Baby Led Weaning (BLW)

How Strange

littlemissfixit I think I gave steamed carrot sticks, roasted carrot sticks, roasted parsnip sticks, roasted red pepper (skin off), ripe pear, melon chunks, halved or quartered grapes or strawberries, blueberries, toast, French toast, omelette cut into strips, pasta in tomato sauce or bolognaise, chunks of meat or fish, pieces of grilled beef burger, fish cakes cut into quarters, balls of porridge, noodles, pancake torn into large pieces.

In fact they can be given anything except for very small things which may be a choking hazard, honey or nuts. I avoided very hard things too and found he couldn't handle rice cakes until about 11 months. The organix biscuits for 6 months + are a great standby as are their corn snacks.

I gave egg at 6 months and he was fine. I thought egg white was ok again unless, as you say, there's an allergy in the family.

IvyTheTerrible

Our pediatrician says start with one egg yolk a week at eight months, but absolutely no egg white till he's a year old. To be honest I would prefer to be safe than sorry, there is no egg allergy in the family but I don't know what mix of genes the baby got!

We started solid food at 4.5 months. No baby rice, because that isn't sold over here much. I started at midday with a few teaspoons of vegetable puree (carrots, peas, things like that). No potato to start as that is tough on the stomach to begin with. I started fruit purees a few weeks later (apparently it's better to start with veg before fruit, because of the sweetness of the fruit, if you start fruit first, the baby may refuse the relatively bland veg after). Then once he was on about 80g of each a day, I started added baby yoghurts after each meal. Oh yes a tip, when you start a new veg or fruit or whatever, give it to the baby for a couple of days in a row, don't give anything else new on those days, that way if your baby is allergic, you will spot it and be easily able to eliminate the offender!

liliq

I gave quarters of boiled egg at around 6.5?months after starting baby led weaning at 5.5 months.

missis aggie

Same here - boiled or scrambled eggs at 6.5 months ( blw from 6 months) she loved it, never had problems

lounakin

I do a bit of BLW and a bit of spoon feeding. We started our daughter at 5 months, finally giving in as she had been chewing and grabbing food off our plates for two months!
I bought the mesh feeder, which is incredibly handy as you don't have to worry about choking. I also give her purées which I make myself, she loves trying new things. She could use the pincer grip by 5 months so I also give her bits of food to put in her mouth herself, she adores that and chews them with her little budding teeth!
She's 6.5 months old and I think she's still pretty much getting all her nutrients from nursing, food is really just exploration for now and just like pwurple I let her eat as much as she likes. Sometimes she'll ask for seconds and sometimes she won't have anything at all.
Her favourite thing is still the feeder, she'll suck the life out of apples and bananas through this thing!
She never gagged with anything I gave her except when I tried carbs for the first time. I usually steam everything and then blend it, so I used one sweet potato and a tiny tiny bit of garlic. That purée made her gag a lot so I didn't insist. At first I thought it was the garlic but I think it's the texture which was much more doughy than the puréed carrots or broccoli she usually gets.
As for spices, I think it depends on the type of food you are used to. I tend to put a little flavour enhancers in my daughter's food if I think it's too bland, it's usually ginger, garlic, olive oil or onion. I can't wait to give her basil and thyme etc... when it's more in season.
I would love to give her what I eat but we usually have stuff she can't have (meat fried on the pan, pasta, bread etc).

lounakin

liliq wrote: »

I gave quarters of boiled egg at around 6.5?months after starting baby led weaning at 5.5 months.

ooh!! I didn't know you could give them eggs this young!

liliq

lounakin wrote: »

ooh!! I didn't know you could give them eggs this young!

The only things I avoided were honey until 12 months, nuts due to choking hazard, same with apple...
I don't cool anything with salt now, so everything else is fair game!

Suucee

My LO is a great eater, eats 3 good meals but i always give her some food to play around with herself. she loves toast, carrots, organix biscotti, rice cakes, not great fan of pasta but she keeps trying it. She puts it in to her mouth makes a face, pulls it out looks at it and puts it in again. Its so funny watching her. Gave her banana yesterday. Was so proud watching her just pick it up take a bite and chew away while looking at the rest in her hand . I was thinking to myself how clever she is. 7 months old sitting in her high chair munching away.
My mother and MIL always have a heart attack when i hand her something . Saying shes too young she'l choke etc.

Ms2011

lounakin wrote: »

I would love to give her what I eat but we usually have stuff she can't have (meat fried on the pan, pasta, bread etc).

Why can't she have meat, pasta or bread? My son was eating all of these by 6.5 months

How Strange

Yep I agree with Ms2011. Weaning irrespective of whether it's blw or purées or spoonfeeding or a combination of every style works best when you all eat the same food. After 6 months a baby can pretty much have everything (except salt, salty food, honey, nuts and other obvious choking hazards)

lounakin

Ms2011 wrote: »

Why can't she have meat, pasta or bread? My son was eating all of these by 6.5 months

The meat is usually fried in the pan... not the healthiest! And where I come from pasta and bread are given a little later. Besides, there's no real benefit to bread and pasta...

Ms2011

lounakin wrote: »

The meat is usually fried in the pan... not the healthiest! And where I come from pasta and bread are given a little later. Besides, there's no real benefit to bread and pasta...

I don't think there is much benefit to most foods until one when they begin to rely less on milk. Maybe grill the meat & give wholegrain bread & pasta. I found as I was giving my son healthier options of our dinner I was actually unintentionally improving my own diet :-)

ceadaoin.

lounakin wrote: »

The meat is usually fried in the pan... not the healthiest! And where I come from pasta and bread are given a little later. Besides, there's no real benefit to bread and pasta...

There is a benefit for the little one though..they can explore new food and textures and learn that eating a meal is a social occasion. I found pasta and toast both great when my daughter first started blw. It was easy for her to pick up.

lounakin

ceadaoin. wrote: »

There is a benefit for the little one though..they can explore new food and textures and learn that eating a meal is a social occasion. I found pasta and toast both great when my daughter first started blw. It was easy for her to pick up.

I see what you mean, but I think there are many textures to be found in food that isn't known to be problematic for many people. Bread and pasta have gluten (gluten free... we tried but we found it disgusting), wheat and other things that are not that easy to digest for adults so I don't want to give it to her so early.

IvyTheTerrible

lounakin wrote: »

I see what you mean, but I think there are many textures to be found in food that isn't known to be problematic for many people. Bread and pasta have gluten (gluten free... we tried but we found it disgusting), wheat and other things that are not that easy to digest for adults so I don't want to give it to her so early.

Actually there is research out there that suggests a small amount of gluten should be given around the 7 month mark to avoid a gluten allergy later on (at least that's what our pediatrician told us).

lounakin

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Actually there is research out there that suggests a small amount of gluten should be given around the 7 month mark to avoid a gluten allergy later on (at least that's what our pediatrician told us).

Yes that's what they told me too, but my baby isn't 7 months yet, that's why I don't give it to her for the moment.

littlemissfixit

I gave purees to my daughter from 4 half months starting with cereals, moving onto fruits, veg etc. What is probably the most traditional route nowadays. With my son, I wanted to wait as it is recommended with exclusive bfeeding to wait to 6 months. I gave him a bit of cereals at 5 & half months, mainly to figure out was he ready for weaning. I wanted to avoid doing the same as I did with my daughter which was that I was so paranoid about what food she could and couldnt have, or would choke on that I really didnt introduce enough foods in their proper form. I believe that this is to blame for the fact that she for example loves brocoli in her pasta sauce or her mash, but wouldnt dream touching one just steamed on its own never mind eating it! She'll get over it Im sure but for the moment I have to "camouflage" a whole lot of food for her to get it.
So my dear son has now had steamed carrots, steamed parsnips, steamed brocolis (he loved probably mainly for the absolute mess it made!), pear... I also give him purees, load the spoon and let him play with it a bit. I think I just cant hand the whole control of it to him and I think its handy to have him used to spoonfeeding as well, especially if he will go to childminder.

As for the comment on starting vegs before fruits, read that too and done it with my daughter but she still has the sweetest tooth. I gave my son fruit first just to see but he actually liked carrots and brocoli just as much as pears and a lot better than apples so I guess its just luck of the draw!

lounakin

Back in the day (let's say... 30 years ago!) they told parents to give orange juice to babies for vitamin D. I was the first child so my mum gave me orange in my bottle, I would become violently ill! The acidity was too much. I now have a hiatus hernia... not saying it's linked but I like to make her feel guilty

pwurple

lounakin wrote: »

Back in the day (let's say... 30 years ago!) they told parents to give orange juice to babies for vitamin D. I was the first child so my mum gave me orange in my bottle, I would become violently ill! The acidity was too much. I now have a hiatus hernia... not saying it's linked but I like to make her feel guilty

Weird. Vitamin D is not even naturally found in oranges. A naked run around in the garden would have been a better idea!

lounakin

pwurple wrote: »

Weird. Vitamin D is not even naturally found in oranges. A naked run around in the garden would have been a better idea!

Ha ha ha!! Would you believe that was one of my favourite things to do apparently. I'm from a sunny place so I got to do that a lot.

bozharry

Hi all, I have been baby led weaning with dd2 since she was about 6 months, started weaning at 5 months the traditional way (as I did with ds and dd1) but dd2 became severely constipated so I stopped. I then said I would give baby led a shot as I thought she would only eat what she was ready to eat, but she has been constipated since again. She is breastfed most of the time with an odd bottle at night if I have a drink( maybe once a week) Just wondering if anyone can offer advice.? She only eats fruit and veg, very little potato/banana/carrot etc any idea what I could do to help her, she is really upset when pooing but all doc advises is duphaloc

lounakin

bozharry wrote: »

Hi all, I have been baby led weaning with dd2 since she was about 6 months, started weaning at 5 months the traditional way (as I did with ds and dd1) but dd2 became severely constipated so I stopped. I then said I would give baby led a shot as I thought she would only eat what she was ready to eat, but she has been constipated since again. She is breastfed most of the time with an odd bottle at night if I have a drink( maybe once a week) Just wondering if anyone can offer advice.? She only eats fruit and veg, very little potato/banana/carrot etc any idea what I could do to help her, she is really upset when pooing but all doc advises is duphaloc

A nurse friend of mine from germany uses fennel and chamomile herbal tea with her daughter. My daughter got constipated once, it was a very traumatic experience for her as well as her dad and me because she was screaming in pain while pooping . Anyway, she sent me the herbal tea and I've been giving it to her regularly and we haven't had a problem since.

cyning

My little girl suffers with constipation it's awful on them: I know your doing blw but would you try stewed plums or prunes? Up the amount of water she drinks too... It does help. C takes lactolose twice a day and glycerine suppositories once it gets to the third day of no pooing but I've found with the plum pots (the ones I use are plum and apple) and increased water she's going without the suppository now a lot of the time. Prune juice mixed in with their water can help too.

How Strange

I gave lots of pear and prunes in yoghurt for constipation. Soft ruits in general worked welll. A certain degree of constipation is to be expected when they start on solids first.

Avoid too much banana or eggs or other binding foods.

bozharry

Thanks lounakin, do you just brew normal (herbal)tea bags and let her drink from a cup? I am sprinkling milled linseed on her food but she is not drinking much from a cup yet, have tried to increase breastfeeds but she is just not interested! Stressing me out cause I went through this with ds and he ended up with a nasty tear, went on for nearly a year with him but he just grew out of it in the end! Hate seeing her in pain

lounakin

bozharry wrote: »

Thanks lounakin, do you just brew normal (herbal)tea bags and let her drink from a cup? I am sprinkling milled linseed on her food but she is not drinking much from a cup yet, have tried to increase breastfeeds but she is just not interested! Stressing me out cause I went through this with ds and he ended up with a nasty tear, went on for nearly a year with him but he just grew out of it in the end! Hate seeing her in pain

I brew it, two bags for about a litre of water and put it in a bottle. She doesn't drink much from the bottle so I alternate with a sippy cup or even from a regular cup.

bozharry

Thanks how strange, this is the problem, I have been giving her all the foods to ease constipation and avoiding the problem foods( carrot,potato,banana etc) but she is still having problems. As I said in a previous post I went through this with ds 2 years ago but it was only when he weaned from the boob, so formula was the main issue. I researched all the foods at that stage so I know what to give/not to give now , but still having problems, really don't want it to get worse

bozharry

dd will only drink boobymilk/ formula from a bottle, even tried brown suger and water in desperation when it started but she would still only drink an ounce or so. She tries to chew a sippy cup so the best option is a normal cup but still does not take much in. Will try over the next few days , might work with the linseed, thank you

littlemissfixit

If your Bfeeding you can also drink prune juice (or all other drinks meant to help bm) yourself and it should help her too.
Weethabix seems to do wonders with my daughter when she has a hard time going.

IvyTheTerrible

My little man occasionally gets constipation. I make sure never ever to give him carrots and banana the same day. Also, I never give him carrots for his midday meal and his dinner. If I give him carrots for his dinner, I'll give him pear or apple or prunes for his "gouter" at four. He's too young for it yet, but orange juice is good for helping prevent constipation.