DDs grand and great grandparents are v v shocked at BLW and think she is either a prodigy or I am mad... please reassure me!

[fustilarian]

I'm more or less switching over to BLW after a few weeks home made purees and am a bit unsure, have looked at the website but would appreciate some reassurance, as the elders of the family are in a state of high excitement/uproar that DD is not having much puree..

DD is 7 months and has been having the odd bit of apple/carrot since 5 1/2 months, but still BF a lot.....

She has been up and down with the puree but generally likes to take the spoon herself and make a big mess which is fine with me... I've been serving it as a kind of soup with a bit of rice cake to dip in too..

So question 1- is rice cake ok? She has 2 teeth and chews/swallows (a tiny bit) and spits/drops a lot but hugely enjoys... not much gagging at all after a week or so of 'disgusted faces' and little coughs.

Question 2- should I carry on with her doing her own spooning and give more soupy type things?

I've also (mainly because I'm lazy) got into the habit of giving her a little bit of whatever she can have that is around at the same time as the adults are eating, she has had avocado, broccoli, peach and other similar things..

Question 3- is this right? She is eating a very small amount but having a great time. She's not going to be lacking in vitamins is she?

General reassurance greatly desired/plus any tips, thank you in advance..

sounds like you are doing a great job!!

1. Rice cake is fine. She may have only two teeth showing but the others are all under the gums and still help her chew.

1. my dd did her own spooning for 6 months and was really competent by 8 months. Soupy things are OK but I would try slightly thicker foods such as mashed pots, risotto, shepherds pie etc.

1. yes, yes, just give her lots of experimental foods so she can taste different flavours, textures etc she is still getting all her nutrients from BF anyway.

Hope youre reassured! Carry on the good work!

It depends on the child. My ds couldn't stand pureed food, or being spoon-fed .. (this from five months, when I weaned him). So BLW was the only way forward. In fact, I didn't even know it had a name!

It sounds like you're doing all the right things.

yes desi, i didnt know it had a name either, for me it was the easy (lazy) option... here you go kidda, feed yourself!

That's my girl, dragon

dragonseye- thank you- feeling reassured! Mash sounds like a good idea, which I am sure she will love..

Mrs P- also thanks- did it matter that your dd took a while to get on to 3 meals a day? Is it the case that they basically only need milk for the first year and food is for fun do you think?

Desi thank you too, I hate rice cakes except the marmite ones but DD seems to adore chewing on them- more to do with the texture than the taste I'm sure though........

So is the consensus that it is fine if she is not actually swallowing very much at all and that the floor looks like a piece of conceptual art after each meal?

Sounds like you are doing great

Did you check out the forums section of aitch's site? There are loads of recipe idea there. At 7 months she can have pretty much anything. here are some ideas"

-Risotto
-Pasta (spirals seem to work best) with pesto, youghurt, cheese or tomato sauce
-Mash (which you could add all kinds of things to, pesto, frozen spinach)
-Sandwiches (fillings like soft cheese, houmous with grated carrot)
-Oh I made spinach and cheese pancakes which DD loved last week (check out my thread here)
-Breadsticks
-Roasted veg
-Cereal (dd has shredded wheat bitesize, but they are a bit bland so I add cinnamon)

Any good luck, BLW rocks! Though it is normal to wobble and feel like you are lacking in inspiration every now and again

My DS now 12months was BLW and is amazing with it he will eat anything I put in front of him defo check out aitch's website great for tips. Ignore the family my lot still think its a miracle that he can eat regular food. At a family meal a few weeks ago they were waxing lyrical about his ability to eat steak with only 2 teeth.

Well done keep going so much easier than purees, oh and I generally when making dinner for myself and DP set a plate aside for DS and he has it for lunch the next day. Obviously just keep an eye on salt content I dont add when cooking so my DS can eat it.

LOL Lapin. Can I just ask, at what point are you no longer BLWing? You're LO is a bit older isn't she?

they do get a bit worrie, I've found - my Mu and MIL were slightly anious that I wa sso laid ack about DS3 and his BLW although mum says she can remember her younger sister being weaned by sitting on her mum's lap and feeidng her bits from her plate - they didn't have blenders 70 years ago!

Both Mum and MIL are both very impressed with how well DS3 eats now - he's 15 months and eats pretty much anything and uses a spoon very well too. I thought BLW was the lazt option too which suits me down to the ground but actually I think it just makes sense. I am very proud of the fact that I haven't bought any jars or other "baby food" this time and that I've not had to think about what to take for DS3 if we are going out for lunch or whatever as he has just had bits of mine

sorry about all those typos - I am obviously turning into Cod Hope it makes sense

sorry LL I thought you had a DD. I just wonder at what point they are "weaned"?

LOL, I think DD is nearly at that stage too? Does trying to drink from the bottles in the recycling bottles count?

My dd is 12 months and eats anything and everything with the two small exceptions of raw tomatoes and raw chillis. We started at 7 months and just gave her food from our plate (never use salt/stock cubes anyway). Milk remained the main part of her diet and only recently has she started to drop feeds (stopped night feeds on her own at about 10 months). She is very good with a spoon now too and can eat a yoghurt for example with no problems.

Everybody (especially great g'parents) is amazed at the amount she eats and how competent she has been from the beginning with chewing and swallowing. Seeing her strip a corn on the cob is still one of my favourite moments of any day. She will even eat lemons if you offer.

Show of hands- your LO sounds like a better eater than most adults! Does she like chopped liver, eels and herring? If so, hands down to her as these are my most hated foods...

Thanks for all the great tips everyone feeling a lot better.

I always use stock and soy sauce when cooking- so if I cut these out and avoid wheat and dairy (I'm going to try and keep her off these because of allergies) then she can have a taste from a fully cooked meal from my plate then? Is 7 months old enough for that do you think?

yes, my dd was eating the same meals as us from 6/7 months, spag bol, shepherds pie etc. I still used stock cubes/ soy sauce just left out additional salt.

Is there a family history of allergies then fustilarian? otherwise i think wheat and dairy is fine from 7 months..

Does she have allergies or is it a history of allergies in your family?

At 7 months dd had whatever we were having with no problems. We didn't have eels or herring though as they're not food, they're exhibit 7 at the Sealife Centre.

Show of hands- agree about the fish!

My dh has very mild asthma- his family is Allergy central and I get a bit of hayfever so being cautious though DD so far has had no skin/cough/cold probs at all so I'm touching wood, crossing fingers... etc.. but keen to keep off the dairy and so on to be on the safe side, although I've eaten far too much cheese on toast whilst b feeding and doesn't seem to have done any harm....