ok i have a few minutes now. the idea with BLW is that they learn how *not* to choke by experimenting with real food. how do you think people survived before the age of blenders and purees for babies. when a baby is ready, he or she will help themselves. the only "rules" we follow are that 1) baby feeds himself. you don't put food in his mouth, only he does that. 2) always watch him closely while he eats. be ready to intervene if he's truly choking, but gagging is a good sign, and not the same as choking. gagging is when he's getting the food out of his way; choking is when the food is preventing him from breathing. if this happens, be ready to turn him over on your arm and apply firm but gentle blows to his back between the shoulder blades. his head angled down so as to expel the food causing him to choke. this probably won't happen though. 3) also, big pieces only, not small pieces. nothing small and round such as whole grapes, etc.<br><br>
we've done slices of whole apples. right away he was able to suck/gum the pulp out of them. leaving usually the skin.<br><br>
asparagus, whole. boiled down slightly to make it tender.<br><br>
squash slices, also boiled to tender. he had a field day with these when he was just starting out. much easier than apples, and he was sucking the pulp out of those and leaving only the outer skin.<br><br>
nowadays he's into saltine crackers.<br><br>
i don't think i've mentioned, but he has no teeth yet! doesn't stop him.<br><br>
he gets very excited when he's in his high chair. if i don't bring food fast enough, he starts hitting the tray in excitement.<br><br>
sweet potato patties. he got a little frustrated however when these were served too warm (you know how potatoes hold their heat? it wasn't burning hot, but still too hot for his liking. he made very frustrated noises and it took awhile before he was ready to try those again.)<br><br>
don't know if it goes without saying, so i will also mention that i try to nurse him *before* every feeding. and i don't give a sippy cup or a bottle (or a pacifier for that matter). all of his sucking is done at the breast. i hope to continue to nurse him for a long time. i do offer a plain cup with water sometimes (although this is a lot of work, you have to sit there and continuously offer sips... and meanwhile he wants to grab and dump. i make DH do it when he's around.) more often i try to give him very juicy fruit to make sure his poops stay soft.<br><br>
he does poop a ton. seems to poop almost every time he's in the high chair.<br><br>
i've learned (finally) to strip him naked except a diaper before every feeding.<br>
BLW is extremely messy.<br><br>
when he's done, he puts out his arms and makes a certain noise, looking at me. i pick him up holding him away from me (as i can't be changing my clothes 3 times a day too) and take him straight to the sink to wash up from head to toe. then it's time for a fresh dipe, followed by a little floor time with sister while i wash up the high chair.<br><br>
it's all just so much work, the high chair stage. but at least i'm having fun giving him foods! versus all of the work of sitting there trying to coax him to open his mouth for spoonfuls of puree... how boring!<br><br>
my daughter, who just turned 4, had her well child visit with the pediatrician. the ped. asked Ellie if she helps to feed her brother, to which DD replied, "no he feeds himself." the ped. was surprised, and said, wow that is an advanced skill. i didn't tell her that we're BLWing. but i do tell other people that i talk with on a daily basis. most people have never heard of it or considered doing it. first time parents are usually aghast, and comment about worrying about choking. but older people and those who had multiple children are more often "on board". my dad told me that i'm doing it exactly right. that felt good to hear from him.<br><br>
oh, and strawberries. we have no food allergies in our family and i was feeling safe about it so i went ahead and introduced strawberries right from the beginning. he loves them. he eats them every single day. we are just about to get our own crop of strawberries in the yard, and i am so looking forward to him and his sister sitting outside eating them fresh off the vine.<br><br>
so, all in all, we are having a lot of fun with it!
