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.

Hmmmmmm.....I'm not so convinced about BLW having started my 6 mnth on it. Great idea and we started enthusiastically but I have since waived. My problem with it is that you just can't judge how hard/soft a piece of food to give to your baby in relation to how firm their bite is.

My daughter happily sucks on the firmer vege's/fruit but when I've given her a pear or banana I thought was ok, she bit a big chunk out of them, then proceeded to choke/gag (not the sort of small gag that rectifies itself in a matter of seconds, more like the gagging/choking where you have to intervene cos they are going bright red and struggling).

I'm not into pureeing everything within an inch of its life, but along with offering firmer foods I have started to lightly mash a few things that I now think might be too easily bitten off into choke size pieces. I put that on spoon and give the spoon to her, which she takes readily. I know in reality its unlikely a slippery piece of banana will lodge in her throat and fatally choke her, but I think I would find the whole feeding/eating process too stressful otherwise.

So I think I've decided to take both BLW and a PLW approach cos is not really about following any book to the letter is it?

Hello all,

I am new in weaning. HV came on Wednesday and told me to stat introducing food in three weeks. I asked her about BLW and she told me that she couldn't give me any information because she has not been trained on it.

At the momen I am not sure which way I am going to wean my DD so I would like to know how you start with BLW. She is EBF at the moment and I am planning o carry on BF till she gives it up. How do I introduce food to her if I decide to BLW at the end?

I am a bit confuse at the moment and I would thank any help on this subject. THank you in advance

Hi everyone

I'm new to BLW, have read the Rapley book though. Ds2 27 weeks old, began offering carrots and broccoli at 25 weeks but he gagged quite a bit so left it a week. Since he's tried advocado, porridge, banana, pear, cauliflower, bread, hummous, butternut squash and a few other veggies. I find he is still gagging a lot, to the extent that he's being quite sick on occasions. Is this normal? Will it pass quickly and should I just persevere? How long after bf should I leave it or does this not matter? Also wasn't sure if I should begin offering pieces of fish/meat yet and rice etc?

Mostly he hasn't actually eaten anything yet, just sucking/chewing/gagging and spitting out.

Sorry lots of q's !

DrCosy and JJ reassurance that 3 meals a day will eventually materialise is helpful! I actually sat down today and drew up a timetable that might help me at least give baby Bev regular 'meal opportunities' and might help us get out the door to toddlers, etc.on time. I know, I know, what a control freak (spot the teacher, eh?!) but having DH at home since Xmas Eve is a luxury that ends tomorrow...

Shakespeare, we had a bad experience today with a blooming water biscuit with avocado and philly on it of all things,babyBev started coughing and gagging and went red-eyed and DH was just about to haul her out of the highchair when she brought the bits back up. I am very aware of the no grapes, no raw apple rules etc, but I genuinely thought this would be ok but didn't realise water biscuits don't really go mushy just by sucking on them. Gave me a real fright so I can sympathise, felt terrible afterwards.

Personally, I have lapsed from pure BLW to some mushing up (but only with a fork)but I felt I needed to as BabyBev was teething and there were tears any time she tried 'solid' solids, but she was used to a certain amount of solid intake so we thought we make it a little bit easier. But noticed tonight that we were straying into passive spoonfeeding which I'm not keen to pursue as she was quite proactive before so have been trying to encourage Baby Bev to take the spoon and guide it in instead of her doing baby bird impersonations and not even entering into a tussle for Spoon Control!

She's still getting finger foods though and I'm happy to let het play with her food so I think she's still getting the benefits of BLW. And in the mornings, i think I am going to have to spoonfeed (or help quite a bit) else we are never going to get out of the door on time for things.

Hi there, I figured this would be the best place for advice. I' ve been getting some on a 'novice ' thread on here, and thoughnot read the whole thread,already loads of tips!Thanks.

DD1 is 22weeks so but early I know, however I put some food on the table in front of her and had her on my lap with meals yesterday. She explored the food;all to mouth for a gnaw (banan;toast;carrots;butternut squash;rice cake;clementines)

I had v real apprehension re weaning-these might return- but yesterday seemed like fun/play session.

If she's exploring it is it ok to continue do you think?

By what i think is complete coincidence though she hasn' t didn' t have a poo yesterday.

Reassurance/advice please?

PS Let' s just say poo issue has been sorted...will spare you details

Orange&banana went down well for breakfast though!

Hi there, I will apologise in advance. This is longer than I intended! I was hoping I might be able to get a little advice/reassurance on BLW. I am getting rather fed up and despodent with BLW my DS2 and thinking of reverting to buying a load of jars as don't know what else to do.

Here's the tale so far- DS2 is EBF and now just over 8 months. Big boy, 98th centile weight and 99.6 length, not that that really matters I guess. Rough start in life, was v asphyxiated at birth. Nearly lost him in fact but thankfully he is just fine now and developmentally normal. He feeds 2 hourly day and night, sometimes 1.5 hourly. He won't have a dummy or a bottle, and I'm nearing the end of my rope in terms of coping with the tiredness. I don't believe in Controlled Crying but sleep is another issue!! I have been generally coping OK by cosleeping and DH migrates into the spare room (he is v happy!)

At about 17 wks DS2 very interested in food and grabbed my spoon whilst I was eating a yoghurt, so I(stupidly) gave him some organic baby porridge stuff for 3 days (which he WOLFED and screamed when it was gone!)Felt uneasy about weaning him early so read up on it a bit more and decided I wasn't happy to take the risk, would wait till 26 wks. So we did. Bought the Gill Rapley book and thought it made complete sense and looked forward to doing BLW.

So DS2 has tried all manner of things, everything I can think of really. About 5% is ingested, poo is still breastfed with v occasional evidence of anything! (sorry if TMI) He is generally not very interested in food. We have had about 5 instances over the last 11 wks where he has really enjoyed something and enthusiastically gone for it. The rest of the time, 3 times a day, it all ends up on the floor or not touched. He looks at it in disgust sometimes! I find it quite soul destroying, not to mention a complete waste of money time and effort. He refuses a spoon, and twice now I have got so desperate I've tried to MAKE him eat off one (I know, awful, but I was desperate) but he generally screams.

EXCEPT when the spoon has CADBURY's chocolate pudding on it! The other day I was indulging and he crawled over and pulled himself up, like he could smell it, and was smacking his lips. Offered him some on a spoon and he wolfed it and wanted more, so gave him a fair bit. (I would never have done this with DS1 but how things chance 2nd time round!)I think he has just got a really sweet tooth and the little monkey doesn't want blinkin bread sticks, rice cakes or pasta, avacado or cheese.

The only positive is in the last few days he started chewing on an apple when his brother has started it off for him and yesterday bit some off and enjoyed that, and a nectarine the other day too. Maybe he's just taking a while to get it?? Am I just being unrealistic in my expectations? Should i just feed him chocolate pudding forever?

Any advice/tips gratefully received.

Anyone?

Sorry loobee can't help but you have my sympathies. My DS has been fine to date but is becoming more picky now at 8mo. Maybe just asserting his will?

Hi! Been a while since I posted on this thread but mainly because BLW has been going really well.

DS is 8mo at the end of the week and is enjoying 3 meals a day. He had a fantastic Christmas Day lunch of a cheese straw, 2 chunks of melon, 2 chunks of turkey, 3 parsnip chunks, 1 roast potato, 3 chunks of carrot, 1 sprout and 2 sausages! Followed by a large portion of trifle and a small bit of Christmas pudding!!!
Generally the only times he doesn't feed so well are when he is teething and his gums are sore.

loobee - you could well be right about him wanting sweet stuff. My DS loves fruit so you could try and ensure that you offer some sort of fruit every meal. Chunks of mango, melon or pear are a real hit here.

Thank you eagerbeagle and essenceofSES... I was feeling so fed up yesterday, 90% of my despondency due to prolonged sleep deprivation I'm sure. In typical style, just as I was losing faith he has started showing more interest today in food. I think you are definitely right eagerbeagle about DS2 asserting his will- he is a wilful thing just like his big brother- looks like i have my hands full

I have offered lots of fruit over the last couple of months but mostly they have been ignored- except a pineapple slice which he ate really enthusiastically weeks ago, so i bought a whole pineapple which he refused to touch any more!! There really is no rhyme or reason to it, that's what winds me up I think. I think teething has a big role to play tho essenceofSES as he has had 6 teeth in 8 weeks poor little thing. You DS's Christmas meal sounds fab! what a lovely memory of his first Christmas!

loobee my LO is 1 now and, if it helps, seemed to eat nothing but fruit and yoghurt for prolonged periods up until about 10/11 months. We also co-slept for much of the night for ages, and still do. If he's teething, he wakes up in the middle of the night; otherwise it's a quick BF at between 5 and 6am and then back to sleep.

It gets easier; they do start eating more regularly. I agree with Ses, fruit at every meal works for us. Although he now has days where all he eats is savoury!

Share what you're eating and only offer little bits, then you don't feel so bad when stuff ends up on the floor.

Current favourites here are baked beans, any other type of beans, yoghurt, apples, curry, dahl, anything cake or biscuit related (the grandmas' fault, not mine), porridge. A strange mix I know.

lol at the pineapple! I have had the exact same thing with BB. I stick with things that me and OH also like.

Thanks cara for your advice and reassurance- I think I just expected it to happen sooner than it has and am probably being more impatient than anything. Also your advice about only offering little bits is helpful- I have probably been giving him too much choice (eg rice cake, bread stick with philly, banana all at same time) maybe I'll just take it right back to basics again.

I made a crumble out of the pineapple in the end! Was rather yummy altho DS2 didn't seem to think so . Will persevere...

Hello all.
Apologies if this has already been covered.
DS is now 7 months and still being bf (as well as a sniff at food placed on his tray . Anyway, I was wondering if I ought to be giving him vitamin drops. Does anyone know? The HV said if he's having a varied diet, then he should be fine. However, he really isn't taking much apart from milk. Apparently, if I gave him formula, he wouldn't need vitamin drops at all. I thought bf was meant to be best?
Thanks in advance for any advice anyone is able to give me.

Hi Tabitha8 I too had this exact concern as my 8 mth old not really ingesting much (see earlier post!) but was reassured by the information in Gill Rapley's book. She points out that introduction of solids is a gradual process and that babies don't run out of anything overnight- it's not like at 6 months your breast milk suddenly becomes deficient in iron, it's waay more gradual than that and as the mantra goes.. food is for fun until they're one (I have had to tell myself that more than a few times this last week or two)

I mean, I don't know that vitamin drops would do any harm as such, but I would have thought that as you're offering a variety of nutritious foods your LO is unlikely to become deficient. IIRC Rapley says that vitamin drops are useful as a 'nutritional cushion' to help prevent problems in people who don't have the greatest of diets but are uneccessary for a lot of people.

That is how I understood it anyway, but maybe someone else will be able to explain it better than me? I have lent my BLW book to someone so can't flick to the page on it, sorry.

BTW my DS2 must have read my post on Tuesday, as tonight he really went for it and ate more than he ever has. I feel bad for losing faith in him the other day, but I have found the whole not eating hardly any solids thing quite anxiety inducing.

Tabitha - Here in France, babies are followed from birth by monthly visits to their paediatrician. Ours prescribed Vitamin D drops (every day) and Vitamin K drops (once a week) while both DC were exclusively breastfed, as apparently these are the two vitamins lacking in breastmilk.

I hope that helps.

loobee A bit late, but I would agree that teething is probably the chief culprit. DS (10mo next week) had several weeks when he really went off his solids, and I ended up offering him baby ready meals and yoghurt/fromage frais off a spoon (he would grab them and pop them in himself though, so I felt a tiny bit better about it). He's only just beginning to try some fruit again now, but is doing better on other things (breakfast cereals are a big hit for him - bitesize shredded wheat, just wetted with milk and with a little bit of yoghurt on each one).

I've been away a bit because I had been doing so much spoon-feeding I didn't think I qualified, but DS is doing better again on his solids, and can get a pre-loaded spoon from his tray to his mouth now.

I was wondering what other BFers are offering their BLW DCs by way of BFs now? Because of the teething hell, DS has seemed to want the very regular little feeds I've been offering during the day, but I'm wondering whether I should try dropping some of them gradually.

I offer:

On waking (between 6-7am, if he hasn't had a feed after 4am)
After breakfast (8ish)
After morning nap (11ish)
After lunch (1ish)
After afternoon nap (3ish)
I had been offering one just before tea (5ish), but most days I go straight to solids now
Bedtime feed (6.30ish)

Does anybody have any experience to share please?

Hello

Hello! I am 'day two' of BLW, and need some reassurance about the good old choking issue. Yesterday, DS was tucking into a rice cake with gusto, but did bite off quite a big bit, then proceeded to go watery-eyed, and gag quite a lot. The same thing happened with a piece of banana. My heart was in my mouth, fingers poised over 999, as I tried to remember my baby first aid course, and what to do if they choke.

I have the Gill Rapley bible, and keep rereading the bit about choking, but need further reassurance!

I'm the only one of my NCT group to be doing BLW, and feel a bit of a hippy freak. So it's nice to find kindred spirits on here!

Hello herbaceous! It sounds like you and DS are doing really well. My DS is a bit peculiar, and so far only seems to choke on liquids , including BF.

If you're worried at any point, you can always hook an especially big piece of food out their mouth. Like you, I tended to watch (trying not to show my anxiety) and only intervene if DS got distressed.

herbaceous - I was the only one in my NCT group doing BLW and they all looked at me as if I were mad. Now they've seen DS gradually eat more and how easy it becomes, another 3 have joined the BLW ranks
I normally find by the time I've got to DS to help him when he gags, he's resolved it himself. I still worry though!

Thanks ladies! He was funny with his banana yesterday. I held it for him, as it kept slipping out of his hand, but he loved it so much he kept leaning forward to get more of it into his mouth, and I kept moving it away so he didn't bite off too big a piece. He ended up with his head practically on his high chair tray. And still got a huge bit.

Thanks, loobee. Sounds sensible to me.
I haven't read the Rapley book yet, but it's on its way to me from Amazon. I hope it makes it through the snow.
It's amazingly (or not?) difficult to get DS to put any food into his mouth at all at the moment. Everything else ends up there. Babies!

Thanks as well, Cote. I'll ask HV again next time I manage to get down there to see her. It's all a bit confusing. Perhaps if DS isn't eating a huge amount by Easter she'll recommend some vit drops? We'll see.

Well what a turnaround!
I honestly can't quite believe only a few days ago how thoroughly despondent and fed up I was and how completely uninterested my DS was in food. Just like you, Tabitha I could just not get my head around why everything else apart from food went into his mouth, and why he looked at food often in disgust. I have spent so much time worrying about him over the past 8 months, after his horrendous start, wondering if he would meet his milestones etc. This then manifested into worries when he wouldn't eat and I have wasted far too much energy on thinking he'll never eat and was worried he'd be a fussy eater. I kept trying to keep the faith but it's amazing how strong an instinct it is to want to see your baby eat solids. Even though the "Rapley bible" reassured me that he was gettting everything from my breastmilk, and he is so clearly huge and thriving, I worried no end.

Now I have the pleasure of saying that today was the day when he got it! He has eaten so much food, and really enjoyed it today. Things that he threw on the floor three days ago without trying he wolfed down today with gusto! It is so easy to say "keep the faith, they will get there" when you're on the other side of the hurdle, but it is true .

I also wonder if things often happen for a reason unbeknown to us, as my DS seems rather allergic to lots of things and is having RAST blood tests next week for many things after a nasty food reaction (v scary). Perhaps all along he just needed to delay solids until his body was more ready? Who knows.

In answer to your question IsItMe my DS feeds pretty similarly to your DS, with v similar nap times, but he also always has (every bleedin night) fed 2 hourly too. ( think i've had 2 nights of going 3 hourly). I figured as he wasn't eating solids and was a big lad he needed it. I really REALLY hope the night feeds reduce now as I am fairly worn out TBH. He also feeds much more when teething, and has lots of short feeds, on and off when this is the case. My HV told me it really helps teething pain as suckling uses the jaw muscles. Made me feel better about it all.

That's interesting loobee thanks. It's possible that DS might be dropping his nightfeeds, so I think I'll just stay where I am with the daytime feeds for now - don't want to jinx anything!