Baby Led Weaning (BLW)

tinkerbell

Just thought I'd give this thread a bump for more tips!

cyning

I reccomend a steam cleaner for the mess

Lola92

cyning wrote: »

I reccomend a steam cleaner for the mess

Dogs are even better

rrrachy

Found this thread useful. . Thanks. Im getting ready to try BLW in a few weeks.. ive ordered the book.. my question is.. if reducing salt in family meals... can u use a different baby friendly stock cube? I dont add salt to food but id use a veg stock cube in alot of things

nikpmup

Boots do stock cubes in vegetable, beef or chicken with no salt

kandr10

nikpmup wrote: »

Boots do stock cubes in vegetable, beef or chicken with no salt

These are great. Not quite as much flavour though. They're in the section with baby foods.

How Strange

The baby stock cubes are so bland that you'd be better off using none or making your own stock. I stopped using them and just adapted how I cooked. Every so often if the mood took me I'd make chicken stock from a carcass and freeze it in small quantities.

Doing this kind of weaning has made is pretty much eliminate salt from cooking apart from maybe a pinch.

tinkerbell

Regarding salt, is passata ok? It says salt 0.4g per 100g - I'm a bit confused as to what's acceptable. And what about herbs, black pepper etc?

When starting off did you just do one meal a day and then increase it gradually or what? When did you start using pre-loaded spoons? Any tips on what bread to use for toast (because of the salt content) or did you bake your own bread? When did you introduce gluten foods? What about water? Tap / cool boiled or bottled water? Did you use a Doidy cup or a sippy? Gosh so many questions, sorry!

How Strange

I never stressed too much about salt content with the exception of particularly salty things like stock cubes or sausages. I'd avoid processed foods as well for the same reason. I always used garlic, tumeric, cumin, ginger and herbs from the start as we use them a lot in cooking. Even curry as long as it's mild.

I started gradually probably with toast and fruit pieces. Boiled egg was always a hit from day one.

Other than that I'd just give a little of what we were eating. I always used brown bread. I like the hovis one in lidl. I introduced a sippy cup of water at meal time just to start the habit.

I love the lidl Greek style yoghurt as it's so thick so doesn't go everywhere once they want to use a spoon themselves. Again it's the yoghurt we eat too.

The only thing I've never been a big fan if, because of the mess, is soup. I don't like having to scrub my walls and ceiling every day.

It's recommended to introduce gluten between 6-7 months to reduce risk of coeliac disease. However toast was one of the first things I gave both because they can suck on it and still spit it out once they're finished.

Roesy

tinkerbell wrote: »

Regarding salt, is passata ok? It says salt 0.4g per 100g - I'm a bit confused as to what's acceptable. And what about herbs, black pepper etc?

When starting off did you just do one meal a day and then increase it gradually or what? When did you start using pre-loaded spoons? Any tips on what bread to use for toast (because of the salt content) or did you bake your own bread? When did you introduce gluten foods? What about water? Tap / cool boiled or bottled water? Did you use a Doidy cup or a sippy? Gosh so many questions, sorry!

Hey Tinkerbell,
I think everyone has loads of questions starting out! There's a good baby led weaning-starting solids in Ireland Facebook page. The passata would be fine, as would the herbs, black pepper is grand too provided it's not completely laden(even though I'm sure there are some babies who like that!!).

The reason we ended up going down the self feeding path was because the first few times we started feeding her she kept grabbing the spoon and was pretty nimble at getting it into her own mouth.

I just used normal bread, our local shop has a nice sliced pan that isn't too bad in terms of salt. Can't remember the brand. We offered bread at around 6.5 months. Toasted bread with a bit of butter cut into fingers. The amount they'll ingest in the beginning is small anyway.

Apparently tap water is fine from 6 months(according to my phn anyway). I kept up with the cool boiled water for a month or two after that though. Think it was just habit. We used both doidy and sippy. For us it suited to have her used to both when we were out and about the doidy was a bit messy.

I suppose I would have offered food once a day in the very early days but soon got into the habit of just offering her suitable bits from our plates whenever we were eating.

tinkerbell

Ok some questions for you all - how did you start with meat?

Oh and also ... What was the reaction from your health nurse regarding BLW?

nac4bie

tinkerbell wrote: »

Ok some questions - how did you start with meat?

Oh and also ... What was the reaction from your health nurse regarding BLW?

My PHN had never even heard of BLW, and she was appalled at the idea! She was pregnant herself. My GP knew nothing of it either. You get used to smiling and nodding!

Conversely, Holles St had posters up advocating it when I was pregnant.

As regards meat, in my experience, it's hard work! My baby still only has a couple of teeth (at 15 months) and much prefers fruit and veg and cheese etc, I guess because it's easier to "taste" than meat is.

RentDayBlues

tinkerbell wrote: »

Ok some questions for you all - how did you start with meat?

Oh and also ... What was the reaction from your health nurse regarding BLW?

Pieces of chicken and beef, big enough to hold not too small to swallow. They get most of nutrients from the juices. I did meatballs using mince, always went down really well

I got lots of eye rolling from my phn but at the end of the day they are my children and the phn's opinion is just that, an opinion, not gospel. I came across some very bad ones, who gave such awful advice that was their views not those of the hse

cyning

tinkerbell wrote: »

Ok some questions for you all - how did you start with meat?

Oh and also ... What was the reaction from your health nurse regarding BLW?

I tore up a boiled chicken breast: tore as opposed to cut so it went with the grain of the meat if that makes sense? Meat balls made with mince are another hit if messy, and she loves a very nice tender steak they can chew meat with no teeth so wouldn't let that worry you!

Ah phn was ok but when my first little girl was anaemic it was reccomended I spoon feed: I see the point, but we always did a combo. Second time round her reflux was so awful she refused spoon so phn was just grateful she was eating anything! I tried to spoonfeed her but she would get so distressed she wouldn't eat anything.

How Strange

The phn on my son was so adamant that even at 6 months we start with 2 teaspoons of puréed stewed apple etc etc that I just nodded my head and did my own thing. On my daughter, a different phn was saying the same about weaning after 6 months so again I nodded my head and said nothing. I understand they have to be over cautious but for them it's purées and spoons and nothing else.

lazygal

The few phns I've met all seemed to have received their advice from the baby food companies on weaning. I did my own thing. You can opt out of the system. If we have any more I won't bother with phns, as I never felt their advice was any great shakes.

tinkerbell

Thanks for the advice everyone. Met the PHN a few days ago and she didn't seem to know much / wasn't impressed about BLW. She also advised that milk feeds should drop and to offer solids before milk feeds. The BLW book says to offer milk first, then solids - is that what you all did? I'm just gonna ignore what she said and keep going as I am - milk feeds first then food around an hour later.

lazygal

Don't drop any milk feeds. According to WHO milk should remain the main source of nutrition until a child is one. I exclusively BF my second and he didn't drop any feeds and fed on demand, and still managed to eat solids no bother! Sometimes I wonder if PHNs get consistent training. I'm at the stage where friends have babies and I have other mammy friends and we all seem to hear different things from the PHNs we encounter, more than a small amount of which is wildly at odds with best practice from bodies such as WHO. A child will naturally drop a feed when they don't need one, but I wouldn't actively cut them out when starting solids.

tinkerbell

Yeah I thought her "advice" was best ignored. I certainly don't plan on following what she said about dropping milk feeds or offering solids before breastmilk. It really annoyed me that they are giving incorrect advice. Is it any wonder why breastfeeding rates are so low in this country from 6 months? Sure if you followed that advice and tried to stuff baby with solids rather than milk, they'd wean a lot earlier which is not what you want. I wonder is most of this "advice" coming from baby food manufacturers.

lazygal

I'm very cynical about the hold formula companies have here, given the amount we manufacture for export, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if companies like Cow and Gate 'sponsor' training for people in the PHN system. The PNHs I met are obsessed with weights and figures, and not really au fait with how breastfed babies are fed or gain weight. All of the measurements on my first wear geared towards how many ounces she had drunk and how many feeds she was on and so on. It was marginally better on my second but there is a lack basic knowledge of anything beyond pureed food and formula.

lazygal

Actually you've just reminded me of something I was told on my first. I went for a visit when my baby was about six months and just before we started weaning. The PHN was very nice and asked me if I was still breastfeeding, which I was, supplemented with one bottle of formula before bed. She then said something like "Well six months is the age a lot of women start dropping the breastfeeds and giving more bottles". I had enough knowledge to know this was a comment, rather than advice, but I wonder if she said the same to other women who then second guessed themselves and thought they should be changing over to formula?

pwurple

tinkerbell wrote: »

Yeah I thought her "advice" was best ignored. I certainly don't plan on following what she said about dropping milk feeds or offering solids before breastmilk. It really annoyed me that they are giving incorrect advice. Is it any wonder why breastfeeding rates are so low in this country from 6 months? Sure if you followed that advice and tried to stuff baby with solids rather than milk, they'd wean a lot earlier which is not what you want. I wonder is most of this "advice" coming from baby food manufacturers.

PHN's in my experience vary between modern, well trained and highly competent, to completely off the wall and downright dangerous.

I've heard of them recommending putting egg white on nappy rash (can kill a child with an egg allergy), homeopathy (ridiculous quackery), discouraging breastfeeding, encouraging early weaning, encouraging fillers like babyrice. All sorts of nonsense. And that's if they even follow up with the child. My eldest completely fell through the cracks after her first two visits, never heard from them again.

And then there are excellent ones as well. It's very hit and miss, and I'd say it due to entrenched older beliefs overriding any training they received since.

?Cee?view

Just wanted to add a little encouragement here.

Our two are 4 and a half and 1 and a half. Both BLW and both thriving.

The great thing is that meals are a pleasure we share with our little ones. There's a great sharing feeling to truly eating with children rather than feeding them processed muck.

Have faith in BLW and keep at it. As for breast feeding, listen to the WHO, not some PHNs who are not up to date on current best practice.

seventeen sheep

None of the PHNs I was in touch with had ever heard of BLW, and were quite shocked at the concept, telling me to stick to purees as baby would choke. I was surprised at their lack of knowledge, as one of them was pregnant and the other two had young children themselves ... fair enough if they didn't choose it for their own babies, but I just thought it very odd that they weren't even familiar with the idea. Both as mothers themselves, and also because of their profession.

On the other hand, Holles St had posters up promoting BLW in the antenatal care waiting room when I was pregnant.

There's a Facebook group called "Baby Led Weaning (Starting Solids) in Ireland", great for information and recipes, especially for those just starting off.

We didn't do proper BLW - I'm a big believer in the philosophy behind it, however with my son starting creche at six months, I wasn't convinced that it would work in that sort of environment. E.g. I'd be afraid that if he started to gag slightly, someone might dive in to get the food out of his mouth, possibly causing him to actually choke. Also I wasn't convinced that he'd be given the time needed for meals, and I think his minders would have been antsy about whether he was actually getting enough food into him. And I didn't like the idea of him being "segregated" at mealtimes, seeing all of the other babies being spoonfed while he was left fend for himself. I know he was probably too young to notice, but I didn't like the idea!

So I let them feed him purees in creche, but asked them to move on to chunkier finger food as soon as possible, and also stressed that we don't mind at all if he doesn't finish his meals, he can decide himself when he's done. At home, we've stuck to mostly finger food that he feeds himself. So basically what we've done is traditional weaning (which is supposed to incorporate finger foods along with purees) - however we've done so with a good understanding of the principles of BLW. So there'll be no "here comes the airplane" etc! When at home, he feeds himself and eats what we eat. It works for us!

If we had another baby, I think we'd get a childminder, and one of the things we'd look for is one who is familiar with BLW - so we'd probably be able to do it "properly" next time. I've no regrets about how things worked out this time around though, I guess you just have to go with what works out best for your own baby and your own family.

How Strange

seventeen sheep both of mine started crèche at 6 months and I never expected the crèche to do blw with them so their meals were puréed. However I always sent in finger foods for snacks and we did blw at home. It worked out fine. Like all things you have to adapt to your own circumstances.

My mother, a seasoned childminder, still thinks blw is some crazy voodoo even after seeing how my two got on with it. She'd sit there doing airplanes with the other kids, coaxing them to eat the puréed gunk at 10/11 months and didn't see how my daughter sitting beside her was feeding herself and having a great time.

The NHS in uk now promote blw as a way of weaning. Maybe in 10 years the HSE will catch up.

lazygal

I sent in food to my minder. I never mentioned baby led weaning, I just said we only gave finger foods. I think the phrase baby led weaning can cause confusion so I just left it out. I specifically only gave food that couldn't be pureed. I've two with her now and no hassle at all.

dori_dormer

I know a few people who have asked for the meals from older rooms be given to their babies. There wasn't any issues with it as far as I know

madeinamerica

lazygal wrote: »

I sent in food to my minder. I never mentioned baby led weaning, I just said we only gave finger foods. I think the phrase baby led weaning can cause confusion so I just left it out. I specifically only gave food that couldn't be pureed. I've two with her now and no hassle at all.

Good idea with the phrase. 'Baby led weaning' doesn't really mean much when y think about it.

kandr10

madeinamerica wrote: »

Good idea with the phrase. 'Baby led weaning' doesn't really mean much when y think about it.

Yeah I thought that myself. I suppose it's led by the baby in every sense - they choose how much to eat and physically move it up to their mouths themselves. I have to say though that spoon feeding doesn't mean purées For ages and here comes the aeroplane. I still tried to take my cues from the baby and stopped offering the spoon when she was clearly done, for example. as soon as she was able, I gave her finger foods and lumpy foods. Tried to encourage her to feed herself as much as possible and she's having great success with cutlery lately. I feel my approach was largely, if not entirely, baby led but yet it wasn't subscribing to 'baby led weaning'. It's an interesting choice of words.

madeinamerica

My fella ate a lump of dry clay in the park on Sunday! babies don't always lead us the right way

We're having a good time with it so far. Just gave him a bit of fish with dinner for the first time, he actually liked it and was looking for more. Not so fond of scrambled eggs the other day though he kept eating it despite pulling faces...

I'm giving him water in a sippy cup from ikea but he just chews on the spout so I just gave him the cup itself. Messy though! Any tips on helping him to drink from a cup? It's only about his third time, I wasnt giving it till recently. He's 7.5 months.