DS shows very little interest in food. He is 6.5 months old and has been EBF. I have given him bananas, cucumbers and avocadoes in the last two weeks. He has also had some baby oatmeal that we tried to feed him. DH and another couple we are close to are expressing doubts about BLW working. I have the book but wanted to hear some positive experiences from others. When did your child get interested in food? Did you do lots of different options at once so they could choose? What other 'first foods' di did you try? Any good experiences with BLW and your daycare (I think they too think I am depriving the child by not sending purees).
Re: questions for BLWers
Our DS played with food (nibbled, pulled at, tossed, pushed around) until about 7.5 months. Then he started to really go to town and was biting off and chewing pieces but not really swallowing. As time has progressed he's discovered how to swallow, and he's become quite a good little eater.
BLW is great because it teaches children what food actually is. Food is nutrition, it's community and it's fuel. By including the child in the meals they learn this at their own speed. Don't worry about what your DS is actually eating. He'll discover what to do with food on his own time. Also important to remember is that breastmilk/formula is the primary source of nutrition until a child is one.
My DD doesn't love bananas or avocado yet, either. I think it might have to do with the texture. Things she does like: steamed broccoli (I steam it then set it in the freezer for 3 minutes to cool down), apple slices, toast with cream cheese, apricot, chicken.
I have not made nor fed her any purees so far, but I am a little lax on some of the BLW things. I will tear off tiny pieces of things for her and let her eat it off of my finger. I get paranoid about the choking, otherwise. Certain things are easier for her to grab (broccoli, apple, toast "spears").
GL!
Totally forgot to add what foods we did at first.
I gave bananas, cucumbers, soft cooked vegetables, oatmeal and homemade applesauce. As he got older we added yogurt, meat, and cheese.
We tend to give him a selection of foods at every meal.
For tons of positive feedback head over to the facebook page for Baby Led Weaning
We had started purees at 4.5 months but then we learned about BLW and cute purees/cereals cold turkey at 5.5 months. She gets what we are having for the most part.
Here are the things she gets (always give 2-3 different things at each meal):
broccoli steamed, fresh mozzarella, smoked gouda, navel orange, fresh peach, steamed cauliflower, sauteed asparagus, garlic humus, tofu, cucumber, watermelon, toast with stuff on it (no sugar preserves, goat cheese, butter), and then meats (which she generally can't actaully eat but she noms the hell out of them) pork chop, roast chicken, roast beef, chicken sausage, breakfast sausage (farm bought not store bought), bbq chicken.....