Baby led weaning

Totally worthwhile, and all just common sense! I'm lazy and it was so so sooo much easier than all that pureeing that everyone else did. Just make sure you're eating healthy stuff yourself (which you will be already) and give bubs some of what you're all having when bubs is ready. That means putting off introducing solids for a while longer than most people do but that's in line with WHO guidelines anyway. I've heard the difference explained nicely, BLW is learning to chew before you learn to swallow, whereas "normal" weaning is learning to swallow before you learn to chew.

I thoroughly recommend Gill Rapley's book, it was my bible when we were starting out. (Actually, I'd be happy to lend it to you if you want! I'll be in Queenstown next weekend...)

I assume you've seen me link to the BLW forums before The website set up to publicise the book (link here) also has some good info.

I'm quite a logical person (normally ) and the scientific/developmental basis for it made sense to me.

I'm not knocking "normal" introduction of solids - it's just for people with more patience than me! But for the record (mummy brag alert), having done BLW, JJ will eat anything happily, and is a tidier eater than almost any other kids his age I've seen. And no, he's never choked on anything, just gagged a little a couple of times. It's all part of the learning process! It has been really good for his fine motor development too. Another thing I've personally noticed is that he doesn't seem to put random other things into his mouth nearly as much as other kids his age - he seems to know when something is food or when it isn't.

Thank you so much to bizzy for introducing me to it in the first place

nzpiper wrote: Some of it sounds like its just a new "en vogue" way of doing what we are pretty much already doing....

If what you are already doing is prioritising milk, waiting till baby is ready to feed himself real food (no puree, ideally a bit of what you're already eating if it's healthy) and getting on with eating your own meal while he does, then it's perfect. No worries about how much goes in, it's an enjoyable, low-key way to intoduce solids.

Oh yeah monster I forgot to add that - it is FUN!

oh and thanks for all thelinks....I will get off my lazy butt and read them when I can work out just what /james is wanting at the moment....boob? sleep? play? come on boy.....spell it out for mummy!

Yep, there's no need for them to have spoonfuls of anything that you wouldn't eat with a spoon yourself, so just load up spoons for things like yoghurt, soup, etc, and hand them over for bubs to do it themselves.   

I've heard a few people talk about doing a 'mix' of standard weaning and blw - it doesn't really work that way. If you're using purees and mash, then add some finger foods too from an early age, that's all good, but it's not blw. The point of blw is that there is no need for purees/mash. If the baby can't pick up a solid piece of food and gum, chew, then swallow it - then the baby is not ready for it yet. Milk is enough, food is extra. It's about letting baby explore at his/her own pace and trusting that milk is enough until they get the hang of it.

lol! weegee you said it all... and so well too.
i loved it and it certainly is a lot more feeing than having to do purees. the thing i liked most was that it was all at edens pace and i never felt i was forcing her to eat anything. so much easier... go baby-led weaning!!!!!!!!

I agree Ella - it's especially good if you're breastfeeding on demand - again, as the book says, why give our babies control over when and how much to feed for their milk, but take that control away from them when it comes to solids? I found it easy to fob people off by saying "oh yes we've tried lots of different foods" without elaborating if they weren't the type that would be receptive to my evangelising, although as time has gone on I tend to spread the word a bit more (hence my rabid posting in this thread! sorry I'll shut up now!)

I didn't have any problems with daycare - briefly explained the rationale, and actually JJ's primary carer was really interested so I lent her the book to read in her own time. They said "ok so basically you just want him given toddler food?" and that was it - no worries!

hahaha, Kyle is doing this whether I like it or not as he has a total spoon problem.

Nikki I put a vid on facebook of him going at a carrot stick He's also trying rice crackers and casava crisps and yesterday he sampled one of Spencer's potato sticks...lol

Oh I have a messy mat under the table already, put it there when we moved Spencer to the big boy chair.

I loved the mess of giving Spencer finger food, I have so many pics of him in the highchair covered in food. I guess missing out the purees won't be too much of an issue.

i didnt know anything about BLW when henry was younger. He started solids at four and a half months, by grabing some mashed potato off my plate and eating it i was shocked to say the least. I notice that BLW seems to say to wait until their older before offering solids - could someone explain why? Henry has always eaten what we eat, im not saying we did BLW but im quite fascinated with it tbh. We feed henry some things from a spoon - what would benefit if we let him do this himself? How do you know when your child is done? henry never seems to be finished.
Hmm this isnt coming out quite how i want it to. Im not trying to sound judgemental, i dont know much about this and would genuienly like to know.

Edited by angel4

Joel has only had yogurt, custard and cereal from a spoon the rest he feeds himself...has done with finger foods since 6 months. We have had no choking or gagging either. He is much better at a variety of foods compared to Leah at the same age and with her we did the purees etc.