Baby Led Feeding

jessiedawn921 · November 2013

https://www.simplebites.net/how-i-discovered-and-embraced-baby-led-weaningfeeding-blw/

Has anyone heard of this? What are your guys thoughts?

chuicafina · November 2013

Yep. Lots of people on my first BMB did it and were very happy they did. I think we'll do a combination this time. Last time I made my own baby food so BLW would cut out some of the work of making the food. Plus, with BLW she'll be able to eat with us at the table rather than needing to be fed baby food while I'm supposed to be cooking dinner.

jessiedawn921 · November 2013

I thought I sounded cool but was not sure about it and wanted to hear some different thoughts. I think a combination is a good idea.

Jalee85 · November 2013

That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.

shelley1002 · November 2013

I know several people that did BLW and it worked great for them.

jessiedawn921 · November 2013

Jalee85 said:
That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.

I thought it was early also. They said they started at 4 months and I thought you shouldn't introduce solids until 6 months but I'm not sure that is right either.

Jalee85 · November 2013

jessiedawn921 said:

Jalee85 said:
That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.
I thought it was early also. They said they started at 4 months and I thought you shouldn't introduce solids until 6 months but I'm not sure that is right either.

I would definitely be more comfortable at 6 months, but I may have to ask my Pedi about it. Overall, I liked the premise of letting them learn at their own pace.

SnoopyLuv · November 2013

Did it with DD1 and will with this LO. We started solidsvat 5.5 months. Never did spoon feed a puree. Its the absolute easiest and laziest way to feed a child so I was all over it.

chuicafina · November 2013

jessiedawn921 said:

That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.
I thought it was early also. They said they started at 4 months and I thought you shouldn't introduce solids until 6 months but I'm not sure that is right either.

Oh I didn't see that (didn't read the article). Yea, 4 months is too early for BLW (and all solids, IMO). We started solids with DS at 4 months after the pedi told us to so that we could "hide" his Zantac in applesauce. It was a huge mistake. He started getting constipated immediately after starting solids and has struggled with constipation ever since. We will be waiting until 6 months with DD.

hlb622 · November 2013

We plan to try this after 6 mos., but not sooner.

disneymomtotwo · November 2013

SnoopyLuv said:
Did it with DD1 and will with this LO. We started solidsvat 5.5 months. Never did spoon feed a puree. Its the absolute easiest and laziest way to feed a child so I was all over it.

I'm all for easy and lazy so this is definitely something I've been thinking about doing with my LO.

kimbo1216 · November 2013

We did the purée thing for about a week or two before saying screw it. I hated making purées. DD was not particularly find of them. I didn't want to pay for them. So on to blw we went. Best. Decision. Ever.

I confess I didn't read any books about it. To me it was just "old school". I use common sense and a lot of what I learned from other ladies doing it on my bmb.

It was so easy though. With dinner, I'd just put aside some unseasoned veggies that I cooked a little longer. Or cut off a piece of meat to cook before the rest was seasoned. I never made her separate meals. I just made her what we were having with a few modifications as needed. It was so nice not having to sit down and soon feed her only to have to turn around and feed ourselves. She are when we ate and was a rock star at it. I also believe it helped with finger dexterity.

A tip if you do it: have some chopped veggies ready to go in the freezer. I used my old purée trays and placed chopped veggies in the squares. Filled with water and froze. When I needed a quick bite for DD, I would just pop one in the microwave. Super fast and simple.

The only people that didn't seem to like it on my bmb are the ones that over thought it. Keep it simple and you'll be fine. Remember, most solids before one year are just for practice. Their main source of nutrition should still be BM/formula.

MrsShankly1012 · November 2013

I wanted to do it last time but my MIL was watching DS1 2 nights a week for me and it totally freaked her out (I swear if she could chew his food and spit it in his mouth to this day she would). Everything I read said you had to go all or nothing or else it wasn't safe. I'm on the fence about it this time.

sooner1981 · November 2013

Jalee85 said:
That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.

Does you daughter have special feeding issues? I have never heard of any recommendation to feed exclusively breast milk for the first year... In fact, our pediatrician recommends starting a wide range of veggies and fruits at four months, but definitely no later than six months, to decrease the likelihood of food allergies.

Our 20 month old daughter ate tons of veggies and fruits starting at 4 months and she is pretty much the best eater ever now. She eats Brussels sprouts, kale, spicy stuff, anything that we eat. We did do some purees, but also would shred some meat and give more bulky foods to gnaw on.

If you do BLW, it is important to at least read about it enough to know what shapes to cut the food into to minimize choking risks.

germanpickle · November 2013

We did it on accident and LOVED IT - here is my blog about it from back in the day

https://pickles-and-onions.blogspot.de/2012/04/baby-led-weaning.html

ClaireOtoms · November 2013

Breastmilk only for a year? That's a new one.

We did baby lead feeding with DS1 and loved it. Will absolutely do it this time around, too.

norbert5 · November 2013

I love BLW, both my girls have done it and it has worked for us. I will do it with this LO as well somewhere around 6 months.

Just a warning it drove my mother nuts we didn't feed the girls purees. She would even make the purees and I would put them in the freezer and never get around to using them. When she finally lectured me on how to feed my kids I sent her information about BLW and that got her to stop. So you may need to defend your choice to others. I would just make sure to have a book or a reputable website or two to back you up.

Of course this is now the grandma that feeds my kids pop tarts, chewy fruit snacks, and fruit loops without seeing the issue. But that is a completely different thread topic.

Aunt Edna · November 2013

Did BLW with DD1 and it was great. We started making purées at 6 months but she hated them and would spit them out. So we moved on to law and it has worked great for us, we will do BLW with DD2 too.

jessiedawn921 · November 2013

I am loving all this feedback. I think I might have to try this with DS when he gets older and I am all about not having to have "special" foods for him. I am glad also my MIL is fine with all my parenting choices and lets me do my own thing.

RedZee · November 2013

My 2 cents:

Babies don't start eating the way we think they will. I started with BLW and was super stressed that she wasn't really eating. It took some time for her to learn to eat. In that time, I ended up giving some purees. But that's why you start around 5 or 6 months. They don't NEED the nutrients in food (as opposed to breast milk) until maybe 9 or 10 months so it gives them time to learn.

We gave DD the same food we were eating - spices and all. We started with veggies and we've never had a problem with her eating vegetables.

People will definitely be horrified by BLW. And those same people (ahem, grandparents) will feed your child cookies and lollipops all day, with no other food, when the same kid is 2.

Frozen veggies were a lifesaver for me. I'd get cut up butternut squash or peas (when DD was a little older, not right away) and just toss it in the microwave for a few seconds. Saved SOO much time and energy!

pmarie33 · November 2013

With DD, I did a mix of BLW and homemade purée starting around 5-6 months. We did full BLW at 9-10 months. She didn't get her first tooth until 1yo.

SnoopyLuv · November 2013

This is my favorite resource on BLW if anyone is interested:

https://baby-led-solids.blogspot.com/p/guidelines-for-implementing-baby-led.html

manders726 · November 2013

pmarie33 said:

With DD, I did a mix of BLW and homemade purée starting around 5-6 months. We did full BLW at 9-10 months. She didn't her her first tooth until 1yo.

I did this with DD as well without knowing it was a thing (except I used store-bought purees- oh, the horror! Sorry everyone, but as easy as I know it is to make my own, I had no time to fiddle with steaming/blending/freezing fruits and veggies).

She got her first couple teeth around 4 months, so by the time she was 6-7 months she was eating one puree at dinner time along with a couple solid foods each meal. I started with plain elbow mac, mixed veggies, and then introduced ground beef or shredded chicken a month or two later. By the time she was 9-10 months old, we were pretty much just giving her the same thing we were eating for dinner. DD has never been a picky eater and I think it's because we did introduced food this way. My MIL drove me nuts though, because she was so paranoid about DD choking all the time- every time that kid coughed while eating she would jump out of her chair and run over to her. Can't wait for that to start again at Sunday dinners!

jackiesue586 · November 2013

We did this too. We are doing it again with this baby.

Gwyneddlesliegrace · November 2013

We love did it and will do it again. For months is very early. It should be done at 6months, when baby can sit up.

Jalee85 · November 2013

@sooner1981
No, we don't have any special feeding issues. This was the recommendation given to us during our breastfeeding class. They said to not even give water or anything, and I thought it was pretty extreme. I had always thought about introducing different foods at 6 months. I still need to ask for my Pedi's opinion. I just know it's a ways off, so haven't worried to much about it yet.

Mama2be12345 · November 2013

I'd never heard of this, thanks for the info sounds very interesting!

jennlin · November 2013

Yup we did this with dd when she was 6.5 mos old. BLW is so easy, I wouldn't do it any other way.

AmandagStark · November 2013

This is very intriguing! I will have to look into more guidelines with respect to how to do this!

GibsonGirl620 · November 2013

Jalee85 said:
That's interesting. Although it seems so early. We were told breast milk for a year and nothing else. Not sure we will wait that long, but depends on DDs progress.

BM is the main source of nutrients for the first year. Solid foods can be introduced earlier for practice, essentially. "Food before one is just for fun."

kimbo1216 · November 2013

To the pp who said to be ready to defend yourself with a reputable source...sorry, but no. If you're confident in your decision you won't feel the need to defend yourself to anyone.

FYI...most people were very supportive and thought it was neat w didn't so purées.

Jalee85 · November 2013

@ClaireOtoms
Well what they are saying is exclusively breast milk for 1 year. They want you to nurse for a year minimum, but they encouraged going as long as you are able or until baby self weans.

ClaireOtoms · November 2013

Jalee85 said:

@ClaireOtoms Well what they are saying is exclusively breast milk for 1 year. They want you to nurse for a year minimum, but they encouraged going as long as you are able or until baby self weans.

Yeah, I get that. It just seems like a long time to wait to introduce solids.

Jalee85 · November 2013

ClaireOtoms said:

Jalee85 said:

@ClaireOtoms
Well what they are saying is exclusively breast milk for 1 year. They want you to nurse for a year minimum, but they encouraged going as long as you are able or until baby self weans.

Yeah, I get that. It just seems like a long time to wait to introduce solids.

I agree, and was shocked this was recommended.

SnoopyLuv · November 2013

Jalee85 said:

Jalee85 said:

@ClaireOtoms Well what they are saying is exclusively breast milk for 1 year. They want you to nurse for a year minimum, but they encouraged going as long as you are able or until baby self weans.

Yeah, I get that. It just seems like a long time to wait to introduce solids.
I agree, and was shocked this was recommended.

Are you sure they just didn't mean liquids? That's not a recommendation from any credible pediatric medicine source. I am almost 100% they mean no cow's milk or juice vs no foods.

Jalee85 · November 2013

SnoopyLuv said:

Jalee85 said:

ClaireOtoms said:

Jalee85 said:

@ClaireOtoms
Well what they are saying is exclusively breast milk for 1 year. They want you to nurse for a year minimum, but they encouraged going as long as you are able or until baby self weans.

Yeah, I get that. It just seems like a long time to wait to introduce solids.
I agree, and was shocked this was recommended.

Are you sure they just didn't mean liquids? That's not a recommendation from any credible pediatric medicine source. I am almost 100% they mean no cow's milk or juice vs no foods.

Hopefully, I misunderstood her. I thought it sounded crazy as well. I asked my DH what he recalled her saying but he wasn't much help...lol

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