than a puree for ages- so he was spoon fed (a variety)purees- baby led, as in led by baby.

Sparrowlegs248 · 22/02/2016 15:46

I am doing sort if blw. I have looked into it a lot and like the idea. I hate to see babies being 'persuaded' to eat yet more spoonful of mush which often tastes and smells awful. I have tried to spoon feed breakfast for ease but Ds won't have it. There are hardcore blw'ers on Facebook who advocate giving baby whatever you are having. I dint do this. I give him food he can pick up and eat himself. Such as soft fruits, cooked veg (would never give raw carrot! ) French toast etc. He is progressing now that he has the hang of chewing so i am introducing meat. He does happily swallow relatively large chunks.

KatharinaRosalie · 22/02/2016 16:08

I've met a few avid BLWers and they all seemed to be of the opinion that anyone not doing BLW feeds their babies either crap out of a jar or baby rice thickened fruit indefinitely.

yes, or force-feeding awful smelly mush. It doesn't have to be either this, or just throwing them a spare rib to gnaw on.

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