Soon to start BLW - any tips and advice please?

[ReallyNotAHippie]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I'm going to be starting BLW my DS at Christmas and I wondered if anyone had any tips or suggestions.

I know they're meant to eat along with you but how does that work if you're having, say, chilli con carne? Do you prepare some of the vegetables in it in hand-sized-pieces and cook seperately or do you give the baby a small portion of what you're having?

Am a bit confused by whether they literally get to try EVERYTHING or whether you adapt what you're cooking to give to them

Thanks in advance!

My top tips.

Buy an Antilop highchair from Ikea (piss-easy to clean).

Buy longsleeved bibs with towelling or fleecy fronts (SillyBillyz are my favourite).

Buy machine-washable cheapo shower curtains for the floor underneath the highchair so that when food and cups are flung, they can be handed back to the flinger, and so that you don't have to wash your floor 3 times a day! (just shake it out the back door and shove it in the washing machine).

We have been going through different ingredients one at a time, but that's only because my DD has food allergies, otherwise I would just have given her what we're having. We've gone through enough ingredients now for her to have actual "meals", and she got stuck into spag bol last night for the first time (8/12) and loved it (devoured it too!). I would just tone down the chilli a bit, but my DD seems to like strong flavours. Good luck - it's brilliant!

Ooo good luck op- we'll be starting in January so I'll be watching this thread with interest!

Watch the salt content as well. And use those low salt stock cubes instead.

Do what works for you. I used to save dinner, if it was suitable, and DD and I would have it for lunch the following day. Sometimes it wasnt suitable (ie we got take out!) so I just made some pasta.

When you start to give stuff like curry and chili, you can always one it down but stirring in some yogurt.

I have just been looking back on photos from when DD started and it was such fun times! Enjoy it and go with the flow, that's all part of the BLW approach!

I started out by giving DS just chunks of stuff to begin with as i found he couldn't physically manage a lot of the stuff we ate (rice etc). Its amazing how quickly he picked it up though and soon was eating pretty much whatever i was making. I have been gradually introducing chillies into his food... obv not making stuff really hot but using a little bit. Quite often if i'm making chilli or curry or something similar i will just add chili at the end, after i've dished him a bit out... I tend to save some of our dinner for his dinner the following day. Lunchtimes and breakfasts he usually has the same as me. quick dinners for when we've had something unsuitable are things like pasta, omelettes, mashed potato. its great just being able to be relaxed about what and how much they're eating... i love BLW! Good luck and enjoy it - we have!

Be aware of the difference between coughing/gagging and actual choking, because you will find that your child will probably gag a lot, but there is no need to be alarmed! I also looked up what to do if a baby is choking, I never needed to use it, but it made me feel better that I knew what to do. Good luck!

can i blushingly suggest that you have a look at www.babyledweaning.com as well, there's quite a lot on there too.