Baby Led Weaning

[XTR]

. So both purrees and finger foods are good for 6 months plus.

We did BLW and still offered him puree type food (like soggy weetbix, yogurt, etc).

But I just put it in a bowl and let him grab handfulls and put them in his own mouth. He loved it and got to learn the sensation of squishy food like mushed weetbix.!

BLW isnt against given puree squishy food for the babies to play with and try and eat.

[Bubbles10]

My DD was awesome at eating yogurt with her hands!

[breakthemould]

Hi BLW mummies
I have just started my DD on food today, and want to do BLW. I steamed some fingers of sweet potato and apple and put on of each on her tray. She seemed to like the taste of the apple better but when she chomped down and broke a piece off I could her her trying to swallow it over and over, she looked a bit gaggy but not upset. This went on for about 30 seconds until she coughed a bit and I ended up sticking my finger in her mouth and scooping the piece out, it seemed to be caught at the back of her roof of her mouth and she couldn't quite get it anywhere.

She is 5.5months and seems very ready for food, grabbing for it, getting REALLY fixated on it when she sees a plate of food (tensed up and stared at it and banged her fists on her thighs!) Maybe she is not if she can't quite work out what to do with it when she bites a chunk?

Also what do you do when they squish the bit of food in their fist, so its no longer a stick but several small chunks - do you let them put the whole bit in their mouth or take it away? She grabs and squishes it straight away...

TIA!

Just so you know I'm not actually concerned about the gagging itself, I know she's not choking, I just wonder what your experiences have been with this situation - did you wait a bit longer before re-introduce, or is this perfectly normal and she'll work out what to do with chunks with practice?

[KatieMarie]

My parent's are really anti the idea of BLW, mainly because they don't understand it... but also because I have some pretty serious allergies and after going through allergy testing with me at such a young age (and it being quite traumatic for my Mum - I don't remember it, so I can't say it was traumatic for me!!), she's scared I'll do the same with my Son.

I am super, super excited about BLW though and am doing everything I can to educate myself to make sure I don't do anything "wrong" by my child.

Soooo.. this education has brought me to allergy.org.au - which is the Australiasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergies.... may I suggest if ANYONE has any questions or concerns about using BLW with allergies they check out the ASCIA's Infant Feeding Guidelines! It helped me feel better, but it also got my parents off my back!!

BTW - in a nutshell, there is no evidence that shows introducing foods before 6mth causes allergies, nor evidence that avoiding common allergens helps reduce the likelyhood of infant allergies - in fact, they're starting to gain evidence that delaying can actually CAUSE allergic reactions in infants!!!!!!!

[KatieMarie]

Hi BLW mummies
Just so you know I'm not actually concerned about the gagging itself, I know she's not choking, I just wonder what your experiences have been with this situation - did you wait a bit longer before re-introduce, or is this perfectly normal and she'll work out what to do with chunks with practice?

My 4.5mth old (now 5.3mths) took food off me and put it in his mouth so I was like, "awesome, lets do some BLW!!!". So, first thing I give him was "bacon and eggs" just like the rest of the family one Sunday breakfast, thinking he would just play with it and throw it on the ground for the dog (like he does with all his toys!!) NOPE - he picked up the egg, put it in his mouth, CHEWED IT and then swallowed!! FAAAAR OUT!!!! My husband and I weren't ready for this!!

It was about his third 'piece' that he gagged on... and I freaked out a little, but had to remind myself this was common, he coughed a bit, went a bit red and watery eyed, but then stopped. About 1/2hr later he was still making weird noises so I gave him a bit of his bottle, he coughed, vomitted and out popped a bit of egg! i couldn't believe it!!

BLW - egg (6).jpg

Since then we've not done eggs again (see my post re:family and allergy concerns). And we try to keep the foods hard, although he's now munching off pieces of hard apple and pear and swallowing those!!

[Elijahs Mum]

Im so happy you are enjoying BLW! Just be very careful with apple, it's very hard for babies without teeth , and is the biggest choking risk, my son is a BLW champ and I only gave him a whole apple at 11 months , plus please be wary of giving your bubba bacon so young, full of salt and sulphates and has no nutritional value whatsoever

[mum4nay]

GREAT thread, thanks

I don't have a choice - 6 month old bub won't eat from a spoon and he's really hungry!!

So let me get this straight - you feed them raw veggies and fruits? Or do you cook them a bit?

[squishie]

At the beginning it's ideal to give them stuff that is firm enough to hold, but soft enough to mush in their mouth. As they get older and more practised they can have more raw foods etc

[Elijahs Mum]

At 6 months veggies should be steamed , roasted or cooked so they are soft, fruit should just be ripe, raw veggies should never be given to babies as they don't have teeth yet to bite ! eg; steamed broccoli stalks and roasted sweet potato were my DS first food - he would pick them up and gum off the soft flesh , chew ( with his gums!) and swallow , his first fruit was pears, bananas, kiwi and avocado
At 11 months he ate his first apple ( organic, whole, not peeled) and about the same age I started giving him raw thinly sliced carrot , but each child is different so you need them to lead the way with harder textures when they are ready , if you are interested in BLW please read the book as it tells you everything you need to know! ( or ask us!)

[mum4nay]

Thanks...
tried banana and ended up gagging and then vomitting up the banana AND lots of milk with it Bit scary but he wasn't too upset...
Tonight had a go chewing on a green bean and some broccoli - bit messy but went ok (I don't believe he swallowed anything though...)
I'll read back re choking/gagging - not sure it's safe?? and of course my mum was horrified