Can we clear up once and for all whether you are 'allowed' to mention the possibility of spoon feeding on a BLW thread?

[Enid]

If the consensus is no, then I will happily bow out of any thread asking for advice on weaning, specifically BLW.

I always say that IMO it is fine to do both - ie a mixture of finger foods and spoon feeding.

Surely this cannot be in any way controversial?

Enid, yes re the porridge thing. I think people who do BLW make the porridge quite thick. I've even heard of it going cold and being slced, ewwwwwwwwwwwwww! Who was it that was chatting about having a porridge drawer? They poured porridge into it and it set and went cold and hard and they'd slice it like malt loaf?!!!! How gross!

But that is not what Gill Rapley suggested (and for some reason I thought that she was the queen of BLW)? No hint of there needing to be whole food (Do you really offer your children whole heads of broccoli?). Her philosophy seemed to be based on the fact that there was no need for the gradual weaning on one fruit/veg at a time, working up from purees to lumpy purees to mashed foods to whole foods, as some hvs have taught over the years. And in particular the infant should be allowed to take the lead in feeding (which is hard if you're shovelling the food in). But reading between the lines or posts I think some "rules" are being introduced that make sense at the 6 month stage, but are irrelvant at the 15 month stage? I don't think that Gill ever countenced BLW infants never being allowed yogurt or soup for example.

Lulumama's post summed it up I reckon. BLW has an "ethos" and "fundamental" priciples. It isn't just a way of presenting food to your child.

As it turns out, it's what I did, becuase my children are pig-stubborn and would not be doing with spoons. Only a selection, and it had to be a selection, of finger food would do. And as for distraction - ha!

So it's just as well BLW wasn't in vogue whem my two were weaning, because I might have felt the need to force feed them with a spoon, because I am just as stubborn as they, and I don't do baby-led fundamentals any more than my children did spoons.

I am lazy, it was the path of least resistance and I took it.

I would say I've done mostly BLW with the DDs APART from yoghurt. Don't think there is anything wrong with that yoghurt needs a spoon fair and simple it's a nice thing for babies (and me) to eat and using a spoon doesn't hurt. Why the hang ups?

DD2 is at an age where she is refusing even yoghurt off a spoon now (as DD1 did too) so will be totally BLW'd from now on, when does BLW stop becoming BLWing when they use a spoon themselves?

Up here I feel enough of a wierdo as I didn't feed the DDs Boots finest little pots from 10 weeks old.

well I find the whole idea of an ethos and fiundamental principles over spoons very Alice in Wonderland myself

zipp some might say Emperor's New Clothes

others might say Good Excuse to Sell a Book

yes its the ideology I object to I think

the 'ethos'

I have said before, as soon as you make something into an ideology, you will have failures! Aitch says I am alwasy banging on about failure - I am because I hate to see mums worried further about trying to 'do' something so prescriptive and worrying about whether to feed baby with a spoon or not.

absolutely enid.

any method of weaning that advises (perhaps unconfident, first-time mums) that using a spoon to feed their baby is somehow wrong is absolutely completely barmy. and unkind.

"when does BLW stop becoming BLWing when they use a spoon themselves?" No - they are still baby led....just using a spoon instead of a finger....to add to the confusion DS liked to use a fork from a fairy early age as well...didnt make it any less baby-led

I'm with you Enid

Everything seems to be a system or a method nowadays. I know that some people like to have a rule book, but it just freaks me out.

I don't think people used to be so self conscious about children..in fact outside mn I don't think they are still

it's too much like having to have a faith to me I prefer just to do my own thing

sling the gurus out

Its not wrong bundle - just preferable to let babies have control over what goes in their mouths.. babies who self feed are less likely to choke and be obese later in life

it's like xenia mentioning the Happiness Lessons at a school. barmy. can't they just get on with being ummmmmm Happy?

bollocks re: less likely to be obese in later life. where is the rct for that little gem???

so people who choke it's because they used a spoon when weaning?

zipp, that'll be the deadly spoon-grape combo

I read it as adults choke because they had spoons when weaning

try getting someone to spoon feed you an entire meal - 3 times a day every day for several months....its quite hard to get it in just right every time....

as for the obesity thing...just think about it....if you have control over how much you eat you are much more likely to stop when you start feeling full...it is very easy for someone else to say just one more mouthful...for a small baby with a stomach the size of their fist this can make a difference & stretch the stomach....then you get the "clear your plate" atttitude Im sure I wasnt the only one brought up on..."finish your plate...think of the starving children in africa!" etc....and you soon start not knowing what the full sensation is as you have been "taught" to ignore it....and you end uo overeating all the time....ending up being obese.

terramum, my children have always made it clear when they've had enough, both of food and breastmilk. and I didn't need someone called Gill to tell me that.

the obesity argument is weird

and food obsessive IMO

hatrick I feel sad that some tired, vulnerable mothers could be made to feel guilty about using a spoon. better parp myself now

well it's to do with being sensible and being in tune with your baby

most babies will turn away oif they have finished or other strong signals that isn't difficult

it's just the same as feeding them a bottle it's pretty obvious when they have had enough

but the simplest thing is just to offer your own food and have two or three spoons and fingers etc and you will find that sometimes they prefer to pick it up themseles either with fingers or with a spoon they try and dip or pick up a pre loaded spoon or want uopu to spoon feed

while you are eating your own they get plenty of chance to experience dinner for themselves too unless you are inclined to feed them on their own which i agree is a bit odd