Baby led weaning questions

[CoffeeAndOranges]

Hi all

Just getting to grips with BLW - DS is 6 months and I've started offering him a few things but am not sure if I'm doing it right. Bear with me if you are an old hand, I thought I would find this easy but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.

So - they eat what we eat. Sounds straightforward enough. He grabbed cheesy scrambled eggs off my plate the first day I sat him on my knee at lunchtime- he put it all in his mouth too (think some of it went down!). But evening meals? We usually eat once he's in bed, as we start the bedtime routine around 6ish once DH is in from work. It's ok at the moment as DS is just having a few bits twice a day to get used to it but I suppose this means we will have to eat earlier ie I will have to eat on my own with DS and DH will have to reheat stuff when he gets in. Or just keep him up a bit later and all eat at 7. Sorry this sounds like splitting hairs but I'm trying to get my head round the logistics!

DS has reflux and starting eating has aggravated things s bit - his tummy is so grumbly at the mo. I've read so much conflicting advice about what you give them for first foods etc but BLW says try everything. Is it normal for them to have dodgy guts for a bit? Or should I stick to really bland things? So far he's had pear, strawberries, scrambled egg, bread, chicken, mango, broccoli, a couple of spoons of my porridge. So all pretty bland and not whatever I'm eating. Am I doing this wrong? He seems to be enjoying the food at the time (although not much going in!)

Also, he's bf and has always fed frequently- every 2 hours day and night (yes I'm knackered). Since starting this, he seems to want the boob even more - is this normal? It could be extra thirst but he's hardly eating anything. Just hope it dies down soon as it seems that I am spending most of my time breastfeeding him, cutting things up and steaming for him to eat and then watching him eat so he doesn't choke, picking it all up off the floor, wiping everything down and then breastfeeding him again 20 mins later, by which time it's nap time again

I know I'm probably doing this all wrong as I shouldn't feel so knackered by it. Can I ask for help as to how to make it easier?

Sorry that was ridiculously long but just need some reassurance I suppose. Most of the NCT mums are doing purées so I haven't really got anyone to bounce ideas off!

Hi coffee
I'm by no means an expert but am doing blw too and l.o is 6.5 nearly 7 months.

My general understanding is that in terms of what they eat they can have pretty much anything except the usual culprits (whole nuts, honey, whole grapes, undercooked eggs etc-can't r remember all of them but the weaning advice on here should have them) unless you have reason to think they may be allergic to anything I.e. You have allergies yourself etc. Otherwise you can try them with mist foods. Things that aren't too slippery and are in a chip shape help. Oh also no or very minimal salt. Just make sure you offer a range of foods containing different nutrients and he'll gradually try ad eat more as the months go on. You can give a vitamin drop if you want to.

In terms of timing meals at this stage it doesn't really matter if they miss a meal I believe-if he's awake let him have something of your plate or whatever you want to give him. If he's asleep don't worry-he could share a snack later or just have bf as he doesn't need food for nutrition much at this point.

In terms of more bf-6 months is common growth spurt and for him bf will still be what he looks for to fill his tummy so its normal I think to feed lots at this point. Breast milk should I think be main source of nutrition for 1st year so if he doesn't eat much food for a while yet its fine.

I don't know much about foods and reflux though sorry-maybe keep a food diary? My ds had v windy tummy first couple of weeks and anything that went in came out exactly the same in the nappy and often still does!

Have you read gill rapley book or had a look at www.babyledweaning.com?

Good luck I think we'll find it all works out in the end lol! X

Thanks peach I have the Gill Rapley book. It's great but very 'evangelical' about the whole thing (obviously) - she just talks as though it's going to be a perfectly smooth easy experience and of course real life doesn't always work like that.

He is very windy and like you said, lots of what he's had is coming out the other end (found a green bit of broccoli this morning ) so hopefully that will all calm down soon.

Great, a growth spurt too! Might explain why his sleep is all over the place again (not that it's ever been good!). He's certainly developing quickly these days!

Guess it will all click into place at some point- hopefully soon!!

There are a couple of things that jump out from your post, you're over thinking this and you've fallen for the weaning lie!! By this I mean you think weaning is anything other than a bit of a pain in the arse! I remember looking forward to weaning ds (pfb) but in the end it was just more jobs and mess! I struggled with when to introduce food, when to fit it in around milk, how much he should have, what he should have......It was all just a bit of a pain. With dd(poor second baby) she got plonked in a high chair and fed whatever ds had whenever ds ate too. Much easier-she's 11 months now and I didn't really notice her being weaned

I didn't do blw, the fewer rules the better for me. Eating together isn't compulsory, my kids eat at 5pm so if I ate with them I'd be starving by bedtime. Do what suits you. A bit of weetabix, crumpet or banana, a taste of boiled egg, some soup, sweet potato wedges.....whatever you're having, just let her have a bit unless you're not eating then give her some cucumber to chew on. Don't worry about missing meals at this stage, don't worry about dropping milk, just try her with a bit of this and that and try to enjoy it!

Yes Nicky you're right I think I am overthinking it - your description of the fitting in between naps and milk feeds etc is spot on! Hard to get into the mindset of just chucking a bit of food their way when you need to pop them in the highchair and dig out the bib as it's so messy! And you need to watch them so closely so you can't just let them get on with it.

I'm sure it will come a bit more naturally soon. I guess it probably might be easier with the second as you're already in the groove of doing food suitable for kids and so another mouth is easy enough to feed. The fact you can't really remember weaning your second suggests you did it just right

Yes agree the book is evangelical! My ds did not fit the description in that he immediately learnt to swallow food and instead of carefully examining and gnawing on a piece of food (a la the lovely photos) attempts to cram a piece of food in, grab something else in the other hand and get it all in at once. He gets very frustrated lol!
We'll get there :)

Just keep going Im so glad I've persevered.

Basically just feed them when they are awake, sit them at the table with you when you eat. Don't get hung up on 3 meals a day. If your out take some snacks.

We found softer food easier to start with, they actually got eaten, I leant quite quickly not to offer things like cucumbers for a few weeks. Cut everything into chip sizes. Cheese, avocado, sweet potato wedges, toast, crumpets, banana, pear. Use unsalted butter and cream cheese.

After they master than I tried braver things like pasta twists with pesto, strawberries, beans on toast etc as he would just pick anything up and eat it.

Must have are:

IKEA Antilop highchair (great for cleaning)
Tupperware boxes and a cool bag for going out.
Overall bibs
Suction bowls or mats.
Wipes

Learn to sit in your hands! Red and loud they are gagging and will figure it out. Blue and silent they need your help.

There will be some gagging but it showing they know how to do it. I keep thinking if DS put something in his mouth he shouldn't his will have an amazing gag reflex and and cough it up compared to a baby who's had purees. Makes me feel happier about future chocking episodes!
There are some great FB groups to join such as BLW UK.

Also DS eats with both hands. One hand cram it in the next hand follows. I just leave him be. He will figure it out!

We had a similar issue about the timing of tea as well as DH doesn't get in till gone 7pm. Once DS was eating enough to need a regular tea, he had it at about 6pm. DH and I ate at the same time on weekends. In the week, it varies; a couple of nights a week, I ate with DS as DH or I go out. The other nights, DS ate first and I ate with DH later. (Speaking personally, the odd DS free meal was/is very welcome!)

You'll soon get the hang of meals that can easily have a bit taken out for DS then be reheated for you later eg lasagne, shepherd's pie, casserole. Or saving a bit of your meal for DS the next day or freezing small batches of meals. And quick meals for DS like pasta or omelette when your meal isn't suitable.

Definitely try not to overthink it. I just put the same food that we were eating on my children's trays for them to eat at the same time as I was eating. Try to keep the pieces big as they can't open their fists to get to smaller pieces so they need to be long enough that they can eat what is sticking out of the top of their fist. Think chip sized. Things like asparagus, long stemmed broccoli, baby sweetcorn are naturally the perfect size. Personally I love BLW as it means no extra work for you as you can just cook 1 meal rather than having to prepare extra for a baby. We have a cheap shower curtain under the high chair so any food that gets dropped can be put back on the tray & then at the end of the meal the shower curtain can be shaken out & then washed in the machine.

If they were asleep I wouldn't wake them so some days they joined us for 3 meals sometimes only 2. My daughter was a late sleeper so didn't go to sleep till between 9pm-midnight so late dinners weren't a problem but now I have 2 we all eat at 5.30 & my husband eats later when he gets home but you need to figure out how it works for your family.

With the feeding my daughter didn't drop any of her feeds for at least 2 months after we started BLW. I tried to feed her 30-60 mins before a meal but then the cluster feeds would start in the evening. Hope it gets easier for you

We're doing blw too. I already have a three year old and we all eat together as soon as dp gets home from work at 6 (although on bad days this means we eat beans on toast as I haven't managed to cook).

Ds is 6.5 months. He also gets quite windy and since starting weaning he hasn't been sleeping well, so that's interesting about them having a growth spurt.

He is really keen to eat but his enthusiasm is greater than his ability so he gets a bit frustrated sometimes.

I wouldn't wake him for a meal, at this stage he can still get everything he needs from milk.