BLW support - welcome weaners old and new and mind the lentils on the floor

[JumeirahJane]

Fellow weaners,

Hope you find this, our second thread. Haven't we been chatty! The title was borrowed from the kind words with which I was welcomed onto the thread by KiwiPanda. Hope you like...

On the topic of highchairs, I also have the ubiquitous Antilop from I**A, against my better judgement, damn them. It is awfully practical, even I will admit. Just shove a folded towel under her bum before feeds, saves on cushion washing

Felt brave today and administered both avocado AND blueberry muffins in the same meal. It was worth the mess to see her grinning little face at the end.

Hi eagerbeagle it does make things that much harder when you feel isolated, doesn't it? IsItMeBaby also gets that panicked look still sometimes (he's 8mo), and I think it is just because they don't know what to do with what they've got in their mouth. I try to keep calm and talk to him reassuringly. If necessary, I try to hook whatever is causing the problem out with my little finger. But he is now doing so well with so many things, that I would really encourage you to keep trying.

Long sticks of cucumber were an early winner here - surprising what they can do with no teeth, but tends to be small bits that come off. Also well cooked carrot sticks, the mini babybel cheeses and rice cakes (dunked in yoghurt is popular).

And as for your expat friends, as you say, they will have to introduce finger foods later, and it is still just as scary if my friends' experiences are anything to go on.

Babyjuan had her first roast dinner last night. Roast parsnip was the out and out winner with lots of gummy smiles and 'oohs'. She had a bit of a suck on the chicken but it was a bit hard for her to get hold of (and I'm not brave enough to give her a whole drumstick yet!)

She's loving yoghurt from a loaded spoon - she grabs the spoon & it goes straight into her mouth, followed by lots of slurping

Apart from that she has had a bit of a slow couple of days and a lot has been disappearing over the side of the highchair before she's even tasted it (much to the delight of the dog!)

Also - I have a question...

With regard to 'normal' meals - shepherds pie etc... I know I can just dump them on the tray and let her get on with it but if I were to give her them on a loaded spoon as well, would I need to puree or mush them?

Yay for Babyjuan! Sounds like she is enjoying herself (and the dog).

As you'll have gathered, we're big on the pre-loaded spoon here at the mo. I have always just let him have a play with "normal" shepherd's pie/bolognese etc, and then offered him it on a spoon as is (i.e. not pureed) at the end if he's running out of steam. I just let him take the spoon once it's in the general area of his mouth so that he can put it in and out of his mouth as often as he wants. I find it's best to have two spoons on the go, so that you can offer him another full one when he's emptied the first.

Day 6 and still eaten nothing - we had a few days off as weren't in at mealtimes and don't want to try out of the house yet 'cos of the throwing up. Tried brocolli today - she enjoyed playing with it and chewed briefly on a bit of stalk but nothing went anywhere near going in.
Will have to give in and try purees alongside if nothing goes in over the next few days.

Just popping in to say hi. I've been away for a week so not been reading or posting. I'll catch up and post this week. Hope its all going well (and greensnail is feeling better?)

Hi all, just poking my head around the door. Have been enjoying reading about the adventures of all the new BLWers.
I'm generally feeling better, thanks for asking hulla but am very itchy! Had OC when pg with DD, but certainly nothing this early on so am a bit worried. Seeing midwife tomorrow anyway so will see what she says.

We're just back from a few days away and DD has enjoyed lots of meals out which has been great. I'm particularly pleased that she seems to love Pizza Express as much as I do!

Well, DS2 has totally refused the spoon today so looks like we're doing self-feeding all the way. Luckily he is toast-obsessed and will eat it dipped in practically anything so that's a use for all the purees stacked up in my freezer...

Lo!

Hulla, or anyone who makes those pancakes - at roughly what age can they hold them. DD gets 10/10 for effort, although a little less for attainment at the moment.

Just an idea for Bumbo users, they now do tables to fit on. Works a treat for DD.

Can someone remind me when they can have soft boiled egg? Dipping and loaded spoons are very popular here.

snail I took DD to pizza express last week- big success. She had dough balls, pizza (I know, dough overload), salad, strawberries & frozen yoghurt. That was the real winner. I thought she'd hate the chill but she loved it.

I've not been on here much either - RL getting in the way. If you want to catch up away from BLW board my email is lulu _ lulabelle @ hotmail . com (just take spaces out).

Sorry to hijack the BLW thread!

Hi all
Being an insomniac tonight for some reason!

Soft egg - the official line is one year old and I've followed that with BB. I am looking forward to dippy eggs and honey after xmas when he turns 1.

eagerbeagle I was very worried about choking, but found that after a few weeks I relaxed, and BB got the hang of it so quickly. The Red Cross website has some excellent resources on giving first aid to a choking baby. I even printed out their PDF and stuck it on the kitchen wall just in case.

leftangle that sounds normal. We gave soup a few times in the early days to see how BB would take food from a spoon...with mixed success. Sometimes he would eat it and sometimes he wouldn't. I don't think it matters how you feed as long as you aren't forcing them to eat. Although I have to say I am not a fan of jar baby food as it tastes pretty bad.

We are on about week 4 of BLW and DD2 who is about 6 1/2 months is loving it. I made the mistake of trying to put a particularly slippery bit of nectarine near her mouth yesterday and she gave me a look to say, FGS mummy, put it down, I do that myself.
She generally has a piece of white (gluten free as I have loads of allergies) toast spread with some fruit puree or mashed banana and some fruit for brekkie. Did try some wakey wakey cakey but then got worried about the wheat, but they were a hit.
When we're out and about in the morning I often give her a bit of freeze dried apple or pear or less messy vegetables, like some cold green beans or asparagus. I'm lazy and don't want to have to take too many changes of clothes with us or have to clean the pram so I leave the really messy stuff for home.
For supper she generally has a couple of different types of veggies - brocolli, butternut squash and sweet potato have been big hits, but she's also had and liked courgette, baby corn, carrots, all mostly steamed except when I did a roast the other week and she devoured roast potatoes and parsnips, and a bit of chicken. And I usually give her some fruit too - banana, avocado, nectarine, steamed pear.
In the past week she's really started chewing and swallowing much more. Her grip has got loads better even with slimy food.
Can't wait for that pincer grip to develop so she can have peas and berries.
Does anyone know when I can start giving her fish?

Hello ejbab, it sounds as if your DD is doing really well (and loving the FGS mummy look ).

I thought you could give fish from 6 months? I've been doing so - sardines are quite a hit, but not with Daddy, so have to do them when he's not around.

Newsflash is that IsItMeBaby seems to be getting there on his pincer grip - managed four peas at teatime last night (I know a bit odd with cheese on toast, but DS doesn't know any better and I wanted to see if he could manage them as I thought I'd detected some proto-pincering going on at lunchtime). IsItMeDaddy is very proud!

Evening all! Just popped back to suggest some vegetarian things for MegBusset - bit of a bugger about lentils and chickpeas though as DD loves them! Is it all pulses/ beans? If not butter beans go down well, and DD adores edamame/ fresh soy beans too. As for meal suggestions, we often make potato cakes with spinach - big round ones for us, little round ones for BabyPanda.

Another thing that always goes down well is pasta with a simple sauce and some cheese, kind of boring but babies seem to quite like boring

Hulla and Greensnail (big wave) DD loves pizza too! Hope you are feeling ok, Snail.

Hey Kiwi loving the sound of the potato cakes with spinach. DD loves spinach. Do I just mix spinach with mash, shape it and fry it? I'll make those for her this week.

Hello!

BabyBev is 5.5 months and I think we have started weaning....well, at least practising the 'moving and handling' so to speak! She sits up well with good head/core control and has been very interested in food for weeks now so we started putting her in her high chair at mealtimes (and we have started eating at the table again )and have given her large chunks of fruit and veg to play with - some has actually gone through! (2 tiny bits of broccoli!was v surprised!).

I like the self-regulatory nature of BLW - if they can't eat it by themselves, they're not meant to be eating it (and vice versa). Still holding back on wheat and dairy till the end of the month though.

BabyBev displayed a steep learning curve with roast parsnip tonight - first bit fell on the floor (yep, need to put something down so food can be rescued, felt bad for her she was starting to make headway on the first bit and then she had to start again on another!)but she was much quicker in getting 'in about' the second one!

Need someone to hold my hand about the gagging thing though - quite alarming to watch but I suppose you have to cross this bridge at some point, better to do it now than later. DH has become very hardcore BLW -sat there as I flapped saying "She'll be fine". Suspect I will be 'coincidentally' having squishy stuff for my lunch to share with BabyBev while leaving the more 'solid' solids to teatime when DH is home.wuss!

Hi all
Welcome Beveridge. Sounds like some great BLW progress is being made.
DS made me very proud with a confident blueberry pincer grip tonight, only 1 or 2 went on the floor and have discovered the dogs like blueberries too!
Was a good boost as met up with antenatal group today whose babies are all crawling or cruising whereas DS just sits and stares at them but none of them can self feed!

ceb I have the same thing with my 11mo - still doesn't walk or crawl (sees no point I think) but can feed himself individual grains of rice! He discovered baked beans tonight, picking them individually off his tray and ignoring the ones I'd 'helpfully' mashed into his jacket potato.

Gives you a warm glow

Hi all!

Not been on for a few days as RL took over a bit but all fine here.

DS is still only having one main "meal" with the occasional snack on my food at other times. I went to Starbucks with some post antal group friends and he loved chewing on a strip of my fruit toast. Ate about half of what I gave him.
I've also introduced rice cakes and humous which he loves and has even started nreaking a bit of rice cake off with one hand and putting it in his mouth!
Last night he also had some soft green bean.

Welcome Beveridge! Sounds like BabyBev is doing v well. My DS is 28wks tomorrow so not that much older.

ejbab - sounds like you're doing v well! We're not achieving 3 meals a day yet. Need to work on that one... I'm sure you can give fish from 6 months.

All these babies achieving the pincer grip are v clever!

Blueberries going down well with IsItMeBaby at the mo - despite having a cold - don't know whether he actually likes them or just enjoys practising picking them up and popping them in his mouth.

Can any of you with slightly older babies (DS is 81/2 mo) advise on when I can anticipate him being able to "dunk" things? He's showing no signs at all, although is just about beginning to be able to pick up his spoon and get it into his mouth by himself (generally minus pre-loaded contents by that point ). I'm not sure how to test it without it getting too messy...

Any pointers?

Hello, can I join in please? Apologies in advance for the poo talk. I am in week three of weaning my DS (6 months, one week) and I'm worried about his poo. Possibly TMI: for the last week he's pooed at least three if not four or five times a day, whereas before he would do one every other day. The GP wasn't bothered but surely if it's to do with taking in solids (which he is, as I've found evidence in the nappy), they would be more solid and less green than they are. However, two teeth have appeared during this time so I'm wondering if this is why? Plus I've worried myself by reading somewhere that if his poo is green it means he's not getting enough hind milk (I think I'm not producing enough and he finishes very quickly so he's probably not getting much. ) Has anyone else had this problem? TIA for any enlightenment

In terms of eating, he loves grabbing and sucking anything I put in front of him and also enjoys putting loaded spoons in his mouth. He makes 'mmmm' noises, which is very cute. My only challenge there is progressing on to proper meals - so far it's been finger foods and the odd mushy puree/yoghurt on spoons.

Oh, and DH made that lentil recipe - it's lovely, thank you whoever posted it (sorry, I've forgotten).

Hi Yodaisa, my DD is also producing green poo. I too have been worrying about the hind milk issue so have been making sure she really finishes a boob before switching but the poo is still green. And she's going 2-3 times a day, which is more than normal. She's not produced any teeth yet though. Some days it seems like she's teething but then it goes away. If you do find out what's causing this do come back and update please cause it is puzzling me.

DD really enjoyed broccoli and potato and celeriac mash. She's getting better with bananas and I've had to buy those organix apple & cinnamon rice cakes as she decided the plain ones weren't bothering with. Even after only one week in I'm starting to notice much more enthusiasm for the concept of eating. She can't spend more than 15 minutes in high chair without getting frustrated but the time seems to be gradually increasing. So far this has been pretty messy but also really fun. Long may it continue.

Ha that will teach me to post on web talking of progress. Just had worst time yet. Barely 5 minutes in highchair before she kicked up a fuss. Tomorrow is another day.

YodaisaCat not sure about the green poo, but DS definitely increased the number of dirty nappies (from one a day ) after starting on solids. I think the record was 7 in one day, but now at 81/2 mo it is generally around the 3 or 4 mark, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less.

Can't remember noticing the green poo... are you having him weighed about once a month? I'm sure if he's following his curve more or less you don't have anything to worry about - and I gather it's pretty common for them to fall back a bit when you wean (purees or BLW!).

The green poo only indicates a hind milk issue if it is green, frothy and very sudden. This is apparently pretty uncommon. I think this happened for a couple days with my LO when his nose was stuffy and was having trouble nursing. However, he frequently had green poo from about 3 months to 6 months. I asked my doctor and he said something about the body being efficient and reusing some pigment from the liver or something. Anyway, he was not in the least concerned.

As for the frequency, I know that adjusting to solids is definitely a shock to the system, which can end up showing up in a number of ways.

If however, you do see black or red in the stool definitely see your doctor right away.