BLW check in

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

Hope everyone US-based had a nice Thanksgiving. A few weeks ago we discussed a check in for those of us doing BLW, and there seemed to be some interest, so...here it is!

How's it going? What foods have you introduced so far? Is your LO taking to it?

Any questions or concerns? (Maybe another poster can help).

Post a favorite photo or video!

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

It's going pretty well with us. We started with banana and avocado just before 6 months (a little over a month ago) although we started very slowly and took a break while we were traveling the last few weeks.

We've introduced banana, pear, apples/applesauce, mango, avocado, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, baby corn, asparagus, old-fashioned oatmeal, dry toast fingers, toast fingers with cream cheese, plain cooked pasta, plain yogurt with cinnamon, chicken and turkey. They love food - and are actually consuming quite a bit.

I was incredibly nervous about choking but am finally starting to relax a bit. In the beginning, they sucked on everything rather than chewing/ gumming. But now they're definitely chewing and swallowing the foods that fall apart easily.

I'm curious about whether anyone is planning to delay dairy, meat, fish, citrus, or anything else (besides nuts and honey, obviously). I wasn't planning to, although while we were in the UK, E got really sick one night and threw up about 10 times within an hour or two. We thought at first she had a stomach bug but it stopped abruptly and no one else got sick. So then I thought that perhaps what made her ill was the lime juice my BIL had sprinkled on her avocado slices that evening. But I've also heard citrus before 1 is fine. Neither DH nor I have any allergies, nor is there any on my side of the family. DH's brother has eczema.

littledaisies · December 2013

I'm happy to see a post about this. I haven't tried BLW but I'd like to however I'll admit I'm a little nervous.

Do you guys still do purees or only BLW food?

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

Thanks, @cromie713.

Also, I forgot my pictures. My mom (our nanny) isn't comfortable yet with giving them finger foods so she does a lot of pre-loaded spoons. Here's one of each of them "eating" yogurt today.

KLXVI · December 2013

Hey, ladies. I've been following along since L was born May 16th, but haven't posted here yet. I was wondering if I could join your check-in.

If so...

We started BLW three weeks ago. He's had bananas, avocado, squash, yams, pumpkin, oatmeal, turkey, carrots, and potatoes. He seems to really like feeding himself, but he puts too much food in his mouth. This scares me and I watch him like a hawk. He loves feeding himself oatmeal and is mastering the spoon to mouth method.

We use cloth diapers and it has been interesting (and fun...) to learn how to spray off the new poop.

I'll be reading along and looking for your suggestions on new foods to try!

KLXVI · December 2013

cromie713 said:
Welcome !! We do cloth too and I have definitely not been enjoying the new poop. I miss the easy milk diapers lol

Thanks! I have the Spray Pal and it makes spraying easy. It's still an extra step and I have to get the process down, but I thought it would be much worse

bumpuser8130818 · December 2013

We started on Nov. 22nd and at first he was not into food much at all. We were pretty shocked because after seeing his pure delight from sucking on an apple, we thought he would for sure love food. He has had sweet potato, baked apple, squash, mango, watermelon, strawberry smashed and spread on toast, crumpets, avocado, broccoli (which he just touched to his lip and was done with), mashed potatoes, banana, and turkey (which he put in his mouth for just a second). So far he has only seemed to like bread or watermelon. After the first couple of days we thought maybe it was a texture thing and tried mashed potatoes and mashed squash and he really loves a loaded spoon.
We also do cloth and boy, the new smell is something! And the food chunks. . lol

ordinary1 · December 2013

We have been doing BLW for awhile now. A loves it! She has had toast, potatoes, carrots, green beans, rice, pears, red pepper, broccoli, and banana. The only thing she really hasn't cared for is the red pepper. She isn't always able to get it in her mouth so sometimes we help her out when she wants us to (which is quite obvious when she does). We also give puffs which are her favorite 'snack'. Annabelle also loves to grab food off our plates so I have started putting a little extra on my plate so she can have some.

ordinary1 · December 2013

PumpkinAndThePeanut said:

It's going pretty well with us. We started with banana and avocado just before 6 months (a little over a month ago) although we started very slowly and took a break while we were traveling the last few weeks.

We've introduced banana, pear, apples/applesauce, mango, avocado, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, baby corn, asparagus, old-fashioned oatmeal, dry toast fingers, toast fingers with cream cheese, plain cooked pasta, plain yogurt with cinnamon, chicken and turkey. They love food - and are actually consuming quite a bit.

I was incredibly nervous about choking but am finally starting to relax a bit. In the beginning, they sucked on everything rather than chewing/ gumming. But now they're definitely chewing and swallowing the foods that fall apart easily.

I'm curious about whether anyone is planning to delay dairy, meat, fish, citrus, or anything else (besides nuts and honey, obviously). I wasn't planning to, although while we were in the UK, E got really sick one night and threw up about 10 times within an hour or two. We thought at first she had a stomach bug but it stopped abruptly and no one else got sick. So then I thought that perhaps what made her ill was the lime juice my BIL had sprinkled on her avocado slices that evening. But I've also heard citrus before 1 is fine. Neither DH nor I have any allergies, nor is there any on my side of the family. DH's brother has eczema.

I have heard fish should be more towards 9 months to a year so we will be doing that. We will introduce milk at about 11 months (also close to recommended age).

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

@LaurenJeff10, it sounds like you're doing it right. I prefer giving steamed or roasted foods as opposed to raw, especially as we have teeth now. I'd also recommend Gill Rapley's book. Even after reading it I was still scared about choking, it has only been recently that E and V seem to "get" the idea of chewing and swallowing, and only then did I relax a bit. I still watch them like a hawk while they eat.

Maybe if your LO isn't gumming/chewing yet, you'd feel better if you took a break from solids for a week or two?

Whenever I second guess our decision to do BLW, I just keep telling myself we'd be dealing with this in a few months anyway, with the introduction of finger foods after purées.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

@ordinary1, where have you heard dairy should be held off until 11 months? I've heard that babies shouldn't have cow's milk until 1, but that's only for drinking, as they don't want you replacing breast milk/formula feeds with cow's milk. I read on wholesomebabyfood.com that yogurt, etc. is fine at 7-8 months?

Also (and this is for everyone), eggs - when are you introducing eggs?

Lolalipsy · December 2013

We've already started eggs but E wasn't enamoured. I made a little omelette.

However I'm not too sure whether it was just because she was off solids in general (with having a cold) or whether she took a dislike to it. I'll try again in a few days.

bumpuser8130818 · December 2013

PumpkinAndThePeanut said:
@ordinary1, where have you heard dairy should be held off until 11 months? I've heard that babies shouldn't have cow's milk until 1, but that's only for drinking, as they don't want you replacing breast milk/formula feeds with cow's milk. I read on wholesomebabyfood.com that yogurt, etc. is fine at 7-8 months?

Also (and this is for everyone), eggs - when are you introducing eggs?

My pedi said the sooner the better with eggs. We haven't introduced them yet, but probably some time this month. Pedi also said cheese and yogurt were fine and milk is fine when cooked with things.

Kashy · December 2013

My guy LOVES food. He has only not likes yams, but everything else we give him he just gobbles up.

We have done scrambled eggs (plain) he loves them and he likes cheese and yogurt. As for veggies, fruit and meat he has tried so much and likes it all.

here he is with an apple

littledaisies · December 2013

cromie713 said:

I'm happy to see a post about this. I haven't tried BLW but I'd like to however I'll admit I'm a little nervous.

Do you guys still do purees or only BLW food?
There's not really BLW food per say. BLW is an approach to introducing solids that's all about skipping purees and mush and letting them fed themselves whole foods of their choosing from the beginning

Sorry I worded that wrong. I understand that there isn't BLW food, it's an approach. I'm curious if others are skipping purees all together or do a combo of both. I've been searching through the forums on BLW sites and a lot of people are against doing both. I really want to try BLW but it makes me nervous. Since my LO is going to daycare I'm not sure if I feel comfortable sending whole food at this time.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · December 2013

^ my mom is our nanny and isn't very comfortable with BLW. She gives the girls runny foods like applesauce or yogurt on pre-loaded spoons a lot, and we give finger foods at dinner time (if they're not too tired/cranky) and on weekends. I'm hoping my mom will become more comfortable soon so they can get more opportunities to eat during the week. I don't mind her giving the pre-loaded spoons because they are still controlling what they eat, but I want to give them a wider variety of foods, and I want them to practice chewing as much as possible.

I'm not 100% opposed to mashed foods (occasionally my mom will mash - not purée - some banana up for them), provided they are still feeding themselves. In my opinion, mashed food is just another texture for them to explore. I just don't want her spoon-feeding them and confusing them, or giving them too much of one type/texture of food.

My point is, you can start slowly doing one "real" meal a day like we are, or you can ask your daycare provider if they'll allow your LO to "feed" himself mashed foods on pre-loaded spoons.

ordinary1 · December 2013

I heard the dairy thing from other mom friends. However, if your ped says something different, follow that. I was just giving my personal preference since my ped didn't say anything.

Lolalipsy · December 2013

I follow a BLW group on Facebook and they definitely aren't of the school of the thought that BLW has to be whole foods. Instead, all they do is load the spoon for the infant to feed themselves. This makes perfect sense to me so I don't exclude mashed up foods or purees for that matter. In real life I have fruit purees in my yogurt, or I'll have smooth porridge, smooth mashed potatoes. I don't always chew but I always choose.

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