Anyone just started, or about to start, BLW? Care to join me?

[Jojay]

DS2 is 27 weeks and from last week, is now joining us a mealtimes.

I tried spoonfeeding for a few days but he didn't seem keen, so I tried him with some roasted veg and he was well away. So BLW it is for us.

But I did purees for DS1 2 years ago, so BLW is new to me.

So far he's had roasted sweet potato, carrot, aubergine, courgette, sweet pepper, some lightly steamed apple and pear, banana, mango, and a chip.

When I say 'had' I mean I've offered it to him. Some probably went straight on the floor, but I've found some lumps in his nappy, so some is definitely going in.

The mango was the biggest hit - he loved it!

So tell me what you're doing and how it's going...........

Hello patcow. I find it strange too how few people I've met in "real life" who've done BLW - also apart from my sister!

I wish I knew people in real life who were doing BLW, would be really nice. However, I think we've convinced a few friends with younger babies that its the way to go, so hopefully we won't be the only ones for too long.

I don't know anyone in real life doing BLW weaning either. A couple of people have said "Ooh, you're brave!" Sometimes I feel like a bit of a weirdo, although mostly it just makes perfect sense to me.

Do you guys also get a bit annoyed with people saying "oo, don't you worry she'll choke?" like they expect me to say "Yeah, she probably will, I hadn't thought of that!" Grrr!

I can honestly say that DD has never once gagged - spluttered once or twice - but never gagged, which is more than I can say for friend's spoon=fed babies. Of course, it wouldn't matter if she did gag, it's perfectly normal, it just annoys me that people think spoon-feeding is safer.

Another bugbear, incidentally, is "oo, I had to wean early, he/she was so hungry". If they are so hungry, give them more milk!! If you are starving, how exactly is a 5 calorie spoonful of pureed carrot going to fill you up??

Sorry, I'm feeling a bit ranty tonight clearly

I'm currently making those pancakes again, Hulla, only with freshly-picked blackberries instead. Yum.

Rant away KiwiPanda, I agree totally.

BLW does make total sense. I've found if you speak to people who have never weaned a baby before, they get it right away. It just so entrenched in most people that babies need purees that its hard to undo those thoughts. Don't think anyone I know is surprised we're doing BLW though - we never seem to do things the mainstream way

I think I'm going to have to try these pancakes everyone's enjoying so much - we also have a glut of blackberries from the garden so I think I'll join you on that one.

ARGH! DD is still off BLW, it's been months now and she started so well Today I sat her down with cheese chunks, philly sandwiches, strawberries and cucumber and she mashed a bit and whinged. I ended up breaking it into small pieces and then hand feeding her...again... She just sits there, mouth open and waits for the food to plop in. When we started she was demolishing biscuits, apple chunks, breadsticks, now she wants me to feed her bits. She's nearly 9 mths and I know she can do it herself, she just won't! More BF is not an option because she doesn't want milk, she wants hand-fed solids...grr! Sorry, little rant - I'm just a bit frustrated at her lack of involvement

Hi. I have a 7 month old daughter who is currently being weaned. She's not overly bothered about being spoon fed stage 2 jar food or my own well mashed food. I have tried giving her little sticks of well cooked veg from time to time but the only time she's ever put it in her mouth she's made horrible choking noises and spat it out so I decided she wasn't ready. I think I'm just a nervous mummy. Any tips?

sorry you're getting frustrated Chulita. Sounds like you have a little girl who doesn't want to work for her food if she doesn't have to - probably very sensible. Bet she'll grow up into one of those people who can persuade other people to do most things for her to avoid doing it for herself. I have a friend like that - its amazing the things people run around doing for her

carolinemarbles Its quite common for babies to gag a bit when they're getting used to solid food and to spit it out, this is their body's way of protecting them against choking while they work out how to move food around their mouth and swallow it. Can be scary to watch and listen to but most babies aren't worried by it. DD now very rarely gags at all. Maybe it would help you if you did a first aid course so you're confident about what to do if she did choke - might help you relax a bit while she's learning.

hello there, I did pop onto this thread back 2 months ago when we were about to start weaning dd, now I'm back and have success stories and questions...!

Well, it seems to be going great. About a month ago she decided that food isn't just for playing with, it's for eating with great gusto. This means she often gets to the end of the food I give her and bangs the table which is her way of saying "more please" so I give her more - how much is too much? EG this morning she had 2 plums, about 10 grapes and a small pot of plain yogurt. That struck me as really quite a lot...! And if it's something like porridge where I help her with a spoon, I never really know when to stop. Any clues?

Also, Gill Rapley says you should look at the baby's nappy to see how things are getting on [yucky smells]. She's doing 3 or 4 solid nappies a day, of varying sizes, but a lot of what she eats seems to come through unscathed. Bits of carrot, quarters of grape, a bit of bamboo leaf from the garden (I was too slow to stop her!). Rapley says if something's not digested, the baby's probably not ready for it yet. Does this mean dd's basically shovelling stuff in but not really getting much from it?

She seems to be loving it most of the time anyway, I'm finding it pretty tiring thinking up new meals every day - used to live off toast/cereal for breakfast and whatever the work canteen offered for lunch, now have to come up with 4 meals a day (she and I have a little tea together early as dh often gets in after bedtime)

hello kiwipanda! You've met me too in real life...

Can I join? I have started half heartedly offering my 6 month old DD some purees which she sometimes eats sometimes turns her nose up at. I have 2 older children who were weaned using puree. How would I start with BLW? Just offer softly cooked veg/fruit?

Hello - can I join please (waves to McDreamy). I have a just 6 month old DS2 who I'm BLWing (though he gets v frustrated when he drops things and when I pick the food up to put infront of him grabs my hand to guide it to his mouth - still babyled I guess ) - have a DS1 who I puree fed who was - and still is - a pretty rubbish eater so am hoping with BLWing DS2 he will be a much beter eater.

I have a question though - when can you start offering meat to little ones? I've been giving DS2 fruit and veg and bits of pitta/toast so far but he's now gazing longingly at our chicken...

oooh was my next question Dinky

Evening all! Hello jumpjockey! Was it your little girl who was scoffing pasta with gusto the other day?? I can't remember who it was but it was ever so sweet. As far as the poo-thing goes, I don't reckon they can eat too much. I think the point with BLW is that they have control and you have to trust them that their instinct (or tummy) is telling them when they've had enough. I think lots of things come out relatively unscathed, as it were, and I don't think that's a problem. DD loves casseroles made with various beans - kidney, butter, whatever... - and the skins of them seem to come out whole!

Hello and welcome too mcdreamy and dinkystinky! As far as meat goes, we're vegetarian so I'm not much help there but I think Gill Rapley says it's fine straightaway really. There's an interesting bit in her book (I think) about how babies used to be weaned by giving them bones. Babies, dogs... much the same. Anyway the point was they learned to chew and gnaw on them and probably got goodness out too. And as for what foods to start with, anything goes! I started DD on fruit and veg but on day 3 she grabbed Mexican food so just go with whatever you have got to hand and are comfortable with.

Chulita your DD is totally in control. She might not be grabbing herself but she knows what she wants and she's getting you to deliver it - surely that's BLW!?

Hi all.
I've dropped off the thread because have gone back to mainly purees.
I am trying to give him some finger food alongside each meal though too.
Just wanted to ask, is tinned fruit ok? The ones in juice? I've just bought some pears in juice and he's loving them, is it ok to give these?

KiwiPanda, yes that was her with the pasta. She's a total carboholic, will eat pasta tyil it comes out of her ears. In fact she's eaten loads today - plum, melon and yogurt with a bit of weetabix for breakfast, loads of bread, green beans, carrot and duck confit (! what can I say, we were eating out in Cafe Rouge!) at lunch, and now noshing down on salad and cheese. The only thing she's ever refused is chick peas - sucked the sauce off and spat them daintily out

lbb, I'd guess as long as it's fruit in juice rather than syrup it should be ok, are they softer than the fresh kind?

Bless her, a girl after my own heart! Actually DD is a bit of a carb-fiend too, loves her bread and weetabix. Health-fascist DH looks on and tuts disapprovingly while eating a smugly healthy salad...

LLB I personally wouldn't give tinned fruit too often just because it's very sugary (even the kind in juice rather than syrup) - fresh fruit would have more vitamins I'd imagine too. But once in a while I'm sure it'd be fine. Then again, as I said, DH is a health-fascist so poor DD will probably be saying "Please Daddy, I've finished my sprouts, PLEASE can I have some of my special treat no-sugar chocolate as it's my birthday?" by the time she's 5.

(Though having said that my niece, who is 20 months, loves broccoli and refuses cake and chips. The little weirdo. Cute, but weird.)

Thanks ladies.
It was in juice. It's just easier isn't it? only for when we're out mostly. Plus I always forget I've got a pan of pears or apples on and they burn.

Littleboyblue does he not like fresh fruit? I know apples aren't great but fresh ripe pear or soft fruit would be even easier?

He likes bananas and mango

Can I ask how long it took your little ones to start being happy to sit in their high chair for longer to eat? DS2 loves being in his high chair initially and attacks his food but after about 15 minutes he starts complaining and will cry if I dont take him out - which makes meal times with DS1 quite hard as DS1 is quite a leisurely eater (when he eats that is) and DS2's noise puts him off his food...

Hi dinky I have those toys that you sucker-stick onto the highchair tray to keep ds2 entertained while in there

dinkystinky DD was like that too, just gradually improved over time. I think after a month or so? Mind you she's miserable with teething at the mo so 15 mins would be great!

Good morning.
Today I am going to let ds2 feed himself at all meals. It is alot more peaceful if he does it, he still doesn't like me spoon feeding him really.
So for lunch we are going for pitta bread with peanut butter. What can I give on the side? Am thinking cucumber or celery? Anything actually go with peanut butter?
For dinner, me, dp and ds1 are having spag bol, so might give him a bit of that. Meat is fine to give after 6 months isn't it?
What about salt content of sauces etc? Do all of you literally give whatever you're having?

I also need some more lunch and breakfast ideas. Atm he has buttered toast for breakfast and will then let me give him a little bit of cereal, but I think it'd be better to have something other than bread for lunch if he having it for breakfast.....

I am going to try and read this thread from the start, see if anyone's put some nice meal ideas on?

Read through a page or 2 of the start of this thread.
Bluberries? What whole? Just infront of them?
And can I give proper sausages? With skin on? I oven cook sausages in a bake so are pretty soft anyway, but am concerned of salt content in 'proper' food the rest of the family eat......is it a better idea to have ds on his own menu atm?

Not a palace. Remember I didn't say anything about tidying while I sweep and mop, I just push toys around with the broom tidying is seperate from cleanig in this flat!

here is flylady website in case it helps anyone,

and here is todays thread. Not much on there yet, but they'll put todays mission up in a while I should imagine.

Right, that's enough from me, ds2 is awake, ds1 smells of poo and tescos is calling!
Have a good day, see you later