I don't know a single person in RL who does BLW

[naturelover]

DH and I were both instinctively drawn to it when we read about it for the first time in NCT magazine a while back. DD is only 4 months so not due to be weaned for a little while. Much as I love cooking, I'm glad we're going to avoid the puree and ice-cube-tray phase.

In RL, do people consider you barmy if you do BLW? I tried explaining it to a friend and she clearly just didn't get it at all. She kept saying things like: how do you make sure they eat enough? and: of course they can hold the spoon themselves ...

I daren't even mention it to my HV.

Hi Emiliosmum - BLW can be quite panicky at times...they get something into their mouths and you worry if they are going to be able to chew it, swallow it etc.....I have always just let my dd try everything and if I think she is getting into any difficulty then I will help her out, ie by fishing it out etc...but I have to say that they can manage more than you think......if you can, try and go with the flow and see how he gets on.

Thanks karen999 - i will try and chill out a bit!

I try to encourage everyone I know in rl to do BLW. I don't think anyone's actually given it a go yet but he-ho if they want to waste their lives pureeing and filling Annabel Karmel's purse then let them.

I found out about BLW here and am very excited about starting it with DS in a couple of months' time - even managed to persuade a dubious DH by telling him we could go to purees if DS didn't like BLW [evil laugh - no way that's happening ]. Aitch's marvellous website is a real help too. It's just a shame that my mum bought us a mouli and other people have given us Annabel Karmel stuff, as I feel guilty I won't be using it. Oh well.

I am however going along to the HV weaning session next week as I'm interested to see what their line is on weaning in general, and if they mention BLW. If they don't bring it up then neither will I, and I will merrily go on my own road anyway.

I think my nct chums think I'm a bit weird. I sent them links to here and Aitch's site, and Gill Rapley's article, and even to the definition on babycentre.co.uk. Deafening silence so far, and I have heard mutters of "baby rice" from a couple of them already... LOL

First baby I guess?

No one gives a shiny shite what you do with the next one, IME.

Yes people do think you are weird. And they say stuff like 'ooh she lets her poor baby choke on all that big food'. Then after a few months when your babs is munching heartily on whatever adult food you give him and their's is still having to be spoon-fed mush is when the payback comes

I think my friends think I'm a bit weird for doing BLW. We met at antenatal classes; my DS is the oldest baby but the only one not weaning yet. I have explained BLW to them but I don't think they 'get it'...they are being nice about it though, so I don't mind

Have offered a bit of steamed carrot and some avocado to my DS (23 weeks) to see what he'd do - he flung it on the floor

My mum came round today to find 29 wo dd chomping on a piece of medium rare steak. Ooooh get you bees. The trick is to just do it and then watch as all the naysayers around you become evangelists. Weaning a baby, even the BLW way, is hard work. Preparing the food, sitting with them while they eat the food, clearing up after the food. Who needs the faff of pureeing the stuff too?

my Mum's been won round as well - she was very disparaging about it all when I started but 11m old DS3 has convinced her!

It may depend on the "baby circles" you move in and also on whether it is your first baby.

I met another BLWe at a party one day and she asked me what was giving DS3. I just took a quick look at the buffet and said "Well I'd give him anything from there.." - she was a bit horrified as she had been only doing specially prepared sticks of veg but, to my mind, BLW means that you dont have to faff with all that and they can just eat what I eat. I don't have time to do stuff just for him anyway!

I think the payback for us came when we had a meal with our inlaws. Our baby sat in her highchair shovelling in various food, from the main table, whilst DH and I ate our meal WITH the family.

The other baby (same age)at the meal was reluctantly spoon fed, crying and spitting mush out. The mother spent the entire meal trying to feed her child and the father had a glove puppet out trying to distract the child. They had to eat after everyone else finished

Plus I loved being able to feed my DD at any normal cafe/pub. Just like breastfeeding and ECing, BLW saves so much hassel once you are use to it. Take out you, baby, shove a pair of pants and a bib in your pocket and leave the house !!!

you, your

so i am a bit late at getting all this as ds is now 11 months- eats what we eat pretty much (bar spicy stuff) just that we use spoons (me) and hands (him). He started with purees but didn't stay on them for long as he was weaned at 6 months and was ready for all sorts of stuff.... Anyway I am digressing.... Question: do BLW babies eat crunchy thing and non soft meat? If so how? Maybe it's because ds has no teeth but unless he can shove it in and suck it to death or it's soft enough for his gums to chew down then it's a non starter....do tell