My BLW Problems/ issues

[hopefulmummy]

So, I'm enjoying the blw...when it all goes Smoothly, but I'm also struggling with it and finding it kind of trying sometimes.
Id be grateful of any advice people have to these problems!


1. He seems to really only eat fruit and toast. I try him on nearly everything and he screams.

2. Evening meals are become hideous. He has his supper around 430 and I don't eat (Im not prepared to keep him up until we eat as he has a bedtime routine. For the last few days he's just sccreamed in his high chair to the extent I've had to leave the room as I'm getting to
The end of My Tether. He's hardly trying to eat anything in the evening.

Lunchtime we try and sit down together but sometimes when I want my lunch he's exhausted and needs a nap. Breakfast is the only meal we def eat together.

3. I'm starting to try and put food in his mouth as sometimes if he gets a taste of it, he'll be interested, otherwise he just sits there as whinges.

I love it when it goes Smoothly, the otherday I saw him really love his avocado, but I feel the only things hell really eat are fruit and some
Veggies and toast with certain toppings! My worry is starting to
Lead to Me Trying to force him to eat, which I know defeats the purpose. I'm worried if one day he eats more than the next hell be really hungry in
The Night.

Can people pls share their tips and experiences??

Thankyou xxxx

 

[MrsR]

A big part of blw is actually sitting down together to eat as LO copies naturally so this would be the first thing I would try to change. If he can't eat too late can you not eat earlier? Also can you not just eat lunch when he has his? I would refrain from putting food in his mouth-a big point of blw is to give the LO a choice and control over what they put in their mouth. Yes it can be frustrating if they barely touch what you've offered them but keep the mantra in your head-food is still only for fun! If you're stressing about things then that will rub off on LO too which might be why he's starting to whine a bit. I honestly think the biggest change needs to be you eating with him. That way the focus is taken off him and what he is or isn't eating and he sees mealtimes as a fun family get together. When you do eat together you need to just ignore the whining and not panic about what he is or isn't trying and just get on with having a family meal, which is the whole point.

 

[hopefulmummy]

At the weekends, my hubby and I sit down and we all have lunch together. During the week I try but it's
Only me! And I also obviously eat a lot faster than him, so then sit there afterwards not eating....

Is it crucial for him to have the same as me? At the moment he needs food he can grip and if I'm eating stir fry, he can't have that! So he has toast or something...

 

[MrsR]

Why can't he have stir fry? Actually stir fry is perfect for blw beginners-cut the veg and chicken/beef/pork into strips and cook as normal then portion his out and add a sauce to yours. It's fantastic because the strips are big for him to grip xxx it's not necessary to feed him what you're having but that is kinda the point. I'd def eat with him and ask him questions like 'is that nice' 'look mummy's got (whatever you're eating) its good isn't it?' etc etc It doesn't matter if you're say there after you've finished but he's still eating as he's still had the experience of eating with you.

 

[Squeakz]

With ble give him whatever your eating. If your how food is for playong with and experimenting with as opposed to anything else. If he doesn't eat it then don't force him just he's not eaten it..... Honestly it will get easier but never force him tohave any and if he doesn't don't worry. Milk is still incredibly important......xx hugs hun..xx

 

[MrsR]

Do you have the blw cookbook? There's some really good all family meal ideas in there

 

[hopefulmummy]

Yep I've got that, I cooked the lentil things yest. At the moment though, he can only grab with his fist so it has to like out the end, and he has no teeth! Kind of limits the options at the moment.

I'm going to try and eat something at he same time as him every time we sit down, even if it is a ryvita or something of I'm
Not hungry.

Is it normal for them to sometimes spend ages to take the first piece to his
Mouth? Then sometimes it goes
Right in...

 

[MrsR]

He should be able to pick up stick shaped things like cucumber sticks, carrots, strips of red pepper etc and not having teeth makes no difference-their gums are so hard they can mush things up easily. Sebastian didn't have teeth until he was 7/8 months old and it didn't stop him at all x have you seen my blw journal on here? There's some great pics and meal ideas. It'll take him as long as it takes him sweetie to pick up food and try things xxx

 

[hopefulmummy]

Yep he can def pick those up. I even cooked Thai sticky rice tonight to go with the homemade Thai chick curry just with the aim of forming into pieces for A being able to pik it up! He didn't seem to like it really...

 

[Cantstop]

I would echo MrsR's advice about eating at the same time. Don't worry about how much he's managing to eat - if he's getting stressed or screaming I would just call it a day and next meal time is a fresh start. My LO used to hate being in the bumbo at first (she's too wee to sit in her high chair, the tray is too high for her lol) and sometimes have paddies and start screaming so I would just take her out and either sit her on my knee and let her eat from the table if she wanted, or just end the meal. It doesn't matter at this age how much they're actually getting. When I finish eating before LO I potter about in the dining room and kitchen around her and she's quite happy to keep eating and come and sit with her. And finally! At 6 months my LO was quite limited in what she could manage with her hands and it would seem like things weren't getting any better, then one day she would just be suddenly a lot better so try not to panic if things don't seem to be going well, just relax with it. If you have LO eating at the same time as you rather than a whole separate meal time just for them I think it's a lot less pressure and easier to not be too bothered by how much they eat which should hopefully make it a more chilled affair

 

[hopefulmummy]

Thanks for all your advice. I do Find it easier on a weekend web hubby is around as we eat lunch as a family. It went fine today.

Helen, where is your blw blog?? I'd like to Look at it x

 

[MrsR]

I'll bump it-hang on xxx