BLW gut check - doubting myself

[Sfcmama]

So we came across blw through trial and error. DD showed interest in food but gagged on purees, etc. She's 9mo now and we've only been doing solids for a little over a month. 95% of the time, I feel really confident about it. She loves knawing on big chunks of apple, pear and even pickle (ripped right out of daddy's hands). Her teeth look like they will break through really soon so I think she likes these cold things on her gums.

Buuuuut - other times, I wonder if we are moving too quickly... I wanted to hold off on grains but she seems to love chewing on a piece of crusty baguette or rice cake. Do I trust that whatever she gravitates to is what her body is ready for? I haven't noticed any allergic reactions.

Also, we've had a few instances where she's gagged on chunks she has self fed to the point of vomiting. Could she just not be ready for the foods that fall apart in her mouth? (like egg yolk or boiled potato)? Or do we need to be sure she's in our lap instead of highchair?

She seems to really want to practice her pincher (sp?) grip so what foods would be good for that?


Any thoughts or btdt stories would be greatly appreciated!

[Youngfrankenstein]

Unless your family has a history of a specific allergy, there is no reason you can't give her anything you're eating (within reason, not like whole peanuts or something).  The latest research is showing that there are not really any foods to hold off on if you have no bad history.  All the "rules" about no peanut butter, dairy, eggs, strawberries are no longer being recommended.  Go with your gut.

[Sfcmama]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein 

Unless your family has a history of a specific allergy, there is no reason you can't give her anything you're eating (within reason, not like whole peanuts or something).  The latest research is showing that there are not really any foods to hold off on if you have no bad history.  All the "rules" about no peanut butter, dairy, eggs, strawberries are no longer being recommended.  Go with your gut.

Thanks. There are so many rules and schools of thought that are interfering with my intuition!

[Sfcmama]

Bumpity. Anyone else? Thanks!

[momto4plus4]

I'd say just go with your instincts. I haven't done BLW. My kids have all started solids at different times too. DD1 was 6 1/2 months, I made homemade purees and soft foods when she was ready but we went slow. Also very strict. No dairy, chocolate, wheat til 4. DS1 had allergic colitis. We did try foods at 6 & 7 months but he couldn't tolerate anything. SO, we waited til 10 months and went VERY slow. DD2, mostly store-bought baby food (bad bad life circumstances happening then) and she did well with most everything though she also had allergic colitis so we avoided dairy til after 2. She also had a possible severe reaction to mango so the allergist doesn't want it even in our house until she's 4 (in January). With JR, I started around 5 months. He's had lots of tummy issues. Actually, all of mine have, but mainly my boys. He was having some reflux issues and possibly aspirating plus chronic diarrhea so I started solids simply to thicken his poo and get him to settle his reflux. It did help but I'm having to go slow, more with quantity then food. He's had avocado, kiwi, rice cereal, oatmeal baby food, peas, green beans, carrots, chicken liver, pears, prunes, peaches, blueberry, sweet potato, banana, has gnawed on breads. For the pincer grasp, I give him cheerios, puffed rice, those baby "puffies" but he doesn't get them to his mouth. He can grab them now though so I feel safe that if he does get them in his mouth he'll be okay. My other kids sat in a high chair but I've had JR either in the Bumbo or on my lap. Tonight I let him chew on a breadstick. He loved it. I realized that he seemed to have actually gotten quite a bit off. Then I realized that he had gotten a piece off, gnawed it and it stuck to the roof of his mouth and he couldn't get it off. I had to pull it out. I just feel safer with him on my lap. I have given his apple slices to chew on but he, even without teeth, could get pieces off. When I gave him  a banana, he ended up choking on the piece he got off. Guess I'm just too paranoid about the blw though I think it's got good merit. I do give him a lot just cut in tiny pieces-the avocado, kiwi, pears, banana, sweet potato. I hope this helps.

[isabchi]

We did BLW with my two kiddos.The only think I hold was Honeyuntil way past the 12 mo due the risk of botulism. We don't junk per se,so they eats what we eats.

[Sfcmama]

Thanks, mamas! Its so helpful to hear the range, especially when all of our friend's babies have been chowing down since 4-6months!
Edited by Sfcmama - 11/16/10 at 7:08am

[tzs]

we also did blw and didn;t hold off with anything except honey. well, actually at first i was a little cautious with peanut butter and egg whites and somewhere along the line i realized that we didn;t have allergies and all that nonsense seemed silly and just gave everything to her. 

although part of me thinks that babes have some sort of natural inclination away from foods that may be "bad" for them, another part of me says no way, my babe would eat the dog food if i let her (she's tried!)

as far as amounts that they eat though...i'm sometimes quite shocked. i work with toddlers and pre-baby i used to be pretty stingy with their portions thinking that was way too much of one type of food for a small stomach but now i know better. if we have lasagna, for example, she can keep up with the adults at the table. and she's a 25th percentile kiddo.

for pincer grasp the #1 best thing....beans! all types, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans....they love them and they're full of iron and protein. i coat them in a little olive oil and spices for healthy fats and yumminess.

[KLM99]

I think everyone's covered it, but just to make sure... :)  I guess we did BLW - we didn't puree anything and just gave the kids what we were eating when they seemed interested.  A couple of times, I would give them something and then observe them to make sure they could handle it.  There were a few things that mommy intuition kicked in on and I just removed those and waited until later to try again.  Trust your instincts.  And the PP was right about the "rules" on peanut butter, strawberries, etc. - they are now saying not to withhold PB for example.  Basically, they have no idea.  Again, go with your gut.

[lucy_v]

Originally Posted by Sfcmama 


Also, we've had a few instances where she's gagged on chunks she has self fed to the point of vomiting. Could she just not be ready for the foods that fall apart in her mouth? (like egg yolk or boiled potato)? Or do we need to be sure she's in our lap instead of highchair?

If she's self-feeding to the point of vomiting, I'd give her less food & smaller pieces at a time. She may need help learning to pace herself. That's what I'd do anyway.

[Sfcmama]

Originally Posted by lucy_v 





If she's self-feeding to the point of vomiting, I'd give her less food & smaller pieces at a time. She may need help learning to pace herself. That's what I'd do anyway.

Yeah, I thought it might be a pacing issue to but then thought it might be a consistency issue because it's only happened with egg yolk and boiled potato.  I have noticed in the short time we've been doing this that her gag reflex is moving further back in her mouth so she might just be getting used to that, too.

Regardless, thanks for the support!