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

[FluffyFrog]

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 ?

he was 6 months over easter weekend. before that i just gave him cucumber when he was rally struggling with teething - he sucked on it till it went warm eewww...

tbh i was looking out for signs - sitting up / tongue thrust - i was practising sitting up with him since about 5 months though as i wanted him to start pretty promptly - he is ebf and hungry - he was feeding round the clock 2/3 hourly, sometimes more! i gave him calpol for the first time and there was no tongue thrust thingy either - he jst swallowed it so i thought, well he must be ready... he ate lots of fish pie from ready loaded forkfuls and slept for 6 hours - JOY! brocolli trees going down a treat too!

i might give the whole fruit a go - i give him slices with the skin bitten off by me too - he really seems to like pear ... will have a look at your picture...

tired - typos all over the show - must go to bed!

aaahh brilliant - i suppose really there is less chance of a chunk breaking off that than there is a slice - and i suppose if it is a soft piece of fruit...

I'll join you all! DS will be 6 mo on 21st May, so we've got a while yet. He's not sitting yet of course, but I think he will do pretty soon because every day he's less unstable.
Would you say it's worthwhile getting the Gill Rapely book? I've read lots of threads on here, plus some of Aitch's blog. Does the book add anything else?

Hi all. Can I join in pls. DD is only 4 months, but would like to do BLW and have been reading the GR book! Would be good to gt some tips before we make a start at the end of may!

don't worry if they don't eat. mine didn't eat til 10 months

To keep the thread active shall I start a little list of everyone on it with a few stats....

I'll update every week - sorry if I have got anything wrong or missed anything, just cut & paste and make any changes or add any more info.

W/C 12th April

WAITING TO BLW
FluffyFrog DD 20 weeks Monday
MistressPloppy DS 6 months soon
Janeytroll DS 6 months on Sunday
Popspig DD 23 weeks
5ofus DS 5 months
Plum71 DD 5 months
snugglejunkie DS 22 weeks Sunday
ruddynorah DS 21 weeks
Supergreenuk DD 20 weeks Thursday

CARROTS ON THE FLOOR
picklesrule DD 6 months
smilehighclub DD 6 months
Rubybuckleberry DS
Crikeybadger DS

Wow 2 more joiners while I was typing the list !

W/C 12th April

WAITING TO BLW
FluffyFrog DD 20 weeks Monday
MistressPloppy DS 6 months soon
Janeytroll DS 6 months on Sunday
Popspig DD 23 weeks
5ofus DS 5 months
Plum71 DD 5 months
snugglejunkie DS 22 weeks Sunday
ruddynorah DS 21 weeks
Supergreenuk DD 20 weeks Thursday
cies DS 21 weeks Saturday
BexJZ8 DD 4 months

CARROTS ON THE FLOOR
picklesrule DD 6 months
smilehighclub DD 6 months
Rubybuckleberry DS
Crikeybadger DS

Going to bed now - but can hear DH snoring v loudly on intercom

Very organised, Fluffy, I am impressed....tried some corn cakes this am (like rice cakes) and they were gummed and chucked.

Also tried pear sucking but he can't hold it himself so it was cheating really...(see pic on profile)

bows to FluffyFrog's list Organisation! I remember when I could do stuff like that

Ah, your DS it too cute mistressploppy!

Rubyb - slept for 6 hours!!!!!! Dear God I am now proper chomping at the bit to start (pardon the crappy pun!). DS is also EBF and the longest he ever goes is 4 hours - and that's from 8 till 12 so I've not actually had a solid stretch of sleep of more than 2, 2.5 hours since forever [yawning emoticon]

had broccoli for the first time yesterday...was a big hit although the poo that appeared this morning was interesting to say the least! It really does seem to come straight out as it went it...ewww!
Am wondering what meat is best to start her on now...anyone had sucess with anything in particular?

Am maybe (though see other thread) going to join the "waiting" list... DD is just 5 months now, and seems a long way from ready...

Can I join please? DD is six months next week and we have already started weaning a bit (because she literally would not let me eat in front of her without grabbing the food off me). We were doing well but the occasional disappearance of courgettes etc (she pushes the whole thing in her mouth) and then the resultant gag has freaked me out a bit so I have started pureeing everything up, which she also loves. But, I would like to go back down the BLW route with a bit of reassurance.

Also, up till now i've been EBF and would selfishly like to wean her on to formula as i'll be returning to work soon and have a few 'weekends away' coming up! Is anyone else planning to do this, and is it possible to go straight to a sippy cup? With the smallest bit of help, DD will take a few sips of formula from one but nowhere near enough.

Hi - can I join too please? DD is 5 months next week so will start on 18 May. Have got the Gill Rapley book and will hopefully get through it by then.

She is getting more and more interested in our food, though her favourite seems to be bacon sandwiches, so she may be a bit disappointed by broccoli florets and carrot sticks!

lamby79 I'm also planning on moving onto formula over the next month or so and I'm a bit worried about changing so much all at once - solid foods and then changing milk too. But am doing some days at work and want to be sure DD will be fine when I'm not around. She sounds similar to your DD in that she'll have a couple of sips of formula but that's it. At least we'll be in it together .

I'm looking forwards to getting properly started now and I'm already planning what we can have for breakfast. DD has grabbed some cucumber off my plate this lunchtime and sucked on it for a bit so the signs are good.

lamby - mine did the same with a piece of chicken and i was - it just seemed to disappear and it was a big finger sized bit. i remained calm (on the surface!) with a sort of oh thats nice darling type stance and a few moments later he did the most almighty gag and it fell out! par for the course as i understand it, but a bit freaky nonetheless...

sngglejunkie I know - but it was 6 till 12 so i didn't really benefit . he seems to be going from 9/10 to 2/3 at the mo so 5 hours is better than two, but nowhere near the 7 that many friends have (all without big hungry bf boys though!) some of them are giving me the old - he doesn't need milk in the night line - how do they KNOW that????

wasn't really interested in breakfast or lunch today - had a piece of sweet potato but just looked suspiciously at the parsnip and wanted to play with his fork .

Me please! Me please! My DS was 5 months on Tuesday, will be 6 months on 13 May and I'm trying to hold out till then. He has lost the tongue thrust (he no longer spits out Calpol) and he can definitely grab things and put them in his mouth (all he does all day) but he can nowhere near sit up unassisted at present. I have ordered the Gill Rapley book off Amazon so looking forward to reading it and hearing what she says about the choking/gagging issue, as it worries me a bit too.

MrsPurr- my LO can not sit up unassisted either normally, but sits fine in the Antilop with the inflatable cushion.

I think the gagging/choking thing is important. Theory is that they have a better gagging reflex at 6 months but I think I'm going to read up on how to deal with choking (no sound apparently when they are doing this.)

Re, blw book- I think it is worth a look but there aren't many recipes in there (stands to reason really). I think Aitch's website is good for finger food ideas.

• meat...I made some beefburgers yesterday which DS fiddled around with for a bit. Might try some fishcakes/goujons and some point soon.

Better go...need to cook up some spinach

..just one more quick thing... I think raw apple can be a choking risk( more than other things)

and thanks for the list fluffy

apple is ok if you grate it.

also when they can hold things with both hands you can take a bite out of a whole apple to start it off, and then hand it over. they'll just suck at it and scrape it with their gums.

my top tip is have a good look on youtube at all the blw videos on there for some idea of what to expect.

thanks for that ruddynorah- good advice.

Hi everyone, well I braved IKEA today and came back with one ANTILOP & tray & inflatable insert, 4 plastic bibs, and a pack of spoons for preloading. (not forgetting the obligatory light bulbs, 2 picture frames & standard lamp that I didn't really need but kind of fell into the trolley) . Told DH that ANTILOP is swedish for highchair and that all the other IKEA words they use are in fact just swedish words for things like bed, sofa, storage box etc He is quite gullible.

Just planning on sitting DD in the chair sometimes while we eat sometimes, but I am really pleased with the design and the cheapness.

Great to have a few more names on the list. Organichairbrush the door is open any time if you want to join in.

W/C 12th April

WAITING TO BLW
FluffyFrog DD 20 weeks Monday
MistressPloppy DS 6 months soon
Janeytroll DS 6 months on Sunday
Popspig DD 23 weeks
5ofus DS 5 months
Plum71 DD 5 months
snugglejunkie DS 22 weeks Sunday
ruddynorah DS 21 weeks
Supergreenuk DD 20 weeks Thursday
cies DS 21 weeks Saturday
BexJZ8 DD 4 months
Oranges123 DD 5 months
MrsPurr DS 5 months

CARROTS ON THE FLOOR
picklesrule DD 6 months
smilehighclub DD 6 months
Rubybuckleberry DS
Crikeybadger DS
Lamby79 DD 6 months next week

Well done for braving Ikea. Did you buy loads of tea-lights as well?

We had lunch in the garden on a rug today, ds in his bumbo. He's starting to look interested in my food. He stuck a finger in the houmous and sucked a bit off, didn't seem fussed either way.

I have roasted a butternut squash which is going to become risotto for us tonight - will save a few chunks for experimenting with tomorrow.

Am also going to consult with ex-colleagues re gagging/choking (I used to be an SLT)

thanks ruddynorah re:advice on apple.

ds VERY enthusiastic about cheesy brocolli and sweetpotato this evening after not really touching anything all day

when they're gagging you have to do omnomnomnom noises and exagerated faces at them to remind them to chew! and remember the gagging is good, shows their body is stopping them choking.