Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11

[anna*]

A ripe pear shouldn't need steaming - but yes the peel can be a bit 'chokey'

[creations]

I agree with anna regarding the pear. I did used to steam or bake pears a little but mainly because they were all so hard.  I left the skin on as it offered a better grip to pick up, but I did watch him with the skin, sometimes he just ate around it and left the skin, if a long bit of skin went in sometimes I helped by holding it so he could discard it more easily, if that makes sense.

[Fiver]

You could just give it to him as a whole fruit if you wanted.  That was my friend's little boy's first taste of BLW when he swiped her pear out of her hand and took a bite/suck

[Violet's mom]

Yeah that would be pretty crazy!  Trying them for dinner tonight - tried sweet potato fries, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots to no avail.  What would you ladies recommend next?  And what kind of bread should I get for toast(white, wheat)?  We eat those sandwich thins so I don't think that will work.

[Fiver]

When DD was starting out, we were buying 50/50 bread, so white, but with some wholemeal.

[*Ali*]

I would go with white. Wholemeal has a lot of fibre and can fill them up and also mean some nutrients aren't absorbed. Here we are recommended to give white versions (even if you give whole meal sometimes) until 5yo. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/baby-food-questions.aspx#close

[creations]

I agree on going for white (esp for the reasons Ali gives), however for regular bread I just gave DS my bread which is wholemeal, mainly because I didn't have space in the freezer to store a loaf for him (too many other things in there for him!) and there's no way we could get through a whole white loaf.  I found on the rare occasion that I did buy a white loaf he loved it but became quickly constipated.  A good balance for us was whole meal bread for a regular sliced loaf, but white for pitta, tortilla, crumpets, english muffins, bread sticks etc.

Have you tried any type of pasta yet?  The pasta twists are nice for picking up as the twist gives a bit of a grip (where as penne can sometimes shoot out of their hand, amusing but frustrating), You can try it without sauce (more grip) or with any sauce stirred through. I think most kids tend to like some sort of pasta.

[Violet's mom]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies - I'll check back in if I have any other questions - you've been very helpful!

[TB9]

So DD2 LOVES toast, I honestly cannot believe that my 6 month old baby is able to eat toast, lol.  Problem is, I have been giving her whole wheat because that is what we eat and only giving it once a day thinking she should have some variety, etc.  But she gets really angry without her toast at meal times, and I have just realized that giving her a piece of toast to gum on and swallow a bit of isnt as bad as shovelling tablespoons of rice cereal into her every meal so I will probably let her have some toast 3x a day when we eat...but should I switch her to white bread or whole wheat like shes been having once a day but try other breads Thanks for the tip on the pasta creations, Im going to buy some next grocery shop

Other than wanting toast all the time, shes actually really happy   I have even convinced DH to relax a bit, and we ended up just giving her a slice of ham lastnight because she was so angry that it was on our plates but not her tray.  Obviously she couldnt eat it, but she put it in her mouth and is getting used to new textures I suppose!  Of the things she can eat, she has been managing to eat a little bit of banana and sweet potato and I have been putting purees on a spoon for her to feed herself which she actually manages quite well with

[Miraclelim]

Hi I need advise on blw. I am a ftm and baby has been refusing me to feed her. Used to love her solid so much. Started feeding at 5 mth as per paed advise due to reflux. At 8.5 mths stop allowing me to feed her and would just clamp her mouth shut. I have no choice but start blw and also reduce feed to 3 times a day. It has improved at lot but I am still struggling. How do u get protein or cereal in baby with blw. She refuse me to spoon feed her cereal and would sometimes take pouch food with meat otherwise how do I giver her meat. Dinner is terrible she won't eat much, a bit cheese and crackers.

Wu 0600
0645 milk 170ml
0830 breakie half a slice of toast with avocado and 50ml of milk
1200 lunch one food pouch 130g or 2 zuzzhini frittata, few pieces of sweet potatoes/broccoli
1345 milk 200ml
1630 dinner cheese bits and crackers or banana plus 60ml of milk
1820 milk 200ml

Is this enough? How do I get her to eat more.. Pls help.
She is 9 month 1 week now. Her reflux is gone now.stopped meds since 5 mths. She has two bottom teeth can't feel or see anymore coming out. Pls help.
TIA

[TB9]

Welcome Miraclelim!

I think what I love about blw is that baby will take what they need from their milk feeds, and will regulate on their own how much solids they take.  She will eat more when she needs more   I feel like all i can do is offer my LO lots of variety and let her lead the way!

[*Ali*]

If you add a tiny bit of milk to baby musli you can roll it into balls for her to self feed. You can make porridge fingers with a tiny bit of milk and then microwave too. If it is cereal like Cheerios try just giving them dry or with a splash of milk quickly drained off before you give it to her to just eat with her fingers. Scrambled eggs are good for protein. You can just give a big chunk of meat and she will gum it and spit it out eventually when she has taken what she can from it. Or meatballs are good.

[creations]

There's a recipe on the allergie4s board for oaty chews, like flap jacks but without all the sugar and honey.
Bean burgers/fritters, falafel, omelet cut into strips (I make it small and fat and fully cooked through so the strips are chunkier)
dips/spreads on toast or to dip veg in or just shovel fist fulls in - humus, red kidney bean dip, pate, fish paste - all high in protein
If you choose fish that isn't overly bony and remove any you find, a salmon fillet or tuna steak you can just give it cooked and let her get on with it.

Tinkerbell I would prob try to mix up the breads a bit for the toast. Wholemeal at every meal might fill her up too much to allow her to eat a variety of other foods but I found giving white bread too often made my LO constipated.  Bread freezes ok and can be put in the toaster straight from the freezer so maybe freeze a white loaf so you can mix it up a bit? Or expand the types of bread/toast she has.  You could put some different spreads on it too (the puree you have, cream cheese or pate for example). Mine liked toast pitta sandwiches which I made like pizza with a spread of tom puree and some cheese and a few other bits inside then I dry fried it to toast the pitta and melt the cheese. If you squash it down a bit as it cools the cheese sticks the whole thing together and it's easier to slice into fingers for LO to pick up without the whole thing falling apart. (works with tortilla wraps folded in half too).

[Miraclelim]

Hi Ali, how do I make porridge fingers?? TIA thanks creation I will check out the board.

[Miraclelim]

Hi creations, where is the allergy board? I can't find it. TIA