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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

***Just about to start Baby-led Weaning*** Join Me to share experiences !!

909 replies

FluffyFrog · 12/04/2010 16:35

I have a 20 week old and am planning on starting BLW around the end of May ish. Have been reading the Gill Rapley Book but would be great to get some ideas from others and share a few experiences. We will probably start in the next 4-6 weeks. Is there anyone else around starting at the same time that wants to join me on this thread ?

OP posts:
RubyBuckleberry · 05/05/2010 21:40

OMG 7-645 amazing - me too rushing to make casserole!

crikey - my hands are starting to be like prunes! i have started using hand cream lol at all the children shrieking .

mistressploppy · 05/05/2010 22:00

I had to laugh when I read the last two posts - have just bought myself an industrial strength hand cream from the Body Shop!

Also having casserole fun here - chicken legs, yum yum yum

RubyBuckleberry · 05/05/2010 22:19

lol mistressploppy i am using LUSH dreamcream - as good as it gets it says on the tub . never thought i would use hand cream .

mistressploppy how is your LO feeding - my DS went on some kind of hunger strike from 9-4 today - i fed him at 4 when he was half asleep! he ate loads of lunch though

mistressploppy · 05/05/2010 22:27

Ruby, I'm sorry you're going through this too (but a bit glad as well - sorry!) - I was dying to ask you about it but didn't want to hijack the blw thread! Guess it's ok though

He has a decent feed at 7am when he wakes up, it's all down-hill after that. I've posted on another thread - here - this is what's happening with us

What's your schedule like?

picklesrule · 05/05/2010 22:28

ooh very impressed with all the casserole making! I am hopeless at things like that...are you all just using a standard casserole recipe with low-salt stock or something more interesting/blw appropriate?

Banana pancakes have been going down v well here (with both baby and dogs!) and am finally going to try her with proper fish tomorrow..will report back!

mistressploppy · 05/05/2010 22:32

Pickles - just normal casserole but with baby stock cubes (made with real babies! Hee hee hee)

We had cod the other day too - mushy and fun!

MrsPurr · 06/05/2010 09:53

RubyBuckleberry thanks for the link to the recipe book, am going to get it. Need to work out a way of getting cereals into him that isn't as messy as just letting him play with blobs of porridge. I also think ricecakes could be the way forward.

Crikeybadger, DS is an incredible squawker! Only started when we started weaning as well (and we've only been doing that a week). He makes noises like I've never heard before. I can't work out whether it's hearty appreciation, frustration or what. It is incredibly loud though! He is mad for broccoli at the moment, love it!

Fruitpastels · 06/05/2010 10:59

Thanks Ruby for the links

Waves back to Raggie

MrsPurr DS is also mad for broccoli! Such an easy veg for them to hold and gum down on.

Started doing breakfast today. Porridge was an awful, sticky mess and delayed the morning with all the clearing up! I don't mind mess but the mornings are a little harder to cope with.

RubyBuckleberry · 06/05/2010 11:49

hi,

i agree porridge not working at all! on the blw website there are porridge pancakes - you just put a layer of oats (i think it has to be oats rather thn ready brek) - just about cover with water and put in microwave. don't do anything with it - just cook until sticky. then leave it for a bit and you'll be able to rip bits off. i've put chopped prunes in it which was quite good.

he only problem is i don't think ds liked it!!! i did so i ate it . he categorically refused but your dcs might be different.

hth

MrsPurr · 06/05/2010 19:40

Porridge pancake sounds good, will give it a go.

We had our first proper choking incident this evening. DS has gagged before, but this was proper choking. He was sucking on a quarter of avocado (one of his favourites). I leave the skin so there's something solid to hold on to, and he was happily sucking away, then started to cough and his eyes were watering. DH and I leapt to our feet, me saying, 'Hold on a sec, hold on a sec', just wanting to see if as Gill Rapley says he would be able to deal with it himself, but totally primed to start turning him upside down and bashing between the shuolderblades. He started to properly choke, go red, eyes watering, and I was just about to intervene when he sicked up a big chunk of avocado. He was totally fine afterwards, didn't cry, and I was very breezy so he wouldn't freak out. But thinking about it now makes me feel a bit . But it just goes to show the theory is right, they can deal with it themselves. I suppose it's all a learning experience and has to be done. Scary though. Am hitting the red wine tonight!

picklesrule · 06/05/2010 19:46

hi all! Tried fish, mostly got smeared around the place (found particularly in eyebrows afterwards?!) but think a bit went it.

Porridge is terribly messy, dd quite likes the little porridge biscuits (basically cook up some porrige oats with a little butter, dried fruit pureed - I used figs & apricot and a little fruit juice then bake in oven at 180 til brown.
They are quite soft still and she likes them dipped in yoghurt for breakfast... also useful as snacks
(can't take credit for the recipe though I stole it from the BLW blog

crikeybadger · 06/05/2010 20:46

Oh dear, Mrs Purr, that does sound a bit nerve wracking! Glad it turned out fine though.

Pickesrule, like the sound of those porridge biscuits. There's some great recipes on that blw site aren't there. I still haven't decided about buying the other finger food book as it did occur to me that it kind of goes against the grain of them just having whatever every else is having.

Oh yes and british asparagus is in season now and went down a treat tonight for supper.

Off on our hols for a couple of weeks from tomorrow, so will catch up with all you weaners then x

RubyBuckleberry · 06/05/2010 20:56

those porridge biscuits sound great pickles! am going to try them.

Fruitpastels · 06/05/2010 21:43

Porridge biscuits sound good! I will give them a go!

We are out most days, how do you get around blw when you're out during the day, or in a restaurant? I worry about the mess, what ds will eat off. Maybe I should be buying a suction plate??

Bimble · 06/05/2010 22:45

What a fab thread. Will be revisiting when I start weaning dd currently 3.5 months. I went down the baby rice and mush route with my now 4yr old and it was a nightmare. She's still really fussy so I'm defo up for the BLW option 2nd time round. Good bye lovely deco....!

Fruitpastels · 06/05/2010 23:03

Bimble My 4 yr old DS1 is also a fussy eater. When I think we're improving, he'll become fussy again. We went down the mush route with him. It started out ok, but got harder and harder as time went on. I'm so hoping that DS2 is a good eater.

Bimble · 06/05/2010 23:10

I'm looking forward to BLW as DD2 is already showing signs of being more into her grub. She's on the boob constantly! I have to say I'm a tad concerned about the inevitable comments from the MIL..ie 'What do you mean your not using spoons, plates etc? How do you expect her to learn to eat properly?' All mine were weaned on baby rice and they're fine' You can't give her that she'll choke. etc etc etc!!!

RubyBuckleberry · 07/05/2010 08:07

bimble, i've had that - 'so are you just pureeing what your having?' 'um, well no actually - he just has whatever we have,' 'oh... pause... what, not even mashed up?', 'nope '

RubyBuckleberry · 07/05/2010 08:08

you're

RubyBuckleberry · 07/05/2010 08:12

pickles - haddock doesn't break up so much - it sort of splits into fingers .

ds had fish chowder last night - basically fish in white sauce but all cooked up with vegetable stock, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, brocolli, and sweetcorn an then cheese on top. ds didn't have the sweetcorn although i think i see a pincer grip in development . he really liked all the vegetables and fish and is started to pick up handfuls and open his fist into his mouth iyswim - progress!

its really funny how it seems two steps forward one back - like he will barely touch anything it seems (lthough poo suggests otherwise) and then the next day his skills will have improved and he eats more, and then he doesn't touch anything again, and then he does, etc and so on and so on...

Bimble · 07/05/2010 08:55

Hee hee fun times ahead....what books can people reccommend on BLW?

Fruitpastels · 07/05/2010 10:56

Baby-led Weaning by Gill Rapley. Is a very good buy.

chiefcook · 07/05/2010 12:55

Hi all,

I'm still not 100% BLW, I have found that DS is willing to chew anything that he puts in his mouth himself, but should I put anything in his mouth with a spoon that has lumps, he refuses to chew and then just clamps his mouth shut!

I am amazed at how well he has taken to eating toast (multigrain bread with only the smallest seeds in) and Ellas kitchen rusks and he is getting used to having brocolli and he chews the small 'flower' bits off the top.

The gagging is getting less and we haven't had another choking incident since the ricecake (yes it did go eerily quiet and he was making a choking movement..scary)

I just have to listen to the poor child and stop feeding him these purees!!

mistressploppy · 07/05/2010 14:06

chiefcook, mine's the opposite, eats finger food for a bit then looks at me and opens his mouth! I only spoon in roughly mashed stuff, rather than puree (mean mum)

He also likes it if I hold stuff for him to chew on. I think his mouth is more advanced than his hands

lamby79 · 07/05/2010 22:13

hmmm ruby fish chowder sounds yummy and crikey will be off to buy asparagus tomorrow...delicious.

pickles casseroles are the easiest things to make and you can just throw in whatever you have in the fridge, add a stock cube (salt free), a bit of wine et voila. So tasty and perfectly squishy for gumming. A Le Creuset pot is a sort of essential and can be a bit pricey but a sound investment if you ask me!

Am going to try bitesize shredded wheat for breakfast tomorrow - but i think i'll dip them in yogurt so they are a bit more tempting.

Have also brought some falafel. Do you think shop brought is ok to give her or should i be making my own to avoid all the bad stuff? Perhaps i'll see if she likes them first and them make a stash...they probably freeze really well too.

cheifcook my DD was exactly the same and now won't let me go anywhere near her with a spoon. She'd even rather lick the yogurt directly off the tray than have me put it in her mouth (resulting in a hilarous yogurt mustache and nose). Independent little thing! Go on, ditch the purees