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Weaning

Just started BLW - seems to make DS slightly hysterical

28 replies

snottagecheese · 07/08/2013 22:05

DS turned 6 months a week ago and so I began BLW (which I also did with DD, now 4). The trouble is, as soon as I pass him anything to eat, or even just get him in the highchair, he starts to go kind of crazy, squealing and seeming sort of distressed but not exactly unhappy, if that makes any sense. I don't know if he's just frustrated, as in he wants to get the food in RIGHT NOW but can't, or just finds the new experience of being in a highchair and given food odd, or what. Certainly he often grabs the food like a starving man, but other times just doesn't seem to be remotely interested - but either way there's still the crazed squealing.

I don't remember DD being like this at all - if anything she was a bit bemused/uninterested for the first couple of weeks at least, probably longer (too long ago, I can't really remember!). I guess I just want to know if others have had this experience - if it sounds like a normal response, or if I'm doing anything wrong (I do try to avoid giving him food when he's tired, though once or twice I've wondered if this was the problem).

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/08/2013 22:18

Not experienced it no but have you tried feeding him? From what I've read on here some babies do seem to prefer being fed and can find self feeding a little frustrating.

No need for purees if you don't want, you could always just mash a little f what you are eating and feed him that, just to see how it goes, and keep on offering finger food Smile

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snottagecheese · 07/08/2013 22:25

Well I tried to feed him some yoghurt but he instantly grabbed the spoon and tried to get it in his mouth so I don't think that's it. I will try again though, just to see.

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FattyMcChubster · 07/08/2013 22:28

Could you try him having a spoon and you having a spoon? So he's distracted by his spoon but gets fed by yours? Also, how hungry is he? If he's really ready for food I'd try some solids closer to milk so he's not ravenous and desperate to wolf it down.

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CountryMama · 07/08/2013 22:30

With blw I have definitely not been a purist. I give my dc3 a choice of finger foods and feed him purée at the same time. He's just too hungry and frustrated but does enjoy feeding himself too. ( he tirned6 m

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CountryMama · 07/08/2013 22:31

Sorry finish that badly!! Just wanted to add that he turned 6 months last week too.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/08/2013 22:33

The two spoon trick could work. Also, is he having his milk roughly an hour before solids?

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adagio · 07/08/2013 22:33

My LO likes to have something to hold (BLW styleee) but also when hungry/a bit tired/bored some assistance too - e.g. she holds the cucumber stick I spoon in some mash or fruit puree or whatever. I can't seem to spoon stuff into her without the distraction of alternate bites (well gnaws/slurps) of whatever she is holding as she steals the spoon, and is bloody quite strong. She won the fight when a petit filous was involved. It was messy. Grin

My HV said that BLW is a very modern and western approach and babies also benefit from the nurturing of being fed so I prefer to do a mixed approach. In poorer places/olden days no one could afford BLW due to the amount of waste baby will create - this sounds plausible to me! I can't imagine a cave woman handing baby a drumstick and allowing them to get on with it as surely the family dog would end up with a rather more full belly than the baby.

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 22:34

If it is baby led he is telling you he doesn't like what you are doing! Try purées - they are all different and he may prefer them.

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TheBreastmilksOnMe · 07/08/2013 22:41

BLW has been around since the beginning of time, adagio, it's just that it's had a revival that's all. A caveperson wouldn't have a blender so giving a baby a drumstick or a piece of meat to gnaw and suck seems more likely and wouldn't create unnecessary waste or much mess. I do think your hv is misinformed.

To the opportunity I think your data might be frustrated because because he is hungry so I would try him with a small amount of milk first to take the edge off his hunger.

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 22:46

I'm a massive BLW fan and 'purist' Grin - maybe try sitting him on your lap? I did that to start off with for DS. Meals consisted of me eating whatever I wanted to eat, and him examining and playing with it. Eventually he started putting some in his mouth. But the whole 'no pressure' thing is key with BLW - let them discover it all tastes nice in their own time. And don't do it before milk, do it an hour or so after, ideally - if they're hungry they'll get frustrated.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/08/2013 22:47

Agree with BM. My dad was born in 1930 and he tells me that he and his siblings were given the end of the joint of meat to gnaw on when they were being weaned or things like a potato to hold. He's always thought purees, jars and pouches a bit odd.

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 22:50

Do actually listen to the baby! I love the fact mother decides what and when the baby will eat and yet calls it baby led! Do what people always did, relax and try everything- don't ban foods because they need a spoon. It is a very, very short period- the aim is to get the baby to eat family meals and how you get there matters not one jot!

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TheBreastmilksOnMe · 07/08/2013 22:52

Bloody autocorrect! I meant 'op' and 'dc'!

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 22:53

Of course they always did that, Jilted- it is hardly new! They also had purée. I eat stewed fruit, I like to mash my banana- why ever not? Why do they get banned for the baby?

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Flatasawitchestit · 07/08/2013 22:54

I also agree the HV seems a bit misinformed.

I'd feel milk 30m-1 hr prior to mealtime and take it from there.

Remember that not all babies are ready at 6m.

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 22:55

Purees seem very weird to me because I've only ever done BLW. I actually think of BLW as very adult friendly actually, there is not wiggle room for the baby at all - it's almost old school - here's food, eat it or don't eat it, it doesn't matter either way! If he makes a fuss, fine we leave it! Grin Makes my life easy - no cajoling, no double meal planning.

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Xmasbaby11 · 07/08/2013 22:56

DD was a bit like this - lots of reaction but no interest in putting solid food in her mouth! She was quite happy for me to feed her apple puree etc.

I kept on offering purees and solids over the weeks and months. I'd say she wasn't keen on solids until she was at least 1 - she just played with it.

As others have said, you can only offer and see what the baby takes to.

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 22:58

The key is low expectations. Hysteria sounds like he's experiencing pressure- I could be wrong but if it's just 'here's something a bit different to play with' then there shouldn't be any issue. Doesn't matter whether he eats or not, as long as he's happy enough. If he's not sat in high chair before it's probably that.

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 23:00

Purée is the same- it is impossible to get it down if they don't want it and you don't have to do any double meal planning. Most meals have foods with different textures and consistencies. It seems ridiculous to all sit round eating homemade soup and yet the baby can't have it because , horrors, he has to have a spoon!

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 23:11

I'm not being disingenuous - if we were having soup, that is exactly what I'd plonk in front of baby?! I'd have bread and butter or maybe even cheese on toast with it anyway so what's the issue? As long as it's not too hot they'll get a taste of it.

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Cravingdairy · 07/08/2013 23:13

You can give a baby pureed or mashed food while doing BLW. You can pre load spoons or just blob some on the tray, why not. The point is to let the baby take the lead, not to only give finger food.

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 23:19

Exactly no issue- have whatever you are having with it and help him with a spoon. People always managed perfectly well to give the baby whatever they were having without having labels. If MIL offered the baby chocolate gateaux there would probably be hell to pay- despite the baby choosing to eat it and wanting more! It is mother led- nothing wrong in that, people don't want others choosing what to give the baby. The baby simply decides whether to eat it or not- whatever it happens to be.
This is a very common thread- mothers get in such a state about it and it really doesn't matter! Relax- try them with whatever, it doesn't matter if they don't eat much, it doesn't matter if you try a purée - it doesn't matter if you don't have purées.

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 23:27

BLW is about what goes into their mouth and how. It's about providing a balanced diet for yourself and the baby partaking in the experience. Putting stuff in the baby's mouth for him is not BLW. It works and is ace. It annoys me when people insist on spoon feeding as an essential part of the weaning process - babies are remarkably good at feeding themselves if you let them! They will not starve themselves.

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InMyShreddies · 07/08/2013 23:29

If mil serves up choc gateaux then baby helps himself! Where's the issue? I'd probably then not want much more sugar for the next day or two so I wouldn't serve any. The whole point is that baby has what you do. Much more problems
Are caused by making such things forbidden fruits.

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exoticfruits · 07/08/2013 23:36

If it really works like that I have no problems, InMyShreddies- however I think that in many cases the baby has the choice that mother presents- judging by threads on here when posters are horrified that their babies have been offered cake and chips etc!
I haven't a clue why offering something on a spoon is 'stuffing it in'!

The whole thing irritates me- it gets mothers in such a state and it really, really doesn't matter! Relax-it has no bearing on the future eating habits of your child.

The only good point that I can see is that it does away with commercial jars.

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