Author Topic: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11  (Read 86693 times)

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Offline Fiver

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #225 on: June 21, 2012, 21:23:24 pm »
If you do stuff too small, you'll probably find that he can't pick it up to put it in anyway, thus decreasing the choking risk.  I just started with stick shaped pieces for her to pick up and chew on :)
*** Amanda ***




Offline amayzie

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #226 on: June 21, 2012, 21:28:20 pm »
you're almost there anyway... we started at 5 months 3 weeks.. and you're close to that. Just give him whole sticks of things to gum on. We gave soft cooked sticks of pumpkin and sweet potato to start.. they were good. He'll probably do a lot of exploring to start...

Size wise you just want enough so he can hold it and have a few CM out the top of his hand. At this age they can't manipulate food in their hand.
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline creations

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #227 on: June 21, 2012, 21:38:53 pm »
Adult finger size, or regular 'wedges' are a good size.  So I would continue to cut the size you are cutting.
I wouldn't go small, as Amanda has said if they can't pick it up they can't choke on it but being unable to pick up isn't the aim is it :)
I once saw a small button that had fallen off DS's cardigan.  It was right next to him and I saw it just before he did so I got to it first.  it frightened the hell out of me.  It was right then that I realised I'd rather he had a plastic plate in his mouth than a plastic button iyswim.  Bit of a drastic exaggeration for an example but bigger is better IMO.
One thing I did which you might find easier to begin with, is not offer 'hard' foods.  So I didn't give cucumber, raw apple, raw carrot, toast or bread sticks.  Anything that could snap off and not mush in his mouth I avoided for the first few weeks.  Toast was a worry for me but went in and down very well when I tried it a couple of weeks in.  But raw apple he still has a problem with even now at 17 months!  He has just recently been able to eat raw carrot.

Like Katy said, you're almost at the 6 month mark, waiting another couple of weeks isn't really going to stop him swallowing things whole.  We started at 5.5 months (really was no option) and your DS is showing readiness by the simple fact he is putting food to his mouth and chewing it.

Steamed veg sticks or backed wedges are a good place to start as they are firm enough to be picked up but the inside is soft and mushes in the mouth without denying LO the pleasure of discovering the real texture (in the way that purees all have the same sloppy consistency).


Offline Fiver

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #228 on: June 21, 2012, 21:43:55 pm »
It's so individual, isn't it?  My friend started BLW with her DS when he literally took her pear from her hand and took a bite out of it.  Whole fruit was something she often gave him, taking a small bite from it herself first so he could access the flesh and he could hold it easily and sucked the juice out of it.  I guess it all depends how brave you're feeling ;) (FWIW, I've never been brave enough to give a whole apple/pear - figure you get quite a lot of waste that way too)
*** Amanda ***




Offline *Ali*

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #229 on: June 21, 2012, 22:04:23 pm »
We often do a whole apple but he gets more from it if I cut it into big slices.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #230 on: June 21, 2012, 23:03:51 pm »
Just remembered I he did get a whole apple once when he was about 7 or 8 months which I was happier about than a wedge of raw apple because his two front teeth kind of grated the apple off in little bits as he gnawed rather than biting off a chunk.
I did give DS raw pear because they are softer than apples but that's when I found out it made him refluxy so avoided it for ages.
He gets lots of whole fruit now though, and no waste :)  I have to tell him to spit out the stone from nectarines as he sucks every last morsel off.
But, yes it is very individual and depends what you feel happy about.  I know when I gave toast I wondered what I'd been so worried about and why I'd delayed.


Offline amayzie

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #231 on: June 22, 2012, 04:43:46 am »
You HAVE to supervise everything anyway- it's not like you aren't there= so if you avoid the no brainer hard things- you know, raw carrot sticks, nuts, popcorn... they can usually manage the others. The gagging isn't that major an issue...
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline brookmom

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #232 on: July 05, 2012, 17:27:00 pm »
Hi guys!  Been awhile since I have been on the boards here. B is almost 1 year and eating lots!  I am heading back to work soon and need some suggestions for lunch/snack ideas that is easy for my hubby and the grandparents to do when I am at work. Any suggestions for ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!  She is not good with spoons yet as she tries to grab them whenever they go near her!!! 

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #233 on: July 05, 2012, 18:13:07 pm »
Lots of our snack/lunches are things I make in advance and freeze because we are often out at this time of day and it's handy to have things that are really easy to offer and non-messy;
American/scotch pancakes - variety of fruit/veg in them (today's were carrot and prune)

lentil or bean burgers - again a variety of beans and added veg, herbs, spices etc and I either cook in little patties or in a mini muffin tray

sandwich with range of filling - home made salt free chicken liver pate for example or mushroom and leek pate (I find sandwiches a bit messier but fine for at home), or a smoked salmon mouse, or canned tuna/mackerel & mayo, or humus, cream cheese.

oaty chews (bit like a flapjack but no honey, syrup, sugar etc) - variety of fruit in them, very handy for snacks


Offline amayzie

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #234 on: July 06, 2012, 03:14:08 am »
Have you tried her on sandwiches? We eat banana sandwiches exclusively here!! Sour cream sandwiches used to be popular, and sandwiches made from toast were often nice early on... They don't go as gluggy. We also would make lots of little muffins with cheese and vegies... These went down a treat and were easy to take and brush off...
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline snowbird

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #235 on: July 07, 2012, 18:56:20 pm »
So Katy, did you do those muffins for lunch? Been thinking about baking savoury muffins from my BLW recipe book, but never thought about lunch before. Always struggle with ideas for lunch - usually sandwiches (ham/beef/cheese/philidelphia) with bread/croissants/bagels. Sometimes we have pizza toast or cheese on toast. Occasionally an omelette but LJ not interested. Always wondering if I should be doing more and giving her a proper mini meal. Do give her cucumber and/tomatoes as well and then fruit.

Xxx



Offline amayzie

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #236 on: July 07, 2012, 21:27:34 pm »
yeah muffins for lunch... i havent done it for a while, but i'd make up a big batch and freeze them. Then if i was heading out i'd just put a couple in a bag or lunch box or something and they'd be defrosted by the time e wanted them. and dont worry about doing a mini meal!! too much effort!
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline anna*

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #237 on: July 08, 2012, 21:05:02 pm »
I am finding with baby 2 that I have so much LESS time for cooking in advance. So struggling for meal ideas sometimes :/ I do need to get better at meal planning for ALL of us, and then factoring in leftovers for Audrey's lunch the following day etc.

All of a sudden she is eating way more. It's always looked like she was eating a lot, but then after the meal most of it would fall out of the highchair/bib/in her thighs etc. All of a sudden, it's really going in, and she is eating LOADS, and enjoying it so much complete with 'nom nom mmmmmmmm' slurp munch sound effects.





Offline amayzie

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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #238 on: July 08, 2012, 21:37:53 pm »
Great Anna!! Hamish was the same- and once he started he just didn't stop!! ANd I havent' made muffins for ages..
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


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Re: Baby Led Weaning Support Thread #11
« Reply #239 on: July 13, 2012, 13:47:06 pm »
BF and BLW - Audrey's only feeding once at night now at about 5am, so then obviously isn't hungry when she first wakes up, so feeds are normally say 5am, 8.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm (if she will take it, sometimes she just bites me), and before bed at 6.30pm.

I've got a feeling the 4.30pm feed is on the way out, but 3 feeds in 24 hours doesn't seem like enough??