Novice needing weaning advice please

[HerMomminess]

Hi there,

I'm trying to get some advice after the first attempt at this thread got no replies. The BLW book is open next to me as we speak!

I am going back to work (when DD1 is 7 mo),at the start of March. I have watched friends trying with mixed success&stress BLW. It seems to:

1. take a lot of perseverenace (depending on the child etc).

1. be v stressful (isn' t any new stage?)

1. need mom/parents involvement ++

My question is whether it is at all feasable with my full time return to work. I have read the BLW book&some of the threads on here. I am a bit of a control freak, took me a while to get to grips with bf (but then went well!). I' m not convinced that BLW is be-all&end-all but some possible advantages.

I guess I am considering a 'mixed' apporach with both finger food&spoon for yoghurts etc. At the mo she doesn' t show any interest... yet.

Responses/advice/discussion eagerly awaited

No experience of BLW, but my question is Why? Why consider BLW if it is going to be so much harder or more work for you, when you already have the stress of returning to work? The last thing you want to do is make yourself stressed about your DD1 starting on solids as she will pick up on your tension and this won't make the experience of eating pleasurable for her.

What's wrong with the standard puree/spoon/baby rice approach? I've used this for my DS1 (8 mo) and he's doing great on a wide range of foods. Just starting to introduce some finger foods. I don't want to turn this thread into a BLW vs the other approach argument, but I'm just asking you to question your motives and desire to do BLW, that's all.

Very good point and thanks for the reply. It just feels as if that is what 'everyone' is doing. Not that I am easliy swayed by mass hysteria. But feels somehow like bf issue eg arguments like 'natural' etc etc. Yet in this case I feel there is less evidence. (Some still argue the bf evidence too)

Agree I don' t want a big debate but seems like no one out there doing puree thing.

What do you think is more work though? Finger food/ puree? Shall I just try both in tandem and then at least have some control.

Guess I am unsure of what to do and where to start.

It definitely isn't what "everyone" is doing. We live in Fulham, so white, middle class, a bit trendy, blah blah and I thought I would have no trouble at all finding other people who wanted to approach weaning the same way as me. Instead I have found myself in the minority of one, with all my mum friends casting me doubtful looks as they have been shovelling purees into their little ones for two months now.

Where are you, where everyone is doing it? I will move house immediately.**maybe not.

Why is BLW 'more hard work'? Just sling them a bit of what you're eating, etc.

Your OP concerned me a bit with the "control freak" comment - this will not work with weaning any which way - you need to chill out otherwise your baby will probably wind up with some food issues. Just try a bit of everything and see what suits you and your lifestyle. I did BLW with DS1 and it was one of the best parenting decisions I made - he eats brilliantly at 2 YO- just about anything and controls his own intake very well.

What you do need to know about is what your child care providers are happy with - if you describe BLW as 'toddler finger food' they will probably get it, if they haven't heard of it already.

Sorry to barge in on your post but I was wondering if any of you know if it's too late to start BLW? My DS is 7 months old and we've been doing the purees for around 6 weeks now.

Bump - I'd not heard of BLW before so I started purees, but would now like to know if you can do both?

Ok: let me define control freak. I guess the birth of DD1 and loss of control of life/routine etc caught my by surprise.Sounds mental I know. I struggled to cope with it but now have and do. Now love it.

I am worried that weaning and return to work is even more/different stresses.

I looove cooking. And don' t want it to turn into a battle ground.

As for the nursery- they' re happy with finger foods.

Maybe I fell under pressure ot wean her knowing that I will not be there for the majority of the time.

Maybe-careful psycho analysing so early in th enew year- I am already feeling guilty that I' ll be returning to work...there' s a thought.

Thanks for the replies. We are in a similar areas verity albeit north of the border.I don' t seem to know anyone who did purees! I' ll look out for a property shall I

I stated BLW about 2 or 3 weeks after I started weaning at 6 months, because DS refused to be spoon fed. I was secretly pleased! It was easy-ish, but frustrating, but I made a point in deciding that weaning was not going to be a battleground.

I am the only person I know who did BLW. I did introduce spoon feeding at about 12 months, when went back to work. DS still prefers to feed himself, but t 15 months, DS is just starting to use a spoon himself.

I can't see any reason not to do a bit of both.

But purees are evil!!!!

Well, I certainly try not to mention them on MN as I get a lot of 'You have heard of BLW, haven't you??'

I am feeding DS purees because I was very nervous about the idea of BLW and DP didn't like it at all. He is 30 weeks now and eats a huge variety of food. I don't find it faffy or annoying cooking for my son, in fact I enjoy it. I do lots about twice a week and freeze it in portions.

Both DP and I are very adventurous with food and have healthy appetites. We were fed purees and I dont think its made any difference to us in the long run. DP was weaned at 13 weeks, which I was a bit about, but he is fine.

BLW seems to me to be another trend among middle-class mums trying to outdo each other.

If you like to be in control the puree route will probably suit you better - but either way is only stressful if you let it be. The trick is to remember that milk is the bulk of their calories and nutrients up until about a year, by which point most babies are eating a variety of foods anyway. Think of it as a new play/exploring experience for her rather than learning to eat.

I think I got my head a bit more sorted yesterday evening. Now thinking of it as a new adventure/play/exploration rather than gettin kninckers in a twist.

Well, that' s what I think. Watch this space if I come crawling back through lentils&broccoli florets/yoghurt/purees...

i wrote this for the baby led weaning website.

for me blw was an easy and obvious next stage to breastfeeding, as i was used to dd controlling her intake with me just supplying the food.

ruddynorah I should think the sight of an enormous Annabel Karmel would put you off MOST things, not just dinner.

FWIW, my health visitor (who, thank goodness, is right behind my BLW attempts) tells me it's the AK babies they have problems with, at ten months, still refusing lumps of any kind, not the BLW babies, who, by and large, have got into the swing of things by then.

For the time being, at least, I keep the faith!

Cheers ruddy. Encouraging!

Giggle at how you had to keep explaining it though

I decided to try the BLW for DS2 after a stressful time with DS1 and the puree and spoon feeding route.

But before I started I had the same worry as you hermominess about the control thing and making sure DS2 was eating. But, do you know what, it wasn't stressful at all. You just have to remember that for the first few weeks ( when you will be around?) not much may go in the mouth, but they get it eventually. DS2 is now 8 months old and has been BLW for 2 months and he is eating loads now. Loads. And has been for a good 4 weeks or so.

You can also combine as I do a bit of spoon feeding of yoghurt and porridge when time is short.

FWIW I live in a "nice middle class area" and all bar one of my friends with babies are going the puree route.

You do what you want to do and what you feel comfortable with.

quite strange reading that back now dd is 3.7! will be doing it all again in another 4 months with ds who's 6 wks.

OMG ruddy!! You are actually able to type witha 6wo! There is hopeAnd how lovely to know you had a success story.

The thought of NOT cooking multiplemeals is v appealing. I' ll get a tray for the Bumbo and see how it goes. But I will be looking for more advice!

he is snoozing in his basket

Just posted on the BLW day 2 thread.

I am having finger foods of what we are eating within her reach at mealtimes. Banana this morning. Some pieces made the trip to mouth for a good gnaw and then chucked down. But she definitely explored it.

Actually must be amazing to put something in your mouth and for the first time it TASTES like something!

She is only just 5mo but I figure approaching it like another toy/experiment is best?

Have just ordered some long sleeved bibs though

Oh, if you avoid adding salt but have made say a sausage casserole does the salt in sausages etc matter or is it too little?

Hi HerMomminess, How's it going? I think you're right in that the main thing is not to stress about it. It is fun watching their faces when they try new things. My DS put something crunchy in his mouth for the first time a couple of days ago and his expression was priceless!

One person in my NCT antenatal class is doing BLW; the others are doing the puree route but some are being very relaxed about what they let baby eat, so I think we cover the whole spectrum.

Sausages - I heard these were a big no no as babies couldn't manage the skin? Not sure. I don't mind cooking extra food for my DS as he doesn't eat his meals at a time that coincides with ours yet anyhow. At the same time, when he can eat the same as us that will be great.

Be great to hear how you're getting on.

My DS is just learning to chew which is fun to watch. He loves rice cakes and Organix carrot sticks, and also 'real' carrot sticks and penne pasta. Broccoli and cauliflower get smeared everywhere, but some does go in his mouth I think.

Oh HEEELLLOOO from the BLW house.

It has been great fun. Including: butternut sq/sweet potato/broccoli/oranges/banana/bread/red pepper/courgette/pasta/salmon/corn/carrots/hummus/rice cakes...not all on the same day tho!

We are both loving it. And stuff is defo going through IYSWIM.DH keeps reporting back on new 'bits' as per nappy change.I think she also enjoys being part of the social activity. Huge frustration if she can' t pick something up...and I do give her a helping hand.

I gave her a piece of sausage and she just sucked the living daylights out of it.

Thus far if a big bit gets in her mouth she manages to push it back to the front of her mouth after a bit of a cough.

How is it going at your end ilove?

honestly interested in why a view exists about pureed food being evil? could someone elaborate please.. they cant have been that evil when millions of us were weaned on them when we were babies.. i honestly believe that everyone should do what suits them and their lifestyle best, whether thats pureed food for the first month or two, or so called baby led weaning. is there really some sort of debate about the pros and cons of both? perhaps we all need to speak to our mothers or aunts more!

Totally agree Anna. I don' t think I ever said purees were evil. And I will spoon/mush feed stuff with finger fooding. I think I'm a combo kinda gal: be it bf and ff/BLW and bit of puree...

Of course I could be in front af a firing squad for stating the above.

We are just trying this to see what works for us. Thus far going well.

I am personnaly a ff/ pureed baby. Don ' t think I' m that wonky