advice on baby led weaning??? anyone doing it?

[curly amy]

hey ladies and gents and babies,

my lo is just about 6 months and starting baby led weaning. anyone got any tips or pearls of wisdom?

and do you always use a high chair???

thanks,

amy and baby indigo x

[Saffron]

We don't always use a high chair, but it helps if baby is more upright at least when they first start BLW. (Little Saff is 8 mos, and now we give her little snacks in a plastic bowl on the floor sometimes. She eats them while wiggling into all different positions.)

Slippery foods like mango can be dusted with baby rice or crumbs to make them easier to hold. Hard fruits like apple can be made into "shavings" with a peeler. Baby can then suck/gum these with ease. Baked/boiled sweet potato and butternut squash are favourites here, as are blueberries (although your LO needs to develop the pincher grip before these are easy to eat.) Soft cheese makes a good carrier for other types of food. I do cream cheese, mashed carrot, and a pinch of coriander. Offer it on lightly toasted bread, a loaded spoon, or simply as blob for baby to play with. Add less liquid when making porridge, and it will set into a firm semi-solid as it cools, which you can offer on a spoon, or again as a blob. No need to add sugar. Little Saff eats it plain, or with mushed banana and cinnamon. Mushrooms grilled with garlic puree were a surprising delight, as were baby spinach leaves lightly drizzled with homemade dressing. Little Saff really likes lamb, but isn't keen on turkey. My husband insists this is b/c turkey isn't real meat... but that's another thread I'm sure!

If you find your baby becomes a little constipated (very common at the start of weaning), try offering a little prune juice 50/50 with cooled boiled water.

There's a BLW meet... why not join the fun? :-)

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,530799

x Saff x

[curly amy]

thank you saff,

brilliant comments and advice. thank you. Will def be using the dusting to make things less slippery suggestion!

gonna try and make the meet today. thank you thank you and maybe meet ya later x

[verds]

Yay for you and Indigo! My baby and I did this, and both loved it. She's 18 months now, and loves her food.

I got the cheapest Ikea high chair - think it's called Antilop, and a large piece of plasticy material from John Lewis to protect the floor. And long-sleeved bibs from the pound shop. Yes, it does get messy!

We started off on any fruit and veg cut into bits long enough for small hands to hold - steamed carrot, broc, cauli, courgette, squash, apple, etc came in handy at the start. Then if we were having a roast or something, she'd try a bit of everything. So anything with a handle!

Sometimes it looks like there's more on the floor than in the tummy at first, but I wasn't too worried as she was still having about the same amount of milk.

I know lots of babies who love their jars and purees, and there are pros and cons, but it worked fine for us.

We also used a Doidy cup - like a slanted cup you don't have to tip too far - for water.

Good luck, and hope your carpets aren't white!

[hanstands]

Hello!! We did baby led weaning and although there was more breastfeeding involved and was harder work producing all that milk it was perhaps easier than cooking meals day and night that may or may not be eaten by LO. Don;t know if it 'works' in terms of making a baby a healthier eater etc but so far my near 2yo loves his healthy food and will eat most veggies and fruit though it has been a slow process.

[Dudley]

Hi there,

My daughter is coming up to her big 1st birthday and we are continuing with her baby led weaning.

The only major con I would say about it is that it can be very messy esp in the beginning.

Unlike the previous posts I made the mistake of buying an expensive high chair - a cheaper option def would have been easier to clean. You will need to put something under it. I have taken to putting newspaper under it as I can through them straight out!

Other than that though I would def say it is worth it!!

Even for people who are doing purees I think it is a good idea to even let babies touch and feel a new food every time they eat. Babies love copying what you do, and touching and feeling things, so it is exactly the same with food.

And long term I hope it helps us avoid any food issues.

Tonight for instance after her spag bol Annabelle insisted on having an apple (that was on the table in fruit bowl) for desert so she had it.

We could not give her lettuce at the beginning because we were worried she would choke on it but now she demands it if we are having it. I think any 'method' that gets a baby demanding lettuce to eat must be a good one!

Like above, we have porridge with yoghurt (loaded spoon), lots of things on toast (banana, avocado, egg). Anything really.

In the beginning though you may find that your baby does not eat that much. But do not worry! Babies will make sure they eat enough and they do not know that food fills them up for a while.

Overall try to not the force your baby to eat anything. Last week Annabelle ate little but she is eating lots this week so it just shows not to force food on babies.

A word on choking though- I was worried about this (and grandparents esp) but it is very, very rare. Annabelle did cough a few times, but just watch your baby in the beginning and never leave her alone.

Oh and if you are giving her more 'adult' food be careful of added salt. Lots of it in any prepared sauce (we have had to stop using this) and baked beans, cheese, anything smoked and stocks!

I would recommend the book though - I am sure you can get it second hand on Amazon. Baby-led Weaning. Gill Rapley, Tracey Murkett.

Oh and one last thing. BLW is about food but it is also about the way food is eaten. Giving purees to babies usually means they are feed separately. BLW babies are usually feed with the family around the table. Of course this is not always possible and can sometimes be stressful but that is what the book recommends anyway (and one of the main reasons we did it).

I always try to talk to Annabelle as I am eating with her and although I never get an answer and sometimes end up with food in my hair I am hoping it will be worth it in the end!

Good luck!

[bumpy]

Hi Curly Amy

Great to meet you earlier, can you remind me where you got your 'picnic' sheets? Thanks

Cathy

[busymum]

i didn't do baby led weaning with my 1st baby, although the weaning started well by 9-10 months meal times were like a battle ground, throwing plates across the kitchen etc. i didn't exactly do baby led weaning with my 2nd but she was self feeding with hands much earlier and finger foods by 6-7 months, she has a much better relationship with food than 1st baby for many reasons I'm sure, but possibly as a result of this more relaxed approach to feeding.