Baby Led Weaning Support Thread - Part 9

[Buntybear]

Continued from;

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=184657.435#lastPost

Please remember mods are now deleting any posts meant simply to m@rk your spot in a thread, in order to keep the BW boards as neat as can be. Please post an actual comment when you are ready to participate in the discussions.

Chat away 

[Khalam's Mama]

Oh Me 1st.

b has been a bit unwell last few days so not lots of eating going on. He had a good old suck on some homemade chips yesterady and a rusk today. He is now 6mo so i will start offering something at each meal/snack time. My DS1 (28mo) is constantly trying to feed him so he certainly won't get forgotten. He had a few preloaded spoons of wheetabix tonight from K's bowl.

How do you make sweet sugar free muffins creations?

[squeakersmum]

I think I'm definitely going this route with DD but I'm not sure really what the 'rules' are. She enjoys sucking on Organix ricecakes but other than that, every time she gets a tiny bit of anything in her mouth she gags (in an overly dramatic way Lol!). I'm willing to stick with it but the neurotic mother in me worries she's never going to eat anything!!

So far she's 'tried' carrot, broccoli, sweet potato, potato, and banana...I'm not sure that any of it jas actually made it into her mouth though! Other than a massive piece of carrot that she 'bit' off and I had to fish out!

[Khalam's Mama]

Have you looked here?
http://www.babyledweaning.com/

[Papaya]

KM: I discovered a fabulous sugar-free banana cake a couple of days ago - DH and I scoffed as much of it as F. It could probably be made into muffins as well. Recipe is here: http://www.babyledweaning.com/recipes/snacks/frannys-fab-and-healthy-banana-cake/#comment-19371 I was really pleased that she didn't seem to have any reaction to the dairy in it - I think she's already starting to grow out of it a little, so a bit of dairy in cooked things seems to be ok.

squeakersmum: That gag reflex is completely normal and nothing to worry about (although it can put your heart in your mouth a little, eh?). It's common for BLW babies to gag quite a bit at the start, but it passes as they learn about different textures and about how much they need to work something in their mouth before they can swallow. That's one of the differences with BLW - they learn to chew before they learn to swallow, whereas with puree weaning it's the other way around.

Also, I wouldn't worry at this stage about whether your LO is actually eating anything or not. Plenty of time for that - food before one is just for fun! And anyway, you might be surprised when changing nappies over the next few days to find that she must have been...

[Khalam's Mama]

Oh so maybe they have no added sugar just what is in the fruit. I was imagining sweetners or something.

[jay2yay]

Do you all wait an hour after milk before offering food? And I'm curious to hear what you all do when you go out to eat or are at other peoples' houses?

I'm very nervous to give DS whole food in front of other people. #1, they're so criticizing, but #2, he has choked (choked, not gagged) in front of them and it's just uncomfortable.

[creations]

How do you make sweet sugar free muffins creations?

I think I got the recipe from mamacook (lemonthyme)

100g finely grated sweet potato (I used a mix of sweet pot and carrot as didn't have enough sweet pot)
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk
100g sultanas (I used chopped dried apricots as I didn't have sultanas - can you tell I am useless at following recipes?)
2 tbsp veg oil
150g SR flour (bare in mind this means there is some salt in the finished muffin)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

oven 200 - 220 deg C

MIX egg, sweet pot, sultanas, milk, oil, vanilla.
MIX flour and cinnamon in a bowl.
ADD wet mixture (do not over mix)
DOLLOP into cupcake cases or muffin tin (makes 10 - 12 regula cupcake size.  I've also made some in petite four cases, very cute mini muffins)
BAKE 15 - 17 mins (around 10 min for petite four mini muffins on slightly lower oven)

They freeze well and although they are yummiest eaten warm they are ok to defrost and just eat, but you could re-warm them.
I found these quite sweet, like carrot cake, and think they could also be nice with a mascarpone or cream cheese topping added after cooking.

I haven't made any for a while, really must get another batch made.  Chopped prunes are also lovely and sweet, or any sweet dried fruit really.  They are sweeter if the sweet pot/carrot is finely grated rather than coarsely grated.

Yum yum

[DSAN]

Reflux and BLW: compatable or no?

Here is my son's history: we did BLW starting at 6 mos. Ate a bit but not a ton, was just getting more adventurous when his reflux flared really badly and he started refusing all solids (and nursing every 1-2 hours round the clock... fun fun fun!). So we stopped offering solids, on our Dr's advice (to avoid food issues down the line). Now his meds are adjusted and he seems to be much better BUT his Dr said he might do better with really runny purees as we start again so it won't hurt as much if it comes back up...

Toughts?

It really did come back up in chunks, the poor guy. Anyone else's LO's have reflux and have been fine with BLW? I love the philosophy behind BLW and we were having fun with it before... I'm just not sure what to do.

Oh, and I've read all the FAQs boards... last time I asked this question I just got sent there 

[squeakersmum]

My DS had silent reflux until we started solids when it became not so silent. When he had a flare he would bring everything back up - chunks and all - poor guy.

I was always very concerned about it causing food aversions. His flares would last a week or so, usually coinciding with a cold or tooth popping through. Although he would lose interest in food and we had days when he would only eat yoghurt and/or a fruit purée pot right up to about 18 months but he would always get right back on track after the week or so. I just followed his cues.

[Papaya]

Do you all wait an hour after milk before offering food? And I'm curious to hear what you all do when you go out to eat or are at other peoples' houses?

Justine, generally yes - our meals are 1 - 1.5 hours after milk. Sometimes it might be a little earlier/later, for example if as you say we're out or visiting friends. We always just do BLW when we're out, either what we're having or I might have brought something with me. I've never found anyone to be critical, just astounded! But we are foreigners here, so are often seen to do things a bit differently anyway. Some people ask if all foreign babies eat like this Most people seem quite approving actually, when they see how well F eats and how much she enjoys it...but somehow they never believe that their babies could do the same!

[Khalam's Mama]

Not sure about BLW and reflux DSAN. It may be worth posting a question on the main solids board/reflux board to get more eyes on it. We have reflux here too but we have only just started and no issues as yet.

That sounds yummy creations. I will try those muffins for sure.

B seems to be feeling better after his chest infection so we started eating again today. He had some bread and cheese for lunch and some carrot and potato for dinner. Not sure how much went in but it was all over him. I had to wash his hair several times to get it all out. He had a great time.

We tend to have sandwiches/baguettes for lunch most days here. I feel like he always has bread, but I am not keen on it for him because of the salt and low nutrient value. Any ideas?

[Papaya]

Homemade bread? I make my own with oats, rye flour and wholemeal flour - and no salt. It takes a lot less time to prepare than you'd think if you just get into the habit of making a batch of dough a couple of evenings a weeks and popping it in the oven the next morning.

But we do lots of other things for lunch, we only have bread a couple of times a week. How about pasta and sauce, or couscous? They're both fairly fast and easy. Or microwave baked potatoes? Rice crackers? Vegetable fritters (eg carrot or courgette)? Fish cakes made with mashed potato, finely chopped onion and garlic and flaked fish? These last two can be in the freezer and reheated when you want them.

I also think it's fine to have meals with no carbs at this stage - just a fruit salad and yoghurt, or scrambled egg (or egg yolk, if avoiding whites) with tomato wedges... we often have leftovers from dinner the night before too, if it's something suitable for reheating.
With milk being the main source of nutrition still I personally wouldn't worry about it being a 'balanced meal' - just a healthy one

[creations]

I feel like he always has bread, but I am not keen on it for him because of the salt and low nutrient value. Any ideas?

I buy the organix goodies biscuits, sugar, salt and baddy free.  You might not like th idea of shopping down the baby food aisle (I wear a balaclava when I go down there ) but they are a good alternative to bread.  I think of them as both sweet and savory so will spread with houmus or top with cheese or cream cheese, avocado etc or just serve everything separately but have those as the carbs.

I feel like I get stuck for carbs.  He doesn't like rice or potato (he will sometimes eat roast potato but they take SO long to b=cook that I can't make them all the time) so it's either wheat bread or wheat pasta here!  He does like sweet potato but atm we are avoiding orange foods in case that's what causes his bum burn.

[creations]

Heather, my DS has silent reflux so of course it is different.  He does sometimes bring up a big chunk of something though, if he has swallowed something way too big he hacks it up again (and then usually tries to eat it again - nice!).  I would have thought that solids would improve both reflux or silent reflux as solid food stays down so much easier than milk.  Sorry can't be of much help, only know that with DS's silent reflux he was so glad to get real food that he enthusiastically went all out on eating straight away, it was far more comfortable for him.

If you do choose to go with BLW I would avoid spaghetti and noodles...they aren't nice when brought up and get stuck half in half out (I found a noodle half out of DS's bum during nappy change - possibly tmi eh!)