We don’t need to pack Jonah something special when we go out!
1. When did your baby commence BLW?
Jonah started BLW shortly before turning 7 months. He was very interested in our food but we were waiting for him to be sitting unassisted.
2. What were bub’s first foods?
Avocado, mango, banana, sweet potato… Fairly common baby foods I think. We were pretty conservative and didn’t really dive into the “baby eats what you eat” method. He enjoyed matzo balls and pickles early on though!
3. At what month did your baby ‘really’ start to eat / swallow a lot more foods?
I was amazed that it probably only took a couple weeks for him to actually chew and swallow his food. (Maybe because he started a little older than some.) We rarely had a mess on the floor. Just on his body! He definitely needed time to work out his gag reflex so I am grateful for the education and support from other BLW mamas to get us through it! I would have freaked out if I didn’t know the difference between gagging and choking, when to intervene, and when to leave him to it.
4. If you could give one piece of advice to new mums/dads starting out, what would it be?
Our little ones are so smart. We don’t give them enough credit sometimes. From figuring out their gag reflex to figuring out what part of the food to eat, they really do take the lead on this journey. We are just there to help if they need it!
5. Any setbacks ie allergies, intolerances, eating regression?
Jonah got a stomach bug that lingered for a few weeks while my husband was out of the country. I had to be really careful with what I gave him as he was regaining strength. He was so skinny when dad returned. It was heartbreaking… but he got right back into his food routine. There were some other regressions as he was teething or exploring his autonomy.
He also had a sensitivity to dairy but only where it touched his skin. It didn’t affect his digestion. To be safe, we avoided dairy for a while and slowly re-introduced it at the advice of the pediatrician. He is 20 months now and doesn’t seem to be affected anymore.
6. What age is your baby now and is she/he a good eater now?
Jonah is 20 months old and loves to eat. He can still be particular about what he is eating at times. Sometimes he won’t like something but he will still ask for more even though he isn’t eating it! He is still curious and developing preferences, just like I am still learning foods that I like.
Mummy Krissy x
