Baby Led Weaning Support Thread - Part 6!

[Manueli]

I got one more question: do you have to worry about seasonings cause I don't think too much salt is good. I understand that BLW also means just giving them whatever you are having, but all that food is usually heavily seasoned. Right now we still boil all the vegetables seperately.

[Mrs Coops]

Hi Manueli,
Yes, you need to worry about seasoning!
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/saltexpert/

Too much salt can be harmful to the LO's, it recommended that young babies have no more than 1gram of salt a day. It's not a heart worry or cholesterol issue it's to do with their bodies not being able to handle it and in extreme cases can be fatal!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 It's now when you realise how much salt is in everything you eat. I gave DD a crumpet one day, the next I checked the label out and they have 1.1g of salt EACH! She's never had one since! I used to freehand with the salt when cooking now I measure it and use lo salt only.

Jiinx. Glad your paed isn't pushing purees! Your breastmilk is fab for her, anything she gets from you is a bonus! DD had morning and bed time feeds on me when I went back to work when she was eight months old. I started weaning the morning feed at 11 months as we wanted to try for baby number two! She only had the night feed for a month until I weaned her just after her first birthday, she was still getting enough to see her through the night, even though they felt VERY empty! 

[~Faye~]

Hello 

Can I have some suggestions please for good finger foods. We did BLW with #2 but from when she was about 8/9 months. So what do you start with from this early. So far we have had banana, toast, carrot. Have had some puree too but not masses as she isn't keen on it like that! Was going to get some squash when I go shopping but could do with a few more veggie idea's that don't cause bad gripe as we have tummy issues.

Thanks

[Mrs Coops]

Hi Faye
Basically anything she can hold

Broccoli is fab as they can get a good hold on the little stalks, just don't over cook it or it crumbles! Tomatoes cut into quarters or eighths, remove the seeds (to save on mess) and bend the segments back so they sit straight. Cucumber cut into long strips, avocado in strips, leave the skin on as it gives them something to grip, just don't let it get too ripe or it's very slippery and messy! Baby sweetcorn is good, we cut the pointy ends off to stop her poking her eye out! Large chunks of boiled potatoes were a winner as they just crumbled easily in her mouth!

Hope they are just a few ideas to get you going. I'm afraid I don't know how they will affect her tum, trial and error I guess!

[~Faye~]

Thanks Marsha I'll head off shopping then Some great ideas there, thankyou.

[Manueli]

Hey Marsha, I just need some more clarification on the salt issue. My husband is a cook and he crunches when I mention to boil our food in unsalted water. Do you boil and cook everything seperately for your little one? Until when do we have to do that (since my endgoal is to give him whatever we are having). I can see that eventually he will want our food and not the veggies we cook extra for him.

[SylvieA]

I always put just a bit of salt in water, but no where close to what is recommended by recipes. We also steam a lot of our veggies instead of boiling. I don't salt again once cooked and I always get low sodium or no salt added when it comes to canned stuff so I can control what goes in. You really get used to it, but we use lots of herbs ans spices. You should be able to get seasoning blends without salt or preservatives added, couldn't cook without them. Now when we eat out which is very rare, I find the food way to salty, and feel all bloaty the next day.

[Mrs Coops]

You just have to watch how much he has each day. I only add salt to potato's, rice and pasta as I can't stand it without. If ever I cook food just for her (say a bowl of pasta) I wont add any at all, if it's for the whole family I just add enough to taste it. Less again if I'm adding something salty like bacon or salmon!  It's more the processed foods you have to worry about, DD loves baked beans but half a tin (she would eat a whole tin given half the chance) contains more salt then they should have in a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Your DH will just have to use less salt than he's normally used to, at the end of the day it'll be good for all of you in the long run! Like SylvieA says I'm sure he can add taste with herbs and spices!

I never used to think about my salt intake as I thought I ate quite healthily, having a little one makes you sit up and take notice of exactly how much salt is pumped into supposedly healthy food!

[Jiinx]

I have a question for you lovely ladies!!

So, with all this interest everyone's babies are expressing in avacodas, i thought "hey, let's try it!" She really liked it and took to it more than bananas.

She took a big gummy bite and it activated her gag reflex..and she vomitted all the avacodas and some milk up. hmm..in fact, she gags slightly with all mushy food. she can only tolerate eating smooth pureed food...normal? I wasn't expecting her to gag so much. Does this go away? is this bc food is new to her? poor dear..she didn't seem unfased by the vomitting..she just continued babbling away like it was the most normal thing to do!

[Mrs Coops]

It's because their gag reflex is further forward than ours are so they gag really easy! You might have noticed that she'll gag chewing on her fingers! She must learn how far to put the food in her mouth, she'll get it eventually. The gagging and vomiting is probably worse for the on looker. DD used to make a meal out of gagging and spitting food out, hardly makes a noise now as she does it!
 Oh, the gag reflex moves further back in the throat as they get older, it's natures way of protecting the little people from choking!

[~Sara~]

Sarah--I am so glad you posted your question!  Aaron has done this a couple of times, too, and makes such a horrible noise while gagging/vomiting...it just scares me.  Plus, his little face with vomitty formula all over it and down his clothes--so sad  

Marsha--appreciate the indirect advice

[EricaM31]

Can anybody recommend books to read on baby led weaning?  My LO is 4 months and will probably start introducing solids in a month or so.

[Manueli]

I think you can try the book from Gill Rapley who had the original idea of BLW: "Baby-Led Weaning by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett". I haven't read it yet though.

[Mrs Coops]

This book is excellent, I think I read it twice & still dip in occasionally!! You can get it on Amazon and it answers every question you can think of!

[waffler]

hi, with DD2 who is now 6.5 mths, we started blw when she was 5.5 because SHE wanted it. So here's the list of foods she's had so far

broccoli, cauli, carrot, courgette, butternut squash, sweet potato, asparagus, banana, apple, watermelon, rockmelon, papaya... maybe there are others but i haven't kept note (see with DD2 things are more laid back LOL).

she loves it, can't get enough. such a joy feeding her, very different to DD1.

my questions are :

- when do i start the protein fish/chicken/beef?
- when do i 'combine'? like meals for instance? like shepards pie, etc.
- we eat a lot of brown rice. what's the best way to give this to her? rice balls? like sushi?
- if you do slushy food, do you use a plate? i'm worried about flying saucers! i guess I'll learn as days go by but would be nice to get some opinions.

i'm trying to delay wheat/dairy till she's at least 9 mths because she is O+ blood type, like me, and wheat and dairy are not supposed to be good for us.

i love BLW, i am so bummed I didn't know about this with DD1. But DD2 was so interested in food, very unlike DD1 so maybe that's why i'm having so much success with her.