Information overload but don't know anything...

[handbagqueen]

Anyone else feel like this? There's so much info in books and online (not to mention the advice from people in general) that it just becomes so overwhelming that you feel like you don't know anything at all?!

At the moment I have about 5 books that I've started to read but just don't end up finishing... Lily is just about ready to start blw now (she's sitting up on her own and grabs food) and I just realised that I don't even have a highchair because I've been too busy procrastinating and looking for the best one online! Now I just can't decide what to get and feel like she'll be talking and sitting at the table before I bloomin find one I like! So stupid.

On top of that, whilst typing this I just realised that in actual fact I have no idea what food I should be giving Lily anyway as I haven't managed to get past the first couple of chapters in the blw book

I'm worried that there are things I should be doing with Lily that I don't know about to improve her development but that just means more reading

I'm also trying to get Lily to go to sleep and I'm trying to read the no cry nap solution but can't because she just keeps waking up whenever I pick it up!

Pretty pointless post I guess and probably in the wrong section.. sorry just having a very sleep deprived moan.

 

[Redshoes]

Just KNOW you will always do your best for her, books can aid you but go with what feels right for you and Lily, you know her better than anyone BLW wise, start simple with a few fruits, a few veg, steam and strip them. Great ones are carrot, butternut squash and sweet potatoe, and, apple, pear and melon She'll have a great time, just remember to be patient and love mess As for a high chair, you can buy wrap type things so you can use a normal dining chair, we used to feed Isaac a lot in his walker too, you don't need a specific chair to enjoy BLW Very best wishes, relax, you're doing more than I ever did and Isaac's OK so far and will eat almost anything

 

[daftscotslass]

Do what I did and chuck the books! I have a couple that I look at now and again (BLW book, Annabel Karmel, Wonder Weeks) but I don't do what my sister in law does which is taking them as "the big guide on how to raise a baby properly". Redshoes has got it in one - you know best. Take bits and pieces from the books to help as you go along but don't worry as they're not the be all and end all.

This forum has just been a godsend for me in filtering out useless information from the good. The BLW thread in the feeding section is great.

 

[handbagqueen]

thanks ladies, i think you're right and i'm going to filter out the good books and just refer to them. I also remembered that i could get a bumbo tray- was considering it before but will now get one until my dh can help me choose a highchair.
Really do think i would've gone crazy without this forum!

 

[valentine]

The only books I really reference now are the 'What to Expect books' (which I think are fab and very comprehensive) and various baby/toddler recipe books for meal ideas.

I was reading other books about baby and child rearing and got myself all in a muddle as DD didn't fit into this particular baby mould or I felt that I'd been doing everything wrong up til then. I made a concious decision to stop reading them as I know how happy and healthy my LO is and OH and I thrive on using our instincts.

I love this forum as it has ideas, advice, support and questions from Mums who are where you are or remember it well and advice is given in a very straightforward way where you don't feel stupid for asking. It feels much more real.

Valentine Xxx

 

[kalia]

I think the last book I looked at was Gina Ford's when DD was a week or so old - and believe me we didn't follow any of it.

Books give you one person's point of view - forums give you lots of people's point of view!

For what it's worth, here is what we decided. We got the high chair from Ikea because it was very highly recommended as it is so easy to clean. We are very very happy with it. My parents got a fancier one and it isn't as good - the back is slanted and she slips on the wipe clean fabric so she ends up slumped. Also food catches in the stitching of the cushiony thing. She sits well and happily in the Ikea one and it is very easy to wipe clean - no tricky corners or stitching stuff can get caught in.
Highchair = £10
Tray = £3
Cushion = £4

As for eating, to begin with we had 2 simple rules that we followed - she wasn't allowed anything that I wasn't allowed while pregnant or honey, salt or sugar and everything had to be chip-like in shape - long enough that she could eat it while her fist was still wrapped round it.
Now she can have any shape so she can have peas and other things that require pincer grip. Maybe start with things like vegetables and toast cut into soldiers with a topping of some sort. Or a toasted pitta bread with cheese and carrot - toasting it keeps it all stuck together. Cut into soldiers it is great

Part of the idea of BLW is that you just give them whatever you are having (assuming your diet is healthy enough for a babay - mine isn't always ) So she might have for example weetabix for breakfast (I have raisins on but I haven't given her any raisins yet), some of my sandwich at lunch time then a portion of whatever we are having for tea - cauliflower cheese, shepherds pie, soup...

Of the things I'm glad I found out before feeding her the main one is this:
The gag reflex is very far forward in young babies and gets further back as they get older. So at 6 months they will gag when something is still quite far from their throat. This teaches them how to control food in their mouth and it is better to learn this way than to wait until they are toddlers and the gag reflex is right back. Also, there is a big difference between gagging and choking. gagging is part of learning how to eat, it is natural and causes no problems - baby will not be bothered by it. Chocking involves going red and being unable to breathe, which is obviously bad. We have never had this but it happened to my friend's boy as he was on the lap of another of our friends while being fed and she'd let him lie back while eating (with no teeth) so the carrot stick slipped down his throat His mum calmly turned him face down and slapped his back a few times and out came the carrot. If baby is properly supervised it is extremely unlikely that they will ever choke - it is more something that happens when moving around with food - toddlers running around at playgroup while eating a snack for example.


I hope this helps.

 

[kalia]

thanks ladies, i think you're right and i'm going to filter out the good books and just refer to them. I also remembered that i could get a bumbo tray- was considering it before but will now get one until my dh can help me choose a highchair.
Really do think i would've gone crazy without this forum!

You don't really need a tray to begin with. You can just sit her in the bumbo and offer food to her that she can hold on to The bumbo tray is almost the price of a highchair with tray so unless you really think you will get good use out of it I wouldn't bother.