Author Topic: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread #1  (Read 88028 times)

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Offline Aly Mac

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #15 on: June 13, 2007, 10:28:59 am »
Thanks Alison!


My main thing is i have to get over the fear of her choking...i"m sure I'll get there  ;D  I have to try to be more laid back about her choking....Will try those sausages for sure!  Just a great way to for her to have meat really. 
Aleesa.....


Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #16 on: June 13, 2007, 12:17:56 pm »
For the sausages, do you cook the meat first (boil?), then process it?  Or just process it raw and then cook it by the frying?

(I'm a vegetarian, so meat is not exactly my forte.... :-[)
Erin
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Offline Sharondp

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #17 on: June 13, 2007, 12:25:07 pm »
Thanks Alison! ;D
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Offline Freya'sMum

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #18 on: June 13, 2007, 13:46:20 pm »
Process the meat raw, otherwise it won't combine with the other ingredients. You do the apple first, then squeeze any excess liquid out, otherwise they are a bit soggy, then put the apple back in with all the other raw ingredients, then cook by frying - you could bake them instead if you wanted too!

And yes, the chicken recipe is not my own creation, but I did create the pork, lamb and beef versions! :P

Ax
Alison x






Offline Bryony

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2007, 19:54:23 pm »
Hello all!  Great to see a thread on this topic - I'm interested in using BLW for Katie so I hope you don't mind me joining in. 

I was wondering what age you all started, and whether you are also giving anything pureed or whether you are only giving "proper" food?

Katie is only just coming up to 5 months and I am trying to work out when and how to start.  I've had a look at the websites referred to earlier in the thread which are really helpful (and the blog is very funny!)

Thanks  :)

Bryony


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Offline Freya'sMum

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #20 on: June 14, 2007, 22:08:39 pm »
Welcome!

About when to start, the BLW approach states that you could offer solid foods to your lo from day 1 and that she will only start to interact with it as a food when she is developmentally ready, so if Katie seems to be showing an interest in what you are eating at your mealtimes, and has the gross motor skills to sit up at the table with you in a highchair, there's no reason that you can't put a cooked carrot stick (or whatever you want to start with) on her tray and see what happens! If she ignores it, fine, if she pokes it, fine, if she picks it up and waves it about, fine, if she smooshes it to her mouth, fine, eventually as you model eating, and she associates her highchair with eating, and has access to foods, she'll work it out!

HTH?

Ax
Alison x






Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #21 on: June 15, 2007, 12:15:19 pm »
Hi Bryony - I started at 6 months, but I'm doing both purees and finger foods.  I have to do some fruit purees for her reflux meds and I'd already bought some cereal, so she gets that for breakfast most days (unless we try toast - which she likes to play with, but not too much ends up in her tummy!).  Supper is usually more chunks or finger foods (again, not eating too much of anything) because it leaves me freer to eat myself!  I'm planning to continue with both types - get her used to different consistencies, I hope.  It's amazing - starting this way I can already see that she's doing better with lumps than my first one did when she was 11 months old!
Erin
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Offline Bryony

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #22 on: June 15, 2007, 13:09:51 pm »
Thanks Erin and Alison

I have started eating my breakfast and lunch when Katie is awake, rather than in nap times, so that she can sit in her high chair with me at the table, and watch me eat. She is very interested!  I am then stayining with my parents for a week at the end of June, so when I get back I think I will start giving Katie bits of soft fruit or steamed veg to play with and see how we go.   

I will let you know how we get on!

Bryony


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Offline Sharondp

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #23 on: June 15, 2007, 13:35:12 pm »
Erin - I did purees with Toby, and although Leo is also having purees, he's having finger foods too, and I'm now mashing food rather than blending it for him.
I'm noticing a real difference already between him and Toby - it took me ages to get Toby to eat anything with lumps in - even now he likes meals such as spag bol, curry, casserole - where everything is mixed up together, rather than separate foods  ::).
This is a really exciting learning process for me! So far it's going well with Leo!
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Offline skatty

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #24 on: June 15, 2007, 13:48:48 pm »
Hi ladies, I just noticed this thread and thought I'd add our experience. I started BLW with my DD when she was 5 and a half months or should I say she started by grabbing my hand to dig her jaws into the plum I was eating! Following thye Gill Rapley guidelines (which can be found on the link for Baby Lead Weaning blog) I just started offering whatever we are eating really (we don't add salt or sugar to our foods) and she took to it like a duck to water  :) She has a milk intolerance so I like being in control of what she eats. She is now 8 months old and still has no teeth but that doesn't stop her! Her fave foods are garlic and rosemary lamb, humous, guacamole, roasted carrots, french toast, garlic bread (in fact anything garlic!) and all fruits especially pineapple, strawberries and bananas, you only have to say banana and she gets really excited!! There are so many advantages to this style of weaning, baby gets to eat with the family, you can eat your own dinner, eating out is simple, baby gets very independant (we joke our DD would change her own nappy if possible!) but most of all it encourages the fine motor skills, my daughter has a very good pincer grip and at the mother group the other babies are being spoon fed while she is picking up individual raisins!! It is very, very messy though so not for control freaks lol but my tips is to cut up old bath sheets into squares and use one to clean baby, then fold and wipe down the high chair and fold again to go over the floor. I keep the messiest meals until tea time and also let her have free reign over her own water cup (gulp!) and then it's straight in the bath. Tonight tuna pasta is on the menu which she loves, it gives us great joy to see her enjoy her food through both eating and playing with it  ;D

Enjoy this liberating style of parenting! I am convinced in a few years to come this will be the recommended way to wean  ;)
Katt






Offline Freya'sMum

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #25 on: June 15, 2007, 18:46:52 pm »
Skatty,

I agree! I'm sure this is what the cave women did many millennia ago, I love the idea of going back to basics, and I'm sure that the trend will catch on soon!

Ax
Alison x






Offline Aly Mac

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #26 on: June 16, 2007, 05:39:35 am »
Ok a few things.

1. for the finger food - do you cut it in legths so they can grip on to the food easier?  or bite size chunks?  I get cought between if it's too small won't they choke etc...

2.  If I have started on puree, but want to go to blw, obviously she won't eat as much.  Will she get hungry/frustrated at the reduction of calories or will she just make it up in her bf??

thanks
Aleesa.....


Offline Freya'sMum

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #27 on: June 16, 2007, 11:16:19 am »
At 7 months, it'll depend on Lilly's fine motor development... If she can already claw grasp from a tray and deliberately release things, she should be ok with chunks, smooshing them into her mouth, if she's not got this far yet, sticks and florets, where a bit is held in the fist and the rest sticks out the top to bite/chew on, will probably work better for her!

You might find that she can't feed herself as much as you feed her with purees, I'd make the transition gradually, reducing the amount of puree a little bit each time as she gets the hang of self feeding, and I think you're right, at the same time I reckon she'll just take more milk, which is a good thing!

Ax
Alison x






Offline Aly Mac

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #28 on: June 16, 2007, 11:19:15 am »
Thanks Alison - I have started iwth lunch in the safe feeder so think i will keep on with that along with the sausages you suggested with some mushed vegies at night progressing to bits of veges.  At the mo she just loves yoghurt - I tell you she just doesn't give up on it - I have to stop her.  Not really a finger food.....though she likes to play in it...
Aleesa.....


Offline Bryony

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Re: Baby-Led Weaning Support Thread
« Reply #29 on: June 16, 2007, 11:34:06 am »
At the mo she just loves yoghurt - I tell you she just doesn't give up on it - I have to stop her.  Not really a finger food.....though she likes to play in it...

LOL!

Aleesa - what's a safe feeder? Excuse my ignorance...!

B


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