Baby Led Weaning

Growing healthy babies with healthy appetites

Archive for the ‘Top Tips’ Category

Sometimes You Just Have To Grit Your Teeth And BELIEVE…

Wednesday, July 19th, 2006

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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You'll Be Eating a Lot of Veggies, Then.

Thursday, July 13th, 2006

Oh yes you will. Even if you aren't yet at the (blissful) stage of being able to give your baby food directly from your plate, it's a good idea to show willing by eating some of the food you are giving them. And, by the way, looking as if you are enjoying it.
This has its limits, of course. Thanks to my Aunt Eileen's tried-and-tested method of cooking carrots (an easy enough recipe, simply boil for three days and serve at a clammy temperature) I cannot stomach the things. Luckily, the baby doesn't know that I am eating raw carrot while she is tucking into some lightly steamed ones.

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Buying a Highchair

Thursday, July 13th, 2006

 …doesn't really matter which one you get, so long as you can stand it in the shower or bath and hose it down when it gets unbelievably filthy. Because it will.
Oh, and try to make sure the tray has a lip on it round the edge. Seems terribly obvious to me but we were in a cafe today and the highchair tray was completely flat, so the baby just nonchalantly flicked everything onto the ground. It was an East Coast one, very stylish, like a tribute to (rip-off version of?) the Stokke Tripp-Trapp. We had considered buying it but am very, very glad that we went for el cheapo white plastic Ikea one now.

Please see Finger Food: Broccoli.

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Try Not to Clean

Thursday, July 13th, 2006

No really. Obviously it's a good idea to clean up after your baby has eaten, unless you fancy a wee visit from the Environmental Health, but try not to do it during their meal. Why? Well, how stressful do you find it when you're out for a meal and the waiter is too attentive?
So try to ignore the mess, in fact try to revel in it. It's hilarious. It's good for them – that mess is teaching them that dinner time isn't stressful, it's enjoyable. And once your baby is finished you can just dip their hands and feet in the bathroom sink for a wash and a face splash while their father gets busy at the highchair with a selection of anti-bacterial wipes. Well, maybe.

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Put Something on the Floor

Thursday, July 13th, 2006

 I've seen people recommend putting a shower curtain down, which seems a
bit of a faff to me but might work for some. You can also buy a plastic
sheet for £3.95 on ebay. £3.95! For a plastic sheet, for god's sake.
Plus postage, naturally.

I'd like to get a nice piece of lino,
probably about a metre by a metre but I haven't got that  organised yet
so at the moment I'm making do with some old washable wallpaper that I
found lying about my gaff. It's working rather well, I must say. And
when I say washable, I mean silk-backed, 80 quid a metre, la-di-dah.
It's not mine… if only.

Anyway, something is better than
nothing. We've got floorboards, it was a flippin' nightmare trying to
get bits of cheese out of the cracks. As the actress said to the bishop…

PS A rather charming woman called Nell has just left a comment to suggest putting a  newspaper down on the floor so that when it gets splattered you can just wheech off the top layer. It's a good idea, and as soon as I work out how to show the comments under the posts you will all be able to see it without clicking anything. Any ideas as to how I do this? Anyone?

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