Do I limit amount of food?

[CourtneyCox2021]

Evening.

So little one 6 months tomorrow ekkkkk.

We do BLW with some purees at dinner. I know she's under 6 months but when she grabs toast of my plate so quick and in her mouth 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

like today:
Toast for breakfast sucked and chewed did very well tbh. Not fan of porridge as she wants to feed herself 😂 will preserve though.as much better than toast everyday and will try weetabix etc.

Lunch - at a family's bbq. She had a knaw on new potato loved it. Then there were roasted sweet potato omg didn't she love that, there was no way could I stop her with that. Had a knaw on a baby wafer but much prefers grown up food. She wanted my sausage but that was met with a full no way - I member reading that they very salty and as she's only 6 months, not quite ready for that.

Dinner - puree and then milk.

I'm just so shocked she's eaten this much and seems to want more. I did cap her at the bbq and it was all after her milk except her dinner. I always do dinner then milk when she wants it then a top up before she goes sleep.

Which I must say she is in no way a fan of her milk now! She never really has been since 4 months but since the weaning side. It's like shes not interested in it even more.

Any advice? Follow babies lead? And give it to her or hold off as much as possible?

I'm in a similar position. My DD is 8 months old now and seems to have a bottomless appetite for both solid food and milk. Since starting solids she's gone from the 9th centile to the 50th (at least, haven't weighed her in a while). I asked the HV and she said as long as the food is healthy and the baby has control over how much she eats (i.e. I'm not just shovelling it in), I should let her at it. That said, I do try and give her reasonable portions and don't give her any more after she's finished, except maybe a small piece of fruit for pudding.

That's really good. 😂 She never been a milk fan, if I didn't give her any milk she wouldn't be too bothered, I still stick to the 3.5/4 hourly feeds around her naps etc.

Yeah I don't shovel it in. If she doesn't want her puree for some reason she doesn't have it. I don't force it. It's her call, and all bits I give her goes straight in mouth and when's she had enough she will slow right down and just play with the food 🤷🏼‍♀️which I allow her to do for a bit then tidy her up x

Sounds good 🙂 My DD likes eating with her fingers but happily takes a spoon too. When I do give her food on a spoon, I tend to let her guide it into her mouth by herself - I hold the end so she can't fling it everywhere but I hold the spoon a little bit away from her mouth and let her guide it in. That way she has a bit more control over her intake and I figure it's good for her coordination too!

That's great! Sounds like your little one is eager to get going. Keep offering a variety of different flavours and textures for her to try. As you said, it's sensible to be mindful of salt as there is enough salt in breastmilk/formula to meet baby's needs.

When you're asking about portion sizes etc, up the division of responsibility - summary is basically that parent chooses what foods are on the plate, when it is served and where it is served; child chooses everything else (how to eat, how much etc). In practice, for us that means loading up DD's plate with small portions of each element of our meal (spaghetti, fish, cherry tomatoes) and then refilling it as she wishes. There is no pressure for her to eat anything in particular in any order or at all. Sometimes she eats four helpings of one thing and none of another, sometimes she clears her plate and sometimes she eats very little. Babies and toddlers are great intuitive eaters and the best thing (I think) is for us to provide lots of variety and then leave the rest to them. It can be tempting as a parent to micromanage and interfere a lot with kids' eating, even if we think we are being helpful (cajoling, bribing). Carry on as you are - purées if you feel more comfortable with that, tastes from your own meal and gradually building up!

Sorry, that should say "look up the division of responsibility"

@3ormorecharacters that's a great idea with the spoon I have to try that thank you 🤗

@punchyants yes very eager. Yep I'm very conscious of that. My other half wanted me to buy skips, quavers and wotsits etc I was no no no no no and one more no 😂 she has the Ella things and wafer things etc. Ooooo so basically do as she wants!? Just offer it to her.

Hoping you know the answer in couple weeks can i give her say some chicken breast to knaw on? Or do I need to cut it up etc? Very hard not to micromanage 😂 really had to rein myself and my DP more then me. If she doesn't want her puree he tries and coax her. I'm like no, leave her!!

I only have purees as that was what I was going to do.... Well she clearly had other ideas whipping stuff of my plate etc. So I'm using purees up then she can have what we have. A

@punchyants that looks good the look up division of responsibility - all opened on phone to nosey in bed thank you

Go for it. As long as it's age appropriate then the wider the exposure the better. Keep it low salt and low sugar but give as much exposure to texture and taste as possible. High (good) fat and protein is perfect.

If you're keen on giving porridge you can microwave oats amd milk in a tuppaware container til firm then slice into strips

My best investment when weaning was a steamer. I would cut up a variety of veg into finger / chip sized pieces, steam them and let DS eat those. Any left over he would have the next day. I avoided processed / salty / sugary foods as long as possible but did not really limit veg, and meat.

DS was very much like your DD sounds.
Dropped milk very quickly, and was desperate for food.
We did lots of finger foods (and porridge can be eaten with fingers 🤦‍♀️), and he pretty much ate elements of our dinners from the off. His first propper word was "more" and was usually used in the high chair!
The only thing we limited was the sweet stuff - so "more" would result in something less desirable being offered.
He is now at secondary school, with a massive appetite, and skinny as a rake.

And yes, she can have a go at chicken. Cut it into long strips, and see what happens.
Chicken drumstick and thighs are really good too - you can sort of pull off chunks.

Babies are usually really good at self regulating. When they are full they will stop eating(turning head away etc)
As long as the stuff she has isn’t high in salt and sugar, go for it. Finger foods are great for coordination.
Have a mat underneath the highchair for the mess and plenty of bibs 🤣
I did a mix of purées and blw.

Great thank you for your comments advice and support 🤗 love idea about a steamer and porridge fingers.

I have a blw book to read more up on it too so I don't post evrytime 😂

Yep @peonytime think my lo going to be like your lo thank you makes me feel better that your lo was the same.

Im very hot on the salt and sugar, even if I'm sitting there having cake she don't have any 😂 my mum brought us farleys rusks and I was like there's so much sugar in them 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ she was giving a cup cake today which i was like.... Awww thanks not sure what to do with it may end up in my belly and not hers 😂

@danikm151 we have one of those bibs that covers her whole body. They are amazing but your right about the floor mat 😂 need to invest.