Baby Led Weaning Support Thread - Part 9

[creations]

Katy, it's advised not to give whole grains to LOs because it fills them up too quickly and doesn't leave enough space in their tummy for other foods (veg etc) and (most importantly at this stage) milk.
That said, so long as you don't give brown rice, brown pasta, etc etc then I don't see the harm in a bit of brown/wholemeal bread.  I gave multigrain because that's what I eat and there's no way I was going to buy an entire loaf of white just for DS to eat a quarter of a slice.
I did change my bread though as I used to buy the in-store baked stuff covered in tons of seeds, I went to one that was a little more baby friendly.
And now that he eats more (approaching a year) I do buy some bits of white bread, things like bread sticks, crumpets, tea cakes, melba toast.  His preference for this is clear.  I don't want him to be a white bread junky though.  I also only use white flour in baking for him.

As for toasting, I toasted for the first trials of bread, it doesn't clog so much, but it's amazing how quickly they get used to things.  I also use unsalted butter, and have used various spreads, humus, taramasalata, pate, marmite, mashed banana.  Obviously some things that contain salt must only be a very thin spread of it.
Watch out for salt content in bread, it's really high and you can go over the daily salt allowance pretty quickly if your LO likes bread or toast (although I saw a TV prog that said UK bread is higher in salt than other countries so it might not be quite so high where you are).

Cam's mom, how lovely to have DS eating with the family on boxing day.  My DS totally LOVED Christmas dinner.  He was very aware that something different was going on, very patient for a much later lunch than usual (I would have given him a snack but he appeared to want to wait), ate lots and then waited SO patiently at the table whilst we all finished eating.  I'd never make him wait like that and usually he wants out of his chair as soon as he has finished eating but on that day he was really happy to sit with us whilst we finished.

Do you think once he is 1 year old we are classed as 'weaned'?

[beckygatt]

Oh no! Why can't you give whole grains? Is it just because of filling them up? I have given brown pasta... Doesn't seem to stop her taking milk though...?

[creations]

I'm just going by the guidance in the UK.  yes I think the reason is just that they get full on it, perhaps harder to digest too.  I think it's fine once they are a year old and considered good to go whole grain then to encourage a healthy taste and lifestyle.  I really don't think that some here and there would do harm unless milk was really dropping.

[Khalam's Mama]

I read about the whole grains too. Giving a bit isn't the end of the world but as pp says it fills them up so they may not get all the nutrients they need and also it can stop them absorbing some minerals (irona nd calcium etc). It does say you can give some brown bread.

[amayzie]

oh- i do wish everyone would get themselves organised and give the SAME information!! Other stuff i've read says brown rice etc is fine!! He does have a bit of brown rice and seems ok on it... I'll check the salt content of the bread. I recently found a low salt cheese 'elbo' style.... whatever that is! What's your take on bread that's fortified with iron? I thought that could be a good thing.... but what do you guys reckon?

And the honey water thing- how funny- they now recommend NO honey till 12 months because of the infection risk!! botulism i think.. not sure... great that DH has relaxed- it;d be hard to do it otherwise!

[dburseth]

Ya honey is stressed as a definate no no here due to botulism.

[baileyscommet]

Hi Ladies, Just joining this thread, looking for a little advice. My lo is 11 months next week and we BLW. I feel that I give him lots of the same foods and not much variety. I get so hung up on not giving him anything processed and limiting his salt intake (which I still don't fully understand - is it 0.4g) that I'm wondering if I'm not adventurous enough. Can you ladies with lo's of similar ages give me an idea of what your breakfasts/lunches/teas look like or is there a thread elsewhere for that?

Also in the UK what bread do you give lo's - it all looks like it's full of salt?

Thanks ever so...

[creations]

Salt intake is no more than 1g per day up to 12 months.  This is the equivalent of 0.4g sodium.  Some packets of food list the sodium AND salt equivalent but some only show one of them and you have to work it out (times sodium by 2.5 to find salt).  hope that makes sense.

At 12 months the salt intake can increase.  We are just about reaching this ourselves.
1 - 3yrs = 2g salt per day
4 - 6yrs = 3g salt per day
7 - 10 = 5g
11 - 14yrs = 6g (this is the same as adult salt intake)

I limited the amount of bread and processed foods I gave him.  So only half a slice of bread and a spoon full of canned baked beans (this was rare, I tended to use beans in water rather than regular baked beans in tom sauce as beans in water don't have any salt) and then nothing with salt in for the whole rest of the day.
Another day I might give a spoon full of canned tuna (NOT in brine, must be in oil) because he likes canned way better than fresh (I say Yuck to canned tuna but I do sometimes give it to him as he needs some protein and isn't a big meat eater so it's almost all beans and fish here).

Once I worked out from the packs how much I could give I kind of had it in my head and didn't go beyond that but stopped checking stuff as the pre-pack things are quite limited foods in our house.

Don't have time atm to list our meals but hope some of this info is helpful x

[amayzie]

that's great creations- thanks!! I was going to ask about the salt intakes, but thought i could google it.. i had not realised the salt/sodium difference tho!! Great!

[Khalam's Mama]

Maybe have a look here for meal ideas Baileyscommet
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=186714.0

[amayzie]

ugh.. i looked at the bread but it;s in mg not g... so i have to do complex maths to work it out!! (i'm not a mathematician!) (At all!!) I'll grab a calculator and work it oout when his majesty is not sitting eagerly in the high chair!

Tried a peanut butter with 100%peanuts, nothing else, no salt sugar or oil! (For hamish).. I now realise why the add these things!! I added some yoghurt to it and this made it a little smoother and very yummy!! He was still not convinced much on the broccoli tho!! I'm very sad as he really doesn't like greens! More broccoli has hit the ground than anything else around here!!

[baileyscommet]

Thanks Khalam's mum, this is great! Is my 11 month old considered a toddler now? I think I've been giving him a very bland diet so time to experiment a bit more. Also I don't think I've been giving him enough to eat, so I'll try to add in more snacks. That thread was really helpful, If anyone knows of any others with receipes please do let me know! Is there a way that we could all share receipes do you think?

[londonlady]

oh- i do wish everyone would get themselves organised and give the SAME information!!

Lol katy - the HV I saw today even managed to contradict herself within 2 sentences... there is literally NO hope that advice will ever be aligned internationally!   

[beckygatt]

Baileyscomet - I think I tend to give a lot of the same foods too Partly cos that's what we eat but also cos I'm not sure how she'd cope with certain foods on her own. Like pie, or cottage pie Actually yesterday I gave her some soup with a spoon and mainly fed it to her myself! . Is that terrible? She feeds herself most things which I think is great but surely me giving her a bit of soup is ok? I don't want her to miss out on healthy things like that because she can't do it alone. After the soup she had some salmon and carrot sticks all by herself

[amayzie]

Beckygatt- Sounds like the neat freak is coming out of you again!!!  I think she should manage cottage pie very well!! It might be just very messy!!! (that is assuming the small pieces of veg are well cooked... if that is your issue then i take back my laughing...). Have you considered offerring the soup in an open cup? It's a good opportunity to practice this, and a more practical and acceptible way for her to have soup even for a couple of years. I think there's nothing wrong with a three year old having a cup of soup- i know i do it!

HOWEVER- i don't think there's anything WRONG with giving some things on a spoon, especially if that's how they;re served- it's not as if you should thicken or not offer soup that you are eating just to avoid serving it on a spoon. Like very early on with us we were all having mashed potato and pumpkin and i almost left hamish's whole as i didn't think it was very BLW of me to mash it!! I offer yoghurt on a spoon now but often use a long one, hold the end and he grabs the front and puts it into his mouth. If you have a thicker sort of soup (pumpkin etc) then this could also work. I hold the end as otherwise the whole thing will hit the wall i'm sure (see- i am SOMETIMES neat!)

I can find things a bit same-y here too.. but also as sometimes i make a batch of stuff and it can last ages! That and hamish usually prefers to eat stuff he's eaten before. So my new plan is to offer a larger amount of a familiar food- plus a small amount of a new food at some meals- rather than the whole meal a new food. this was i hope we have a little less squish factor!

Hey- what;s your take (everyone) on store bought sushi, no soy sauce.... pre made.... salt content? They said they don't add salt.. but this question was relayed to another person in korean... so i'm not too sure...