someone help me prepare!!

[Mummy2Freya]

dd is 17 weeks so not starting weaning just yet but I like to be fully knowledgable on everything before`I start

dd has been FF since 11 weeks and is thriving but wanting more and more!

had never heard of BLW before visiting MN but am very interested in it now.

I'm driving DF mad with reading different info, but I'm exciting about this next step

anyone got any definitives do's and don't's?
or any tips in general?

I am a BLW fan. My DS completely refused the spoon, despite clearly being hungry, but the second I gave him a bit of broccoli he was off! It has been a complete delight to watch him feed himself and enjoy food so much. He eats tonnes of vegetables and is starting to really love meat etc etc. I do sometimes use purees when he's really tired or teething or we're out and about and it's all a bit much! BUT you will need to be ready for a few things...

1. Smiling when she is gagging (not choking) which is a natural reflex while they learn to swallow

2. It seeming like they're not eating! which leads onto...

3. The mess!!! It goes on the floor, up their sleeves, everywhere. If you want to clean wean, take the puree route.

4. Loooooooooong mealtimes. It can take ages at first. And for a while it feels like you're always feeding- milk and solids alternated can fill a day, don't you know!

But having said all that, it's an amazing thing to teach your child to eat, however you choose to do it. Good luck.

HTH! Have fun!

thanks yetihed

Get a highchair in which she can sit up really straight and is easy to clean - ones with bells, whistles, recliners, cushions etc are much harder to get the weetabix off than simple ones.
If you have the budget the Stokke Tripp Trapp is very nice indeed - if you don't the Ikea Antilop is well-designed, sturdy, can be hosed down after dinner and is about £12.

Protect the floor and the table so you are not running around getting stressed about mess while she's eating.

Don't worry if she doesn't seem interested in food for ages and ages - just keep offering in a low-key way.

Don't feel you have to buy books to tell you how to do it - get them from the lib if you must, or come on MN.
And don't spend lots of time cooking special little things just for her or pushing things through sieves or you will get frustrated when she spits it out / chuck it on the floor / wipes it in her hair. Leftovers from your & dh's meals are sooo the way to go.

yes what mrs badger said.

if you just give things you were making anyway you don't get as bothered if they don't eat much.

remember blw isn't about weaning to feed hunger it's weaning to feed curiosity if that makes sense. the milk is to fill them up. slowly but surely they will eat more and drink less milk.

I like to think of BLW as LEARNING - learning about food, learning how to eat, rather than just passively eating. It's slow because of this, it takes time to master a new skill. You've been given some great advice here, but definitely do it - it's such fun and it will amaze you what your LO can do left to their own devices!

BLW definately seems the way to go, can it be combined with spoonfeeding; for yoghurt etc??

Thanks for all the advice (have namechanged BTW)

I don't think I'll rule through yoghurt later but I can't imagine DS needs it, IYSWIM, he can just have fruit and cheese in a bit. You could always load up a spoon with yoghurt, and see whether it ends up in the mouth?