Okay, this is really one for the people whose mums/health visitors/partners/husbands/grans/aunties/pals/work colleagues/fellow bus passengers and Karmelising friends keep telling them that their six-month-old should be on three square meals a day…
I think we just have to let it all wash over us and remember that babies get the vast majority of their calories from milk until they are 12 months old. Until then (according to what I've read) their food is just for fun, so it strikes me that about the worst thing you could do would be to get stressed about quantities. So ignore the baying crowds, ladies, and believe in the baby led weaning…
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Tags: baby led weaning, belief, faith, success
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Am at this stage now.
DH is somewhat nervous that DD is:
a – starving to death, and
b – going to choke and die.
Saying that, he was sooo proud of his little one thoroughly enjoying her first taste of roast beef yesterday – she sucked it to death! She totally rejected her beloved carrots and baby sweetcorn afterward with a look of disgust when they were offered and rummaged around for the beef again.
I'm just getting a little dispondant – we're only a week or two in and she really isn't that fussed about eating much most of the time. Should I wait a while or should I give into everyone else's opinion (MIL etc.) and spoon the puree in? I really want to do this, but arghhhhh the PRESSURE!!
If it helps I have no idea how much the Munch eats!
I do feed her 3 times a day and have done since she was 7 months, but by that I mean at my breakfast and lunchtime, and about an hour and a half before bed, I put her in the highchair and put food in front of her. I very rarely pay any attention to food going in so couldnt tell you if she eats it other than counting food on the floor afterwards, which I am never going to do!
I just sit her there for half an hour ish and then we clean up.
Hang in there, and as a good argument I once pointed out to that the quarter of pear she had eaten was the size of her forearm…that soon shut them up!
like Rowan, i don't really pay attention to how much Babybear is eating, I just clear up the debris afterwards. it truthfully isn't about the amounts, but you know that already, you just have to believe it.
as for the choking… what is DH's plan of action if the baby does choke, either on BLW food or purees? i'd be more interested in that, as there is still a choking risk with puree. as it happens i recommend every parent should do an infant resus class, not just if they plan to do BLW.
I've explained the choking/gagging thing – and told him that she's gagged on yoghurt as much as finger foods, so he knows. I guess he's just nervous 'cause he's at work during the week so doesn't get to see her munching as much as I do! (I've done a resus. class – just need to book him on one)
Discovered that she LOVES mature cheddar almost as much as beef – I was very impressed with her cheese disolving abilities at lunch :-)
Thanks for the moral support guys! It helps to know it's worth hanging on in there.
luckily the gagging phase doesn't really last that long, so take heart in the fact that it won't be forever. and my dd now turns up her nose at what someone on here called British Safety Cheddar (ie mild) and only likes the hard stuff. it's hilarious, isn't it?
Munch loves mature cheese, and has never had the plastic mild stuff as I refuse to buy it.
We were in Asda earlier and they had a taste test of different cheese, I had an astounded crowd round me as the Munch tried each bit (she loved the extra strong, and hated the one with onion in!)
It is hard to believe that blw is the right path when everyone around you is convinced that your LO is not eating enough. I similarily went through a difficult patch when Boomer was around 8 mths, it felt like although Boomer and I were fine eveybody was worried about her. Having other mothers around that were experiencing the same things at the same time REALLY helped.
I am having to do a bit of teeth gritting at the moment – not because of anyone else, but because Angelcake has really gone off food. I don't know if it's the growth spurt she is due, or the snotty cold she's developed, or both or neither, but she's hardly eating any solids and is subsisting on breast milk again.
She seems perfectly happy and I'm not worried about her health really…I'm just trying not to let myself slip into that 'must get something down them' mindset. It's insidious when you keep hearing other parents talk that way about their babies!
how long is not long, cos weve been weaning for about 4 weeks now and hes still gagging every time, often spewing up loads (or what seems like loads anyway) at the same time.
he is enjoying food and is eating some judging by his nappies-you would be surprised to size of carrots he can swallow lol, im surprised it can get out the other end yuk! yuk! yuk!
well, i know that she was certainly still doing it at 8 months, as that's when i wrote the stuff on gagging. and from the looks of things Boomer was still occasionally gaggin in October. i think i must have mummy amnesia, as it seems like ages since she's last done it but maybe it isn't?
Going off food when they have a cold seems really common – Weeble did it, and a couple of his little friends have been the same; one of the mums was stressing out yesterday that her little one was off solids. So I think its just their way.
My mum said to me “well, when you're ill, you just want comfort food, don't you” and for a baby, that's milk!
That is so true, somedays Boomer just wants milk really, she'll play with some food but not with any real intent. Mummy amnesia means that it does feel like Boomer doesn't eat any more than she did when we started this blw thing, but I know thats not true as I watched her polish off half a corn on the cob last night with real dedication.
For the record, Babybear is cutting a tooth at the moment and she refused to eat so much as a porridge pancake until tea-time. I think the point about comfort food is a great one.
Yes! finally managed to get back on the site – my computer is intemittent in allowing me to logon here :-(
You may not believe this, but the HV was really impressed with her yesterday and said we were fostering a really healthy approach to food with Widget!!! Of course, I knew this already but was gobsmacked to hear a HV say that. I was astounded and said, “So… I'm okay not shoveling purees down her then 'cause I'm getting hassle from older relatives?” just to further test the water and she said, “Of course. Babies used to wean at three or four months, but were usually on finger foods by six months!” You could have knocked me down with a feather!!!
Update on latest foods:
– Pork steak
– Potato wedges
– Extra strong cheddar
– Weetabix (must admit to using a spoon with this, but she intercepted me a couple of times and either 'helped' put the spoon in her mouth or took the mush off and shoved her hand in her mouth – bless)
It's her Christening on Sunday, so if she's in the mood for food I may just get her a plate from the buffet and shock the rellies :-)
that must have been a real lift, to get such lovely affirmation from your HV. she sounds like a very sensible type… (in fact, you couldn't do me a favour, could you, and post about what she said on Coping With Sceptical Mothers-in-Law and Other Animals? i had posited a very similar thought there and it's gratifying to have it officially confirmed.) have a wonderful time at the Christening, hoping the weather is nice and sunny for you.
Done!
cheers lrwg
Argh!
Angelcake will only eat tomato, orange and potato…she throws everything on the floor and refuses to put anything else anywhere near her mouth! The cold has gone, but the situation hasn't improved…and now she keeps getting nappy rash because of all the acidic food she's eating, although I know they're all good for vitamin C…(??)
Guys – do you care if your babies throw their food? Angelcake is nearly 9 months old – do I just avoid eating out with her until this has passed?
Sorry – feeling quite deflated at the moment.
Hi Thell (I think),
We're having a no-food day too. Even potatoes were discarded. The fromage frais went down no bother though…ahem. It's really hard when they won't eat, as my blip a few days ago showed.
First up, I don't care if Minky throws food. I don't care if we're at home. I care less if we're out. She probably throws less when we are out due to all the distractions. She gets it back a couple of times, because sometimes she is just testing gravity and looks longingly at the apricot squished on the floor. At some point though, I call it a day. I guess it just depends how strong you are feeling. I don't know…take her out, give her a small amount of what she likes, see what happens?
Secondly, we are also in nappy rash city. Not sure why. Shall I blame teething again? She is howling with pain when I change her nappy and it makes me want to cry. I'm just trying to slather on Metanium, which generally works for us (although took a couple of weeks last time, it was so bad. Probably should have gone to the docs.)
Angelcake's appetite will come back. We have to trust them to self regulate. Repeat after me…”It will be fine”. In a few days you will be passing this advice on to the next soul that's having a blip!
We've been on the no food thing as well. Have I posted this before? I'm so tired I have no idea what I'm doing… anyway, Weeble had a v high temperature for a couple of days, and totally refused any solids. The much beloved banana actually made him cry. He didn't even want milk on Tuesday.
Thankfully he seems back to his old self now (banana for brekkie, is currently trying to break open the baby gate) while I am trying to catch up on a few nights without sleep. God, I feel like he's a newborn again.
Anyhoo, as to the mess – we have a big bit of lino on the floor that catches most detritus – I just shake the leftovers on the compost pile (OK, the lawn) – and Weeble throws with abandon. I don't really care as we live in military accomodation, so it's not our kitchen/carpet/walls etc that are getting plastered with broccoli twigs. When we're out, I try and collect any huge bits, but I think most restaurants are accustomed to it.
I do think that BLW babies are probably LESS messy, because they are lobbing chunks of veg… have you SEEN how far a Karmelised baby can spit pureed carrot?
have a look at 'if i want to quantify how much Babybear is eating…'
i wrote it last night, in a haze of tiredness and unnerved-ness over how little Babybear is eating compared to before. you have my sympathies… it is a bit freaky. although i don't fret about the food flying, i at least like to see some of it go to her mouth first so an outright refusal it is a bit dis-heartening.
i've been putting it down to teething (and the nappies have been filed under that too) but isn't it weird that everyone is experiencing this at the same time, given that the babies are all different ages? wonder if they just hate the onset of winter and the clocks going back, and are all discombobulated? who knows? or maybe we all hate the weather and are feeling less tolerant? it's a pain not being able to strap them in the buggy and go and sit in a park, that's for sure. anyway, hope everyone snaps out of it soon.
by the way… i find metanium is good but quite drying in a way, so we use it and bepanthen as well. not at the same time, obviously, but turn and turn about (well more or less. it's more like 'whichever is nearest' rather than a rigourous system.) the bepanthen seems to calm the skin down better, i think.
Thank you for the sympathies ;-) It always makes you feel better when you know you're not the only one going through it! I wasn't too concerned, as I took him to be weighed yesterday and my lovely HV said “Don't stress, make sure he's hydrated and just come back if he doesn't start eating again once his temperature comes down”.
Also, and negating my (unvoiced and disloyal) worries that he might not get enough solids down him on the BLW thing – I know , I know, I'm committed but I'm still a MUM – his weight has broken through the 75th percentile line. I'm raising a chubster. Although how you can get fat when you live on banana and broccoli, and are constantly on the go is beyond me…
ps I am joking. He is not a chubster, he's scrummy. I'm not about to put him on Baby Atkins or anything!
Poor mummies and babies. You all have my sympathy. Nappy rash particularly is grim, you have to let them roll around with no nappy on but a bit difficult when they're mobile and November's a bit nippy to have one's bits out.
Is that the voice of experience, Loll???!!! ;-)
It certainly is, my weekly Nude Day is on hiatus until April. Much to the relief of the postman.
Thanks for the words of reassurance everyone – and well done Moomin for figuring out it was me!! No idea how I managed to be anon…
I feel a bit crap really – in the grand scheme of things Angelcake is doing fine. Other people have much worse things to contend with than me and my little whinges!!
It turns out that not only has she had 3 colds now making her feel under the weather, plus a growth spurt, but she cut a tooth this week without me noticing! There was one night when she just couldn't seem to settle and woke crying little and often. That must have been it.
On the food front, she is still generally disinterested, but will gnaw on meat, and yesterday she stared so intently at my weetabix that I offered her some…and she ate a whole one to herself! :oO Same again today. She actually opens her mouth for me to pop the first bit in, then she turns the teaspoon upside down and uses her bottom lip to get the rest of it. Clever girl!
But that stuff IS like concrete – pebble-dashing on its way in and out,…
Weekly nude day??
Sounds oddly appealing…but not so great for us in overlooked terraced housing and with big glass panels in the front door :oD
I had similar expereinces with weetabix, you have to spray it with some cleaner spray immediatly otherwise it is arund for a long time………..