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July 2012 Moms
Twinklestar7
member
BLW and puree-feeding thoughts...
Twinklestar7
member
(This was actually a reply to another post but I realized it may not have a place there, so I deleted and posted instead as a new post....)
Im not intending to spark a debate BLW versus puree-feeding but, I just wanted to give my thoughts based on my understanding....
First, I want to make it clear that Im not against BLW. It seems like the basic concept of it is for babies to learn to chew first, before they swallow? Whereas the puree stage is babies swallow first and then later learn to chew? I think thats how McKinly (sp?) described it in another post.
But it seems to me...either way you choose how to feed your babies whether it is BLW or puree-feeding, babies are going to learn how to chew anyways- when they are ready. Even puree-fed babies eventually learn how to chew (when they are ready). It sort of sounds like BLW is to make babies sort of "grow up" faster....again, Im not against the concept and I know it works well for some babies... that just what it sounds like to me.... I may be totally misunderstanding the whole BLW thing.
I tried to understand it but I guess, I dont quite get it. 
Im probably going to be one of those boring ones who puree feed their babies in the first stages, and then when they are a little older and generally ready for finger foods, try some of the concepts from BLW....slowly. Im just not brave enough for BLW so early...ha ha. But thats just me. Obviously there are many people who are following the BLW train and it works out great for them
I guess, my point is it just seems to me that the end goal- babies learning how to chew foods, WILL eventually happen, whether you use BLW or pureed feedings. Why try to hurry it up....?
Sorry, that was long! Again, not interested in a debate- there is no right or wrong way, and the end results for both ways are going to end up the same- babies will eventually learn how to eat.
I wonder if there are others who are going to stick to puree feeding in the first stages before starting finger foods?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: BLW and puree-feeding thoughts...
i agree with you. Especially about try to rush things.
i think i am a good example of using both and knowing which one is right for your child.
DS always wants to grab food if he can and shove it into his mouth. We tried BLW with a banana with him and he loved it. So we may try some more BLW with him. He WANTS to do what we are doing.
DD is very reserved and is a very clean eater. She doesn't reach for food or have the same passion. She is just fine daintely eating her purees. She would definitely NOT know what to do with a chunk of food.
That is just my experience!
I agree it definately depends on the baby and the parents knowing which feeding method works the best for them... you are very good examples of both... your son is ready and likes BLW, but your daughter is perfectly happy with purees and doesnt need to be rushed...
I am a to-each-their own person. I chose BLW because it was right for my family.
I see BLW as baby "learning" (in quotes because its not something we teach them, but develops) at his own pace. I could easily turn the tables and say pur?e feeders are rushing things by forcing foods into babies mouths before they are seeking out a spoonful of food, but I wouldn't go that far
All this being said, I'm doing both as DS does love his oatmeal!
I also one to add that, while people keep saying "no offense to those choosing BLW," there seem to be a whole lot of separate posts calling out people who choose to BLW.
But on the flip side, people who are choosing to BLW are also the people who (mostly) have waiting until 6m to give baby solids. However, for the past 2m, you haven't seen those who chose to BLW posting about all the reasons you shouldn't feed your 4m-old.
As parents, these are the educated choices we have made. I have read the books, watched the videos, talked to other parents about their food choices, and decided with the support of my pediatrician that this was right for family. I am sure you all have done the same for your families, yet we have refrained from "calling you out" on your choices. I think we deserve some of that respect, too.
Good point!
I don't think any of the posts have been "call outs." They've been genuine questions about BLW, because many people, myself included, just don't get it (and maybe the reason I don't get it is because my kid doesn't reach for food when I put it in front of him, but he eats the purees with no problems). This post of her asking about BLW is no different from the post Mckinky (who is pro-BLW) made about asking why people thought BLW was "silly" or whatever- just people giving their thoughts and ideas on both ways. In the end it doesn't matter; its just like the bf/ff debate- feeding the kid is what's important.
Anyways, OP, I don't know if I see it as rushing them, because some kids are ready for that, but, I also don't really get it. I have tried it with an avocado, banana, apple, and pancake. My LO won't grab for them and when I put them in his hand he didn't eat them; so, we stick with purees because he does a great job with those.
We are now doing both. I was anti BLW until I had it explained to me in simple terms, then I began to understand the concept more. The babies aren't actually "eating" they are for the most part just gumming their food. Very little food actually goes down. LO grabs for everything I eat, so if we are eating lets say breadsticks, I will let him gum on one while I feed him some purees. He sits at the table with us and he really does eat his purees better that way. I think he feels a little more included.
Last night we had jambalaya and he ate the rice, like a champ. He actually got about a tbsp of rice down and then ate a jar of carrots. He gets really into grabbing the food, playing with it and putting it into his mouth. So far this is the right fit for us, he gets to "eat" with everyone at the dinner table and we all enjoy the interaction.
We do the exact same thing. If he doesn't actually get food in his tummy aka purees then he gets pissed. He is also showing interest in being part of our meal. So he gets a jar then a piece of food to play w while we eat.
All of this won't matter in a year. Fact.
What just happened in my diaper?!
Cant bold on mobile but the last line is why I heart you!
Married: 5/21/05 **~** Emery Aylin 6/30/12
BFP#1-11/5/10- Surgery for ectopic pregnancy 11/15/10 BFP#2-11/1/11 Due 7/8/12 Born 6/30/12
Oops we did it again... BFP 03/23/14 Due 12/6/14 Nora Born 11/23/14
My post was not meant to call anybody out. I already said (two times in my OP) that I was not against BLW, and I already noted that it actually does work for some babies and some parents. Some babies are more ready for it, while others are more content with purees. BLW isnt for every baby or every parents. There are benefits to both BLW or puree-feeding. It depends on the comfort levels of the parents, too. Some want to do BLW right from the get-go, others feel more comfortable feeding purees first and letting their babies learn how to eat later with finger foods when they feel their babies are ready for it which might be a few months later.
In the end, either way babies are fed, they will eventually learn how to eat when they are ready. BLW isnt neccesarily going to make them learn how to eat faster, and puree-feeding isnt going to hinder their ability to learn how to chew later when they are ready. There is no right or wrong way with regard to BLW or puree-feeding- In the end, all of them will know how to eat.
I definately agree with you that this won't matter in a year. I am only thinking about it now since as I mentioned before, I was on the fence about it. But as I thought more about it I felt like the end results are going to be the same- no matter how you feed, babies will eat when ready.
I guess my comfort level are going to be purees at first (waiting until 6 months), and then later on finger foods. I do however like the idea of feeding purees first and then a peice of food to play with while the rest of the family eats so that the baby has something to do and feels more involved.... I might try that sometimes after she gets the puree feeding down...thank you and reindecajun for that idea...
I like the concept of baby led weaning, but I think it makes sense to start with a puree. The baby doesn't know how to eat and to help them get used to food, it makes sense to give them something that they an easily taste and swallow. In the natural world, most animals chew and regurgitate food for their young. A blender takes the place of regurgitation.
I will thicken the purees and move to finger foods quickly enough. I like the finger food idea because she can control how much she eats and have fun with the food, but I'm worried about giving it too early that she might choke.
This, word for word, is what I wanted to say. I'm not against I do like the idea of BLW when babies are ready for it, but I just feel more comfortable starting out with purees first to make sure she has that down, and then introducing finger foods.
I'm with Karm. Since we're past BF vs. FF, it's now BLW vs. purees.
Feed your kid. Done.
Yes, I may have been overreacting by saying we're getting called out. However, after being told by June that I was endangering my child when I accidentally posted this over there, I've been a little on edge.
However, I do want to clarify that choking is very unlikely with BLW. I know that's easier to read than believe, but without learning to suck pur?es off a spoon, babies are learning what textures in the hand translate to as textures in the mouth and how that translates to how much to chew.
Like as said, do as you want and I'll do as I want, but my child is not in any danger by eating table foods right now.
Eh. No worries, I've actually felt the same way about a lot of the threads. I feel like the casual comments about BLW have been a lot less supportive of different choices than the board was/is about bf vs formula, cloth vs disposable, whatever.
In regards to the OP, I don't really see how learning to do something in a different order equates to rushing things. It's just a different order. And in general, since with BLW'ing you wait until the child shows clear interest in food and there's no spoon-feeding, I feel the kid is less likely to be rushed.