Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread #2

[grahamsmama]

I'm glad Alice seems to be on the mend.

[lovedtodeath]

Glad Alice is doing better. I recommend you check out probiotics for her:

http://forum.kellymom.net/showthread.php?t=61806

I know he is allergic to these because he throws up if I have them (breastfed) His sister did the same thing but she was allergic to twice as much stuff. I also got him tested. He should outgrow the tea, mushrooms, garlic and onion soon. Yeast, oats and coffee turned up "avoid at all costs".

Tried pancakes again. Added tapioca flour and baking powder to his sorghum porridge. He ate a lot, at least six bites, and only one small gag. I will just have to make sure my leftovers are not stiff I think.

TTFN

[Lippy Chick]

I'm glad too that Alice seems to be doing better, thank you.

I think a lot of people just assume they have allergies when they don't, or assume their allergic to something when it's something completely different.  I saw a programme last week about allergies and every person tested wasn't allergic to what they thought they were.  Food allergies and intolerances are incredibly rare, but I am glad you have sought professional help and had him tested properly.

Am I being dim, but what is sorghum?  I've never heard of it.  As someone who has a Scottish mother, she would say that porridge made with anything other than oats isn't porridge.    Have to say I can't stand the stuff myself.

He sounds like he's doing really well on his BLW.  I hope you feel more encouraged to stick with it.

Pauline

[grahamsmama]

Tried pancakes again. Added tapioca flour and baking powder to his sorghum porridge. He ate a lot, at least six bites, and only one small gag. I will just have to make sure my leftovers are not stiff I think.

Sounds good! 

[rob1lu2]

Talk about BLW  - went to dinner last night, had Sylvie in my lap, and as my plate was served, I wasn't paying attention and she pulled the entire plate toward her and was about to scoop a handful of refried beans into her mouth!!

OK, someone remind me, patiently, lovingly, that with BLW you don't have to go by the MD's recommendations of when to feed food, and give it the 3-5 day wait. You feed them what you eat. Right?

I wanted to give her stuff from my plate, but was worried. I am sorely lacking confidence!

Lu

[grahamsmama]

You feed them anything as long as it isn't a "major" allergy food (although those recommendations seem to vary- strawberry, shellfish, anything to which there is a family history of an intolerance/allergy.  I would think refried beans should be fine.  The difference with BLW is that the solids aren't replacing the milk feedings as quickly as spoon feeding, so each individual food isn't going to be given in as great a quantity.  I was worried about this too until this week, especially the protein foods because our pedi said 9 months, but how much protein is she really getting with 4-5 bites of yogurt or beans? 

[Bryony]

I am not sure what the official line is - but I offer Katie whatever I am having - except shellfish, honey and nuts.  However the first time I gave her anything from any major new food group (dairy, wheat, meat, berries) I tried to make sure I hadn't given her anything else new, so that if she had any kind of reaction I would know what it is to. For me this seemed a practical mid-line approach...

Bryony
 

[MJMom]

I'm a big believer still in the 3 day wait regardless.  Mostly because MJ had colic-symptoms when she was 3 weeks and turned out to be a dairy issue.  I'd rather know what was causing the issue and not have to guess like I did then.

But even with the 3 day wait, we've got a pretty big repertoire.

[Aly Mac]

Yeh any major food group, or something a little out of the ordinary (like refried beans ) I would wait the 3 days....

[lovedtodeath]

I was planning on waiting the three days... but since Jake was already tested I am being a little lenient. More like 2 new foods every three days instead of just one.

I know what you mean about food allergies. Some breastfed babies spit up because of overactive letdown and a lot of mommies do not know about it and start eliminating foods. A whole lot of worry and trouble and not fixing the problem. Food allergies can have you baffled, too. If I had to guess my way through I would have stopped eating wheat and kept the yeast, which would not have solved anything. Then what would I do? Glad I had help.

[lovedtodeath]

Sorghum is also called Milo. It is gluten-free and the best gluten-free sub for white flour, used in many recipes. A variety is grown in the US as cattle feed and in use for molasses. It is grown in Africa for human consumption. Nutritional values are similar to Maize with additional protein. I get it from Bob's Red Mill. It is the only grain recommended by specialfoods.com, a website for those with multiple allergies. Other foods there are not grains, but grain alternates from seeds or tubers (amaranth, tapioca)

I use a lot of exotic hypo-allergenic foods since my first baby was allergic to wheat, oats, and buckwheat; we thought we had to go gluten-free but after trying barley and rye, found otherwise. I prefer Jake's first foods to be rare, so if he develops allergies, they will be easier to avoid in the future. So, more than you wanted to know I am sure!

[Lippy Chick]

lovedtodeath.  Thanks for your reply.  I'm not sure we have it in the UK, maybe someone else can correct that.  I've certainly not heard of it.

About what foods to avoid.  I was told to avoid all those foods we avoided during pregnancy.  They seem to be changing their minds about nuts.  I saw on the news last week that they're not going to recommend pregnant women cut out nuts any more.  They think this could be adding to the increase in nut allergy.  My sister-in-law has developed a nut allergy recently and so we've been advised to stay away from all nuts until she's one.  There is the debate about the immune system needing certain foods, bugs etc to build up immunity to them and by not giving them and being so sterile these days their immune system is not getting this chance and so building up allergies instead.  I think they're doing research at a Uni in England by giving nuts to children over 18 months for 3 years to see what happens.  I can't remember where I saw that, probably the news again.  The debate will go on and we'll be the ones trying to implement and fumble our way through all the advice.

Haven't been on much in the past day or so and won't be much this weekend either.  Alice's Thanksgiving Service and loads of family visiting.

Pauline

[rob1lu2]

OK! So next time I'll let her scoop up a handful of refried beans, and wait afterwards to see how she does.

I am Mexican, after all. They have to start on refried beans sometime! Now about those corn tortillas...

Good luck with Alice's Thanksgiving, Paula. Hope it is wonderful!

[MJMom]

I am Mexican, after all. They have to start on refried beans sometime! Now about those corn tortillas...

and every country has their own recommendations... If Mexican babies can have corn tortillas, why not yours?

[grahamsmama]

Meghan had garlic naan tonight when we went out for Indian food.  She sucked all the garlic off and spit out the bread- LOL.  I know I may be jinxing myself but this baby is a delight to take out to eat.  Maybe I'm just comparing her relative calm to the antics of her siblings (Elizabeth was pretending her plate and fork were drums and screams loudly (in a very quiet, dark restuarant- where I probably should not have had my children to begin with- Let's Dance!!!!!)