Baby-led Weaning Support Thread Part 3

[VickyB20]

Bryony - that's a tricky one.  I still face the dilemma with Ella who's 2.  I find that if I relax about it, life is much less stressful (... which sounds kind of obvious reading that back!!)  Anyhow, I just go with my instinct on the day.  She's been poorly the last few days and hasn't had a proper meal now since Friday.  However, I know now, from experience, that as soon as she's better, she'll eat like a pig for about a week to make up the lost calories!  So I don't worry about it anymore.

However, with the boys, they wake up earlier in the morning - very hungry and screaming for it - if they don't eat as much solids during the day.  However, I'd prefer to respond to that need than to let them get used to filling up on cheesestrings, rusks or white bread (the 3 things that they will always eat more of if I let them!!)  So I think it's down to personal preference really.

She won't starve herself and as long as you're able to respond to her hunger cues if they don't fit into set meal times, then all will be well.

Vicky
xx

[~*Sugar*~]

Thanks for the welcome Pauline.I found the thread you were talking about and read it and many others.I find this whole BLW very interesting and wondered how long has it been around for?I never heard of it before until i found this website and was still not convincedit was a good idea but we are trying it and its going well so far.Also tonight he had a few of those baby puffs made by gerber.I held it in my finger until he had enough saliva on it to soften it and then let him take over and he ate about 12 of these little bites and only gagged once.A couple times he even seemed to be chewing and not just swallowing.It was fun to watch him.Myself,my older son and my hubby all sat around the table and watched him...lol.Wish i had known all this with my first son.He was a terrible eater and still is...he hates certain textures and will gag if made to try them and totally refuses to eat red meat (except hamburger) and green veggies are out of the question and hes 13.God help his future wife when she tries to cook for him...lol

Christina

[lovedtodeath]

I got J a booster seat with a tray and LOVE it!! He cannot throw food as far and therefore doesn't. There is less mess...I set it either in a laundry basket or directly on the floor. I can pick the entire thing up and brush it off/ wash in sink, and then the floor is easier to clean the little mess that is there b/c it is clear. I can use it on the table or strap it to a chair too. I think the resale shop will be getting the highchair soon!

J is constipated very badly, and he does not eat enough fruit raw. Any cooked fruit ideas for me?

[Lippy Chick]

Lovedtodeath, just a few quick ideas.  What about wholemeal muffins, with pureed fruit in them.  Oh, I'm now remembering there are allergies, can he eat wheat?  Pancakes with fruit in, or pureed fruit as a spread.  What about baked apple?  Some fruits are really bitter and you might be finding that's the problem.  Mixed with yoghurt.  Just thinking off the top of my head.  Will have a think later, I'm sure others will have loads of suggestions.

Pauline

[Cathy_D]

Anna had apple crumble at lunchtime which she rather liked!  (1st time we've tried apple since the funny tummy phase so we'll see what happens, but she definitely enjoyed it). 

How about baked banana?  Not that I've ever tried it, but it strikes me as something that would be easy to scoop up handfuls of, and really digestible as it would be so squishy, so likley to help relieve constipation.

I love BLW too!!  We called in to see a friend yesterday whose 2 year old was having a small birthday party with 8 or so friends. Ended up gatecrashing the birthday tea, despite not having intended to be out for long. So, Anna sat on a spare booster seat and had sandwiches, pizza and birthday cake with all the 'big' children.  Only today did it dawn on me that she's not really old enough for us to expect to be able to randomly have meals elsewhere without packing bib, special food for her, and multiple spoons!

Pauline - only just seen the question about cherries a couple of pages back. They did get my fingers, and her face, a bit red and sticky but the juice came out of her white tights fine (they did go straight into the wash, immediately after tea, though). Was trying out a new washing powder and thought I'd see what it could do!!

[jaylabliss]

hello hello! has anyone served their little one beets? if so... did you serve them cooked or uncooked? i know they will be a huge mess- but i have so many from my produce club, and dh and i don't care for them that much... so i have been thinking about giving jude some... debating whether to give him raw grated beets or roasted...?
things have been going well here, Jude's new pincer grip is coming right along- the only new thing we have tried is citrus (grapefruit and oranges) and he loves it!!!

[Lippy Chick]

Jaylabliss, no we haven't done beets, because of the messy factor.

Cathy, good for Anna for being a big girl and being so adaptable.  What washing powder are you using?

Think I'm coming down with Alice's cold.  Hurrah!! 

Pauline

[Bryony]

Thanks Vicky and Lyn!  So maybe I could have a plan B of Special K and milk (which she will usually eat and isn't too unhealthy!)

No we haven't done beetroot - I am very nervous about eating it myself and can't imagine the mess if Katie ate it
 

[lovedtodeath]

Beet juice is good and healthful lots of iron, do you have a juicer?

Beets are very good shredded and mixed with shredded apples too..

[Lippy Chick]

Banana Muffins:

300g / 1 1/2 cup Wholemeal Self Raising Flour
115g / 1/2 cup Butter melted
75g / 1/3 cup Light Muscovado Sugar
4 large bananas.
2 large eggs.

Oven 375 F or 190 C (I did it on 170 C as we have a fan assisted oven)

Method:
1.  Mash bananas with potato masher until quite thin, (mine had a few lumps, not smooth)
2.  Add butter and melt.
3.  Add sugar and eggs and stir this mixture together.
4.  Add flour and stir to combine only, don't over beat.
5.  Put into muffin tins (I used cupcake size, rather than muffin size). 
6.  Bake for 10-15 mins and take out when skewer comes out clean.
7.  Leave on wire rack to cool.  Eat warm.

This makes 24 cupcake size or 12 muffin size.

I put them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer.  Gave Alice one today and she seemed to really enjoy them.  I tasted one yesterday and they are quite tasty.  I took out the salt and I don't think it needs salt.

Will post the tuna croquettes when I have a minute.

Pauline

[jaylabliss]

i think i'm going to just juice the beets- thanks for the tip! the mess he would make is just too intimidating. blueberries and sweet potato are messy enough!!

[Cathy_D]

Pauline - love the look of the banana muffins. Just got this weeks veg box plus added bananas so will make some tomorrow!  Sorry you're getting the cold - hope you can send it packing quickly.  I have just started trying 'Simply Laundry' - I think it is pretty new but doing a good job so far. It's very environmentally friendly but supposed to be the same price as 'normal' washing powder. Certainly cheaper than Ecover which we were using before and works as well or better.  Don't know how it would handle beetroot juice, though !!

Bryony - special K and milk is what we have on those occasions when there isn't any 'proper' food in the house, or we've had a meal and DH is still peckish and I've not bought snacks!  So eminently suitable as a fall-back plan, in my opinion!

[Lippy Chick]

Cathy, they were also really quick to make too.  In total it took about 45 mins, but that's because I only had one 12 cupcake tin and so had to do two loads, otherwise it would've taken about 25 mins, from start to eating!!  We've used Ecover too, I haven't been overly impressed with it, would you think that Simply Laundry is better?  Sorry realise off topic.  Starting to feel a bit ropey this evening, nose starting to itch and back of throat starting to go.  Just what I need!

Jaylabliss, sweet potatoes are really messy, so is cauliflower.  Sometimes I think it depends on what she's in though, because sometimes there's nothing to clear up afterwards and sometimes you spend about 15 mins clearing up. 

Pauline

[Freya'sMum]

Pauline, can you duplicate your recipe in the Finger Foods for Young Babies thread please, otherwise it'll get lost

Ax

[Sarahlolly]

Hello!  I'm jumping in on this post too!

Ella is a year and has mostly been on BLW for a good few months now!

She does still have porridge off a spoon, but everything else she helps herself!

She's got a great range of foods that she will eat - she will basically eat everything.

However she's such a dainty little thing.  She's not losing weight - she's just not piling it on.  Is this a side effect of BLW?

I'm not too fussed about it because she does eat quite a bit and only have 3 x bottles formula a day so she's not hungry.  She sleeps through etc etc etc.

Sarah xx