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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:
hobnob57 · 14/05/2010 13:31

A quick question - I've been lurking here.

DD2 started blw 2 weeks ago at 5.5mths as she was grabbing things at the table. But it really doesn't agree with her at all. She has 2 teeth so bites off chunks of fruit/veg and swallows them without much gumming/chewing. As a result she is constantly screaming in pain with wind and got very constipated last week despite guzzling at her water cup too.

Has anyone had this problem? Is it just a sgort-lived phase or am I going to have to resort to rationing her intake through purees?

RubyBuckleberry · 14/05/2010 13:43

when you say constipated - is it hard, or is she just straining? apparently they do have to get used to the sensation of slightly thicker poo and can make a right song and dance about it - nothing to worry about if it is not hard pellets iyswim. she will learn to control and release the right muscles / sphincters .

hth (no clue really, just a guess )

saying that 'screaming in pain' doesn't sound good!

hobnob57 · 14/05/2010 14:01

She was straining for a week before anything appeared (meanwhile lots disappeared!). She initially produced a couple of small, very sticky efforts before I resorted to giving her sugary water and then the rest followed in the next couple of days.

She's a sensitive wee soul regarding my diet (EBF) so I just worry that her system isn't up to it. But the thought of eating with her at the table and her not getting anything is equally upsetting. She gets so excited! So all this horrendous wind and tummy pain isn't normal with weaning then?

RubyBuckleberry · 14/05/2010 19:27

i don't know if it is normal or not?! my DS does seem to struggle a little more with the poos but then he is doing exactly what he dd when he was 10 weeks old or so - he just has t work out which muscles to relax and which not to - he often tenses everything in an attempt to squeeze it out, when in fact if he bent his legs etc etc it would be easier.

basically, you have to weigh up the pros and cons. i have never done the puree thing so i don't kow but from what i can see it is a very good idea to a)get them used to lumps/solid 'proper' food otherwise you have to wean them twice iyswim, and b) allow them to regulate their own intake as opposed to spooning in food that they don't want via coercion and persuasion, c) improve their fine motor skills in preparation for when they seriously need to pack it away, and are liable to throw the mush you have made across the room in toddler protest. if you do blw, the hard work is done for you, but i guess it takes alot of trust.

in my personal experience, after a month of sucking and chucking, it is a delight to see DS picking up cherry tomatoes halved with a budding pincer grip!

(sorry i went on a bit there - just clarifying my own thoughts too i guess!)

p.s. you could give her prunes/prune juice diluted?

Cies · 14/05/2010 20:31

DS hasn't had any problems with constipation, in fact quite the reverse... from being a once a day in the morning kind of boy he's become a 3-5 times a day at any time boy. Oh well...

We've only been going for a week though, so it's early days.

Just as an aide memoir for myself really, here's what he's tried so far:

steamed apple wedges
ripe pear wedges
steam carrot sticks
roasted carrot sticks
roasted butternut squash
roast potatoes
avocado
melon
orange
cucumber
green bean
asparagus
banana

The big hits have been melon and orange. He loves sucking on cucumber too, but can't get anything off it (no teeth). I think a bit of everything has been swallowed, to judge by the nappies.

He's not 26 weeks till next Friday so I'll wait till then to break out the rice cakes.

Punky79 · 15/05/2010 17:11

Cies I'm going to start on rice cakes now (23 weeks) as I figure they're only rice and he has that in his porridge now.

Hobnob what have you tried giving her? Has she had banana? I've heard that can really bung them up.

I bought lots of fruit and veg today to try - though I'm thinking whether I can just freeze it in finger food pieces? Otherwise I think I'll end up throwing tons away.

picklesrule · 17/05/2010 09:10

Hi all!
We took DD out to her first 'proper' restaurant lunch since starting blw...ooh it was messy! She loved it though - was sat up at the table with everyone and just popped an array of stuff from our meals in front of her, she had a whale of a time..food EVERYWHERE though - had to give the floor a sweep/wipe as was covered in discarded bits of food - I will have to take the dogs with me next time
have been a bit lax at trying anything new this weekend but she is definately improving her eating skills - moves the food around her mouth very well now and we've had no gagging incidents (touch wood) for a while now.

LKA · 17/05/2010 17:33

Just want to say BLW is the best thing we ever did-mealtimes are so much fun with our DD! She's 10m old & has been eating the same meals as us from around 6m (just before) with no choking incidents. It is truly amazing-and still no teeth, but doesn't stop her. Faves include fresh fruit pieces, steamed veg, king prawns, olives, raisins, scones, couscous etc. We just started her on baby-ccinos too (steamed milk from our cappuccinos in an espresso cup with tiny sprinkling of choc). She loves it and can actually hold the tiny cup herself-v cute and will hopefully help wean her from the breast!!!!! Good luck & enjoy!

Punky79 · 17/05/2010 18:53

picklesrule sounds fab! I took DS out to lunch today and he was eating an Organix carrot puff (he LOVES these) and I had a rocket and parmesan salad which he just reached across and grabbed a HUGE handful of and stuck it in his gob - it was absolutely hilarious. Though I made him drink loads and loads of water I was worried about the salt!

This is what we've tried so far:

Porridge with apple, nectarine, pear, mango, papaya and plum
Bits of the above fruits
Melon
Organix carrot puffs
Carrot
Broccoli
Celeriac
Sweet potato
Butternut Squash
Parsnip
Strawberry

And very naughty the above mentioned salad. We've only been going a week

mistressploppy · 18/05/2010 11:10

Just a quicky to say isn't asparagus season great!

RubyBuckleberry · 18/05/2010 12:10

DS loving cherry tomatoes cut in half soaked in olive oil and fresh basil... mmmm mmmm mmmm he says while eating it!

must get asparagus mistressploppy

chiefcook · 18/05/2010 12:57

I've done it!! I've ditched the purrees, just reintroduced a bottle and DS2 is quite happy.

Read BLW book the weekend and it makes so much sense, DS2 has already tried more food than
DS1!!

going to try lentil burgers today.

mistressploppy · 18/05/2010 13:33

What do we think about sausages? So salty, but we're having them tonight (DH and I) as they need eating up....

RubyBuckleberry · 18/05/2010 18:35

i'd say absolutely fine. if most of the other food you offer has no salt, i would say it was fine. (no actual evidence for that btw.)

Klerka · 18/05/2010 19:27

Just read the whole thread with great interest and admiration! DD is 23 weeks tomorrow, I have the blw book to read and can't wait to get started.

She is exbf at the moment but has been watching us eat with interest for weeks now. Not sure what to start with or when, although I have tried her with tiny bits of banana to check her tongue thrust and she swallows the pieces quite happily. Going to invest in a GoodGrips steamer that I can place in my normal saucepans. My Mum is bringing round a highchair tomorrow and I am excited to see how she looks in it! Thank goodness for the warming weather - I forsee a few 'picnics' out on the patio... my house is tiny so if not I will have to get a piece of plastic/shower curtain to place over the carpet. Eating in the kitchen is difficult as it is a very small galley style. Any tips for the first days?

lalala34 · 19/05/2010 16:58

Can we join in too?

my lil' ratbag has just turned 6 months & has so far enjoyed making bits of cucumber soggy, painting with porridge & of course, chucking carrots on the floor.

I tried him on the AK puree business a couple of weeks ago - he was as keen on that idea as he was on formula milk. I have a strong-willed little boy!

picklesrule · 19/05/2010 19:53

Hi All, spag bol here today, gave her spaghetti instead of pasta tubes and that worked much better, she was grabbing huge handfuls and shoving it in...she was orange from head to foot by the end though

mistressploppy i would think a bit of sausage would be fine, esp if they've had little other salt all day.

Thanks LKA good to hear from someone who has got past the first few months..love the mini-chinno idea will have to try that!

Hi klerka my only tip would be to relax and not let it worry you if nothing gets eaten/it all ends up on floor/in hair as they will propbably not be massively interested to start with. Also, as mistressploppy popped in to say, asparagus is like the best BLW food, its so easy and you can dip it in all sorts..

BexJ78 · 19/05/2010 22:24

Hi everyone. Just to say I am still here, waiting for DD to be 6 months old, and still have not bought the ANTILOP!! Just skim read through the whole thread and am so impressed with all the different things you've been trying. In fact i have made a sort of crib sheet to stick up on the kitchen wall when we need inspiration for what to eat!

In terms of the choking thing, if you really think they may be choking (ie, goes quiet etc) is it best to pat them/slap them on the back? I really should have gone on that baby first aid course.... Hopefully i won't be in that position but it does worry me a bit.

DD is seeingly raring to go and keeps grabbing my food when I'm eating, so hopefully she will be as enthusiastic when I actually put some food infront of her!

hendo77 · 20/05/2010 13:21

Hello! I'd like to join too - we are planning on starting on the bank holiday weekend, just a week before 6 months. Have our highchair ready and she's enjoyed sucking on some cucumber, although equally as much as the table on her highchair it has to be said!!!

I'm also worried about the choking thing, especially as it seems to take me ages to unstrap her from her highchair...

Starting to plan my shopping list now though which is exciting!

sungirltan · 20/05/2010 20:59

i'm still here!

ok i am having problems. we have been doing blw for 6 weeks and dd eats EVERYTHING i give her. but i am having the poo problem also. lots of wind and bowel movements have become sporadic. didnt' know about the banana bunging problem though until today and think i will cut right back on it.

have resorted to feeding dd a bit of mashed up fruit after meals with the hope it will help dd clear her bowel - good idea or bad??

Cies · 21/05/2010 12:29

suntangirl I don't see why you should't give her fruit... give it a go and see if it helps.

I too have got a little crib sheet going in a notebook, but need to transfer it to kitchen noticeboard I think so it's easily accessible.

DS is 6mo today

He had a check-up this morning and jabs so is a bit off colour now. I mentioned to my (Spanish) paediatrician that I was giving ds some chunks of fruit but he didn' recommend it at all. Oh well... I just smiled and nodded.

DS loved his first rice cake yesterday. i'm not sure how much went in but he sucked and gummed it to within an inch of its life

sungirltan · 21/05/2010 13:35

thanks cies. we are also having rice cakes. you can get apple ones from Organix i think they are called. dd loves them - i ate one - they are pretty good!

MrsPurr · 23/05/2010 10:35

On the plops front, have you tried giving them water? I give DS water from a beaker after meals -- not sure how much goes in though as he sucks it in then lets it spill out of his mouth! I also give him 2 or 3fl.oz. of water from a bottle in the afternoon. DS is fully FF now, but I think even a BF baby might need water once they're on solids.

picklesrule · 23/05/2010 19:16

mrspuss do you think I should be giving DD water now? I was just thinking about that this afternoon and wondering whether I should or not.

She is still EBF and I am feeding on demand still, I don;t think she has dropped much milk but she is taking in quite a bit of solids (I think looking at poo anyway!)so she might have without me realising...

I was worried she might take water instead of milk which obviously wouldn't be ideal at this point but I was worried, esp in the hot weather that she might need more fluid..
What is everyone else doing?

MrsPurr · 23/05/2010 21:37

I don't know but I think I read in one of my baby books that once babies have started solids it might be an idea to offer some water -- I think it might have been in Penelope Leach. Or maybe in Gill Rapley's Baby Led Weaning book.

When I give water I always do it at the end of a 'meal', which always comes after milk at the moment anyway (DS only 6.5 mths and only started weaning a couple of weeks ago). I also only put 2 fl.oz. in the bottle so he can't gorge himself on it. He rarely finishes it though.