Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11

[anna*]

Sticks/spears are easiest at the beginning. Or just a big chunk of something like a hunk of meat. I think you can give anything as long as you've no reason to suspect any particular allergies.

[MeAndVee]

He had green beans and blueberries for lunch and actually got a few bites in. I'll try leaving the beans whole next time so it'll be easier for him. What about spoon able foods like yogurt? Should I just feed it to him or encourage him to dip his fingers?

[Fiver]

With blueberries, just make sure you squash them a bit first to reduce the risk of choking
Yoghurts, you can put on a spoon and let him pick that up and put it in his own mouth (or try to!)  Or you could give him something to dip in it or just let him get on with his hands

[MeAndVee]

I sliced them in half. They were still tricky for him so will try squishing them. He gagged on them more often then the other foods he has had. He would also spit out the skins. Not sure if it was intentional or not.

[anna*]

yoghurt can definitely be a finger food

[Marie-O]

Hello mamas!!
I'm new to BLW and will be starting next week with DD2 when she turns 6month old
With DD1 we did regular purees and I had such a hard time afterwards since she was very picky (still is at her 2,5yo) so I'm willing to try something different this time.

I've been reading a bit, to be honest I'm terrified of risk of choking LOL!!...I know I know, but still terrifies me.

Which foods did you introduce first?? I've read that now they recommend meat as the iron in it is very important at this age, but tbh I think meat will be too much as is hard to chew.

Thanks and I'll look forward to learn more from you

[anna*]

In the beginning they don't chew meat they just sortof suck the juices out until it is a husk LOL. Audrey's very first food was a spear of broccoli, closely followed by a hunk of roast beef.

If you're scared of choking you could always do an infant CPR course? We did one when Stan was tiny, they were run for free by our local hospital.

[creations]

I also did an infant first aid course, DS wasn't happy in the creche provided so I missed most of it but the instructor made sure to do the infant choking part whilst I was in the room (with DS 'rescued' from the creche and snuggled in a sling).  The only choke incident I had whilst feeding him was when I licked a piece of kiwi off my finger, size of a grain of rice, and then choked on it myself!  Lots of coughing, struggling to breath, and DS looking a bit worried...we survived.

The very first foods were a bit of banana and then some garlic bread - not really what I'd planned at all it just turned out like that.  Then baked apple and pear wedges, baked potato wedges, and quickly onto a full roast dinner including a piece of beef which he sucked and gnawed at until just a thin string of fat remained.  At that age he would try just about anything, becoming a bit more picky around 1yo and more adventurous around 2yr 4months when he suddenly decided he liked lots of new things. I avoided peas, blueberries a similar for the choke hazard reason.

Enjoy it - it was one of the most rewarding aspects of parenting for me, so much fun!

[Papaya]

I think F's first food was rambutan, but that wasn't planned either! We started properly with steamed carrot sticks, then banana (bit slippery though!), baked potato, pumpkin or apple wedges etc. She had rice from very early on too, smushed into balls so she could try to pick it up. And meat in the first or second week I think. My LO LOVED LOVED LOVED her roast beef We didn't wait 3-4 days between each food, it was more like one a day at the start,  but if you have any concerns about allergies you can choose to follow the same guidelines for waiting as you would for purees.  Basically I tried as soon as possible to give her an appropriate variant of whatever I was preparing for us and I always ate something at the same time as her even if we weren't all having a proper meal together.

We had plenty of gagging at the start, which can admittedly have your heart in your mouth, but the only thing F ever choked on was her sippy cup of water!

[creations]

the only thing F ever choked on was her sippy cup of water!

Oh we had that too! Eat anything then choke on water or milk!  And we have the same now with an open cup too 

[Buttonbobs]

I found E choked a lot less than many friends' LOs who were weaned the traditional way. I'm very panicked by things like choking but didn't really have any problems during the weaning process, sometimes coughing when gulping too much water but no real chokes. Good luck - I had fun weaningE, I hope you love it too x

[K-JDA]

Hi Guys
Anyone got any good ideas for quick breakfasts - I am not very chefy and we are short of time. Don't want to end up giving toast everyday! DS is 9 months next week.

[creations]

I used to make (and still do because he likes them!) muesli balls using baby muesli (it's labeled from 10 months but obviously with BLW you give whatever you feel ok with, I gave it from about 7 months) but only mixing in a tiny amount of milk so it looks like it wont' mix but it does. Then wait a minute for it to thicken and use a teaspoon to portion it and roll each portion into a ball. What I like about the baby one is it has a whole mix of grains and is fortified with vits.
Pancakes (sugar free) are great, you can put in fruit or veg and they don't take too long to make but you can also make a batch and freeze, lift a few out the night before to defrost.
Sugar free mini muffins are great too, again make up a batch and freeze.
I also make omelet (cooked right through rather than a soft one you might make for an adult) which doesn't take long at all but needs to cool so I make it then we get washed and dressed then it's cool enough to eat.
Hard boiled eggs, again you can make the night before.
Wheetabix or porridge is good if you don't mind mess, takes longer to clear up though. You can load spoons for LO to take and self feed.

[Fiver]

Porridge fingers.  Recipe here - Re: 3hr A time and 4hrly BF schedule  This works for an 800w microwave, so if you've got a different wattage you may need to adjust slightly.

[Papaya]

I second the porridge fingers - I made mine with a banana mashed in, and water rather than milk (F was MPI and I wasn't giving her any other milk at that stage, other than breast milk....and I ate the porridge fingers too...)  Really yummy! Bear in mind that they need cooling time though, so make 10 mins before bringing LO to the table.

PS: that link above looks odd, but does lead to the right place!