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 all, welcome to all the newcomers

aoifesmama that sounds a bit scary for you! Is it definitely proper choking and not just gagging? Is she sat properly upright when she's eating?

Guimuahahahahahaaaaa... I agree with you and if you and if DS is indicating he wants to be spoon fed then following what he wants to do is being babyled. Purists might disagree that it isn't BLW, but what does that matter anyway - its just weaning your child in the way that works for you and them. My DD takes yoghurt off a loaded spoon, but somedays she wants me to feed her with the spoon if she wants her yoghurt quicker than she can do herself

heron are you sure he's not eating anything? Sometimes it used to seem like not much was going in here, but the nappies told a different story! Some babies do seem to take a bit longer to get the hang of food though. I wouldn't be cutting down any milk yet as that should still be his main source of nutrition - remember "food is for fun until they're one!"

IsItMeOr glad Ds is doing so well. I would leave the salt out of the muffin recipe, and maybe reduce the sugar if its a lot. I would try it with less sugar and see how it tastes.

Hey, Gui. I reckon if that's what he wants, go with it. Not the purist approach (I can just see Ms Rapley shaking her head sadly), but given your weight gain issues, it's an encouraging start. Silly question, but do you eat with him i.e. does he share family meals? At first, DD looked to me for her cues, and then slowly started to imitate (unless it was an established favourite, in which case just try stopping her!). I think it's a trust thing.

Toppoptart - lol at your dogs eating the scraps. Funny how all the babies are different when it comes to spoons isn't it? Try spreading fr.frais ont something edible as a dipper, rather than a spoon? DD gets all her messy stuff presented on a rice cake. (see updated pics )

Cara, we're also letting the price of fruits decide which ones to try, I know we're supposed to relax about wastage, but to see £2-worth of perfectly good berries disappear into mush under her knees is a bit much.

After 30-something years of despising peanut butter, I tasted a bit of DH's new organic one - and to my amazement, I actually liked it. And went out and bought a second jar. Still paranoid about using separate knives for DD's toast though. I wonder when i'll feel brave enough to offer it? Or if I'm eating it and it goes through to my bm, does that count as tried and tested?

Sorry if I missed anyone, milkmobster calls.

Y'see, I almost think (with my vast experience of 3 weeks ) that doing what the baby indicates he wants is more 'purist' than the dogmatic spoons = evil thing!

Hi JJ! I usually eat something with him, though not necessarily the same thing. I usually have my porridge about 6.30am, but H has his breakfast around 9-10am. In order to eat with him, I have a piece of cake healthy snack while he has that. I do sometimes eat some spoonfuls of his porridge so as to demonstrate, but perhaps I'll have to adjust our brekky routine.

The food wastage is a bit of a pain, although I often hoover his scraps! I sometimes have crises of conscience about mango from Argentina and blueberries from Peru etc, but H loves them!

I've always thought I don't like peanut butter too. I bought a jar of cashew nut butter, which H seems to like, and I am quite keen on, so I may give PB a chance.

My grand omelette plan has not happened, as he is still asleep. Might just give him a plum when he wakes, as there has been no poo for a couple of days (thanks for the tip IsItMeOr!), and chalk today up as a no-lunch-day!

hiya, I have been reading your posts and its all really helpful, especially those with similar problems to my own. DS2 is 28 weeks and isn't eating much, gets frustrated as can't get a hold/drops things etc I have found that making an hourglass shaped piece helps as DS can clasp the middle bit and suck/chew either end. So today I gave him a wedge of mango and cut a chunk out of each side on the length to make a narrower bit for him to hold, IYKWIM?

At what age did you start giving the same meal as you are having? So far DS has mainly had chip size or wedges of fruit/veg and things like cream cheese or hummus on rice cakes. I'm a bit scared about him chocking on chunks of pepper, carrot etc in our normal meals. Should I just be brave and go for it? I'm not even sure if he could pick most of it up if I did that.

I'm not helped by the fact that OH is not convinced by BLW and thinks it is a fad (we did purees with DS1). He thinks every gagging incident or waking for a night feed is evidence its not working. For this reason I have permitted him to spoon feed the odd meal of baby porridge to keep him on side. Does anyone else have a sceptical OH?

Anyway, I will try to keep reading for more tips!

Cheers

Jumbs

We do loaded spoons in the Hulla house. I think its fine. I pass dd the spoon and she shoves it in her mouth, eats whatever is on it, turns the spoon round, chews the end, throws it on the floor/tray, I pick it up and we start again! I know she'd had enough when she throws the loaded spoon on the floor. I think thats baby-led!

Jumbs have you read Gill Rapley's book? I'd send you mine but its doing the rounds with my sis and then my pg friend. The library might have it. I think its just called Baby-led weaning. Get your dp to read that, mine found it reassuring (although didn't read it, he had sections read to him).

JJ I might try the peanut butter - you've tempted me. I've had quite a lot of peanutting things when bf and dd has been fine so I hope thats a good sign. I might just ask on the allergies threads first though...

DD is back on her food today (after an almost return to bf-poos from her lack of solid food!). She ate an entire pear fore breakfast followed by toast. I just gave her the pear whole (not stalk). What she left wasn't worth eating. Lunch was "salad" with cheese followed by loaded-spoons-yogurt (pics on profile). Dinner is shepherds pie which I have to rush now.

My attempt at late lunch did not go well. He would not use his hands, and got in a real mood when he couldn't get at the food properly with just his mouth. I think I'll try the highchair again in the morning with more padding in the seat, to raise him higher. If that's unsuccessful, it's back to the buggy for his meals!

Hello Jumbs - I think I started giving DS the same meals as us at around 3 weeks in to BLW. He still sometimes has slightly different, if it doesn't adapt well.

Like you, I keep trying different shapes on the fruit and veg to see what works. If he doesn't get on with one, I try a different way, or the same way in a few days.

We also do loaded spoons here, always for yoghurt, and at the end of a meal if DS seems frustrated - happening a bit less now. How I work it is to guide the spoon to his mouth - through the waving/grabbing hands - and then let him get hold of it and take it from there. He's not too good with it yet, but he seems to like it. Especially for yoghurt and bolognese.

We have done peanut butter, with no obvious ill effects. But I have just bought a jar of cashew nut butter simply because it is salt free.

Does anybody else find that their dc uses their doidy cup as a finger bowl?

IsItMeOr - that's what I was doing with the spoons, a little help with the steering. But in the highchair he likes me to do the lot! It's not a problem - far less messy My DS uses his cup as more of a mouthwash than a finger bowl!

WRT having the same meals as us, how does everyone work in the evening meal at a sensible time? It's not too bad while I'm on mat leave (depending on what time DH gets home) but I don't see how I'll get dinner ready at a sensible time for DS once I'm back at work and not getting home until 6 o'clock.

Heron - I could have written your post, my dd is the same loves milk (5x8oz bottles) puts the nfood in her mouth but nothing much goes in, we have been doing it since she was 6 months and now she is almost 8 months!

JJ- Thanks for the rice cake/yoghurt tip I will try this because she loves yoghurt but its a nightmare getting any in!

My dd will not drink any water is this ok? I am avoiding my HV like the plague as I do not want the weaning conversation with her. My friends 6 month old is on 3 meals and dropping bottles, it made me have a wobble today and i made dd some mushy potato, carrot, lamb and try to load some spoons but she wasn't having any of it so I gave her some cheese and apple which she did nibble

Wow there's been alot of activity on here today!
Had a good BLW day today which is great as DS seems to have been on a bit of a food strike for the last week or so. Luckily he is a chubster so I don't have to worry about weight loss.

Guim I work part time and don't see how I can make an evening meal work for everyone so I just make sure we eat together when we can during the week and make a real effort at weekends. Even if I only have a cup of tea I make sure I always sit with DS and resist temptation to MN or load the dishwasher! DS also isn't that keen on his highchair so often just plonk him on the floor and feed him there!

Morning all! DD has been stuffing herself for the last few days (hooray! She's back!) Loving butternut squash and butterbean casserole with polenta we all had yesterday.

IsItMeOr Yes! DD is always sticking her little hands in the Doidy cup.

Jumbs I'm lucky in that DH is very supportive and reads all the stuff I do (well, maybe not MN) so he's read the Gill Rapley book and is very pro-BLW, extended BF etc etc.

Ow I have a headache - DD is currently whacking our glass coffee table with a plastic cup OVER AND OVER again. Monkey!

Toppoptart My dd isn't always on 3 meals a day now at 9 months (next week) never mind at 6 months. Besides which, I could probably have spooned puree into dd 3 times a day but dd didn't want 3 meals at day at 6 months. Baby-led! Just keep giving opportunities to practice & play with food. Snacks count, dried fruit, rice cakes, oat cakes with philly, cheese on toast, cucumber sticks, tomato slices. Its hard keeping the faith sometimes though isn't it?

If I know dh is going to be home late then I usually make something else for dd and eat some of that with her. Then I'll save some of whatever I cook dh and I and give her that for lunch the next day.

Dinner last night was shepherds pie with potato & sweet potato mash. I loaded it on a spoon and she snatched it off me. Eventually she just started scraping it off the spoon and eating it off her fingers.

This morning she's had an entire pear (I'll try and post pics), raisin wheats with cows milk (she likes to suck the milk out of these first) and then a piece of toast with philly on it.

I just kept putting a sippy cup of water on her tray for dd to play with at meal times. Occassionally I'd offer her a sip. It took a while but she eventually "got it" and now she'll just drink herself. She'll happily drink from the doidy in the bath but it usually gets thrown on the floor in the kitchen.

Lol @ using doidy as mouthwash - my dd's sippy cup usually has a fair bit of back-wash in it.

I have discovered this morning that if you sing Cheryl Coles new song to my dd she'll join in. Well, kind of. When I "sing" "fight, fight, fight, fight, fight for this love" she joins in with "va, va, va, va, vaaaa". I love it. I have been doing it all morning. She's a capitive audience in her hight chair!

Oh morning Kiwi - xpost. Glad to hear BabyPanda is back to herself!

Ooh Hulla reading about babyHulla eating a whole pear is making me nervous, the one time DD managed a whole pear the nappy explosion was unbelievable! They've been rationed in this house ever since.

Lol! You're kidding? Uh oh...she had one yesterday and today!DH is off today...think he's going to be on nappy duty.

How you feeling snail?

I feel sick

You might be ok if she had one yesterday then - it happenned fairly quickly with DD!

Hopefully only a few more weeks of feeling like that GS and you'll be in the glowing phase!

I know, I think its a bit easier this time as I can remember last time it was like a switch flipping at 12 weeks and i suddenly felt fab. Fingers crossed I get the same this time.

greensnail yea maybe some food does go in. i like your slogan tho about the food for play under 1

top good someone else has got baby who much prefers milk!

have some pears today and avocado for LO to try !

Hi everyone,

Hulla love the idea of your DD singing along to Cheryl Cole. So cute (although she has no taste in music).

Snail fingers crossed the ickyness passes soon too. I remember it well, although in my case because I didn't realise I was pg until 4 months I thought I had some sort of terrible illness instead. Duh . I will know next time! Oh and you were right about persisting with scrambled eggs - tried them again a couple of days ago and DD couldn't scoop them off her tray quickly enough.

Heron avacado is a big fave with my 7mo DD (probably equal fave with mashed potato and roasted tomatoes) so good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Btw am I the only one whose DD scoops yoghurt up from her tray with her hands? I just put a big splodge of it there (admittedly quite thick yoghurt) with maybe a couple of raspberries. I'm not a militant no-spooner (I've spooned soup and a few other bits especially in the early days) but DD seems to prefer it like that - I think she likes the mess, hmmm. I keep finding those pesky little raspberry seeds buried under her chin.

Hiya, Hows everyone doing today? DS1 (2.4yrs) DS2 and I all managed to have the same lunch today, homemade mushroom pate and pitta breads. It was yummy and I've realised DS2 is happier eating on my lap than in the high chair so might try that more, although it does make it harder to eat my own meal and manage DS1 eating his (He wants to come and sit on my lap too!).

Might try and make some sausage shaped felafel tomorrow to see how DS manages with those. We are a meat free household here (we do eat fish though) is anyone else meat free?

Gotta go, DS2 woken up now!

Jumbs

Hello, can I squeeze in here too? I didn't quite know how to jump into the very long thread before.

My DD is 27 weeks, has been dabbling with food for about 3 weeks now and I guess it's going ok; she seems to love fruit, in particular knawing on a wedge of pineapple, or a quartered pear. Vegetables are not such a hit, have offered her steamed sticks of veg and also roasted but they tend to get examined in her hand and then rejected. In the last week she's started scoffing bread (including pitta and breadsticks) and had mince and potatoes for lunch yesterday (although that was from the spoon)

I do worry a bit that she's not getting much variety and I'm not sure how to introduce fish and chicken, oh and LENTILS! Anyone have any good lentil recipes?

But she seems to be enjoying herself, and that's the main thing, right?

Jumbs - hi, me too on the veggie front. DH and I have been veggie for years. DD hasn't had any meat or fish yet and we've been doing BLW for about 6 weeks now. I'm a bit nervous though about whether she will get everything she needs in terms of nutrients but I think we will stick with it at least for now.

Strawberrie welcome! Have you tried roasted tomatoes? DD goes mad for them. And DH makes a fabulous red lentil dal - has garlic, ginger and coriander in it but DD likes it. He's out tonight though. I'll ask him tomorrow and post. Meanwhile I'm sitting on the settee trying not to be too wistful about the last time I had an evening out. Ho hum. I'll settle for a lovely snuggle with DD instead.

Somebody was asking about meal timing - I have my main meal at lunchtime with DS, as I'm still on mat leave. So we have breakfast together, lunch together and then for the first time today I managed to have a cup of tea when he had his teatime meal. But I am very food-focussed , so key appeal of BLW for me is that I get to eat too, and can focus on cooking yummy things that I want to eat and give DS some to play with.

Hello strawberrie! I know what you mean about the very long threads - I'm not sure how to approach them, as surely nobody expects you to read 900+ pages, but it's difficult to pick up the conversational flow otherwise, isn't it? But we seem to be doing okay here!

Carnivores here. We've had some success with mashed sardines on rice cakes, or on pasta (that one, I squirted a baby ready meal on top for good measure - I'm no purist, and neither is DS ). I've found the M&S and Sainsbury's both do portugese sardines in tomato sauce which aren't too high in salt. I give DS one sardine and I have the others myself on toast to keep him company.

We also tried fishfingers yesterday - seemed to go down well with DS, although the organic ones I found were a bit less robust than I remember from my last experience with fishfingers (probably about 20 years ago!).

We also had grilled salmon last Sunday. I just gave DS a wodge off the fat end of my fillet - he didn't get much in, but I'm sure he'll do better next time.

Hope some of these ideas help!

Sorry, just realised I muddled strawberrie and Jumbs up in my fish-related carnivore comment. Apologies!