The Baby Led Weaning Coefficient

Life with baby, Weaning - Feeding baby
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So Baby Led Weaning is interesting. Toast and broccoli end up everywhere, but melon, green beans and cucumber aren’t quite so bad. There is still a lot that don’t end up eaten… well none of the green bean was eaten, just chewed and used to wave at people.?

We started weaning Baby H at 6 months. She had a couple of pur?es from 5.5 months, but they were very sporadic. I loved the idea of baby led weaning, but the possibility of choking scared me and I felt quite out of my depth as to what to give her and how (despite reading copious books and googling constantly).

Now 2 months on, I love it, and so does she. She still gets lots of pur?es, mostly down to the fact she loves them, but also the fact that so much BLW food just doesn’t go in her mouth. It gets dropped, flung, squished, spat out, and just disappears. I have no idea where it goes, it might actually be digested. Having said that, we do know some does really go in, just so so so much doesn’t. My post on things parents say when weaning encompasses all this!

I think with baby led weaning you need to remember the BLW coefficient … Here’s how I calculate it:


Here is an example….

  • This morning’s reassembled toast (she did have a bowl of porridge first)??

Yes so actually I think she did fairly well with this, though, I’m not ruling out that I won’t find some extra crumbs as the day goes on.

What do you think? Really, the coefficient should include age as I’m sure (hope?) H’s eating improves!

Lynne x

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36 Comments

  • Reply
    Caroline (Becoming a SAHM)
    August 17, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    Haha love this! I was a bit the same with BLW to start with, though less worried about choking I just didn’t know what to give her but now I love it and so does LM… great equation though and a don’t know what they do with toast to make it look like that lol! Thanks for linking with #MaternityMondays
    Caroline (Becoming a SAHM) recently posted…#MaternityMondays week 33My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 17, 2015 at 10:11 pm

      Hahaha thank you! And thank you for hosting #maternitymondays X

  • Reply
    Min
    August 17, 2015 at 10:29 pm

    My experiences with baby led weaning were exactly the same as this! In fact, Piglet didn’t really eat anything at all until he was about 8 months old. I also tried spoon feeding him but that was unacceptable to him. Weirdly now, at the age of one, he has decided that he can’t be bothered to feed himself and opens his mouth and waits for me to pop pieces of food in there, so I’m not sure that all that faff with the BLW had the desired effect in the end.

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm

      Oh no, I hope he decides to feed himself soon! Yes, BLW seems very hit and miss x

  • Reply
    Silly Mummy
    August 18, 2015 at 1:19 am

    Haha! I have used a bit of BLW mixed with not BLW! I find BLW stressful though – I spend enough time cleaning as it is! #babybrainmonday
    Silly Mummy recently posted…I Found Me (Further Adventures in Hide and Seek)My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 18, 2015 at 5:50 pm

      I think a mixture works well, I’m sure she’d be starving if I only did BLW.I know what you mean about cleaning! I quite like that it’s summer so we can eat outside sometimes or on the picnic blanket ? x

  • Reply
    Mummy R
    August 18, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    Love this – hehe! we could not manage it with twins, just ugh!
    Mummy R recently posted…Arty FartyMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 18, 2015 at 10:51 pm

      Oh wow, I can’t imagine! X

  • Reply
    Mama, My Kid Doesn't Poop Rainbows
    August 19, 2015 at 12:15 am

    Haha, this is fab. OMG the feeding nightmare continues for us. With added stress because I can no longer sing to my self ‘Before 1 food is for fun’.
    I never get the quantity right. If I give him a little he eats it all and cries for more. A lot and it all goes on the floor or in the dog. Sigh.
    Mama, My Kid Doesn’t Poop Rainbows recently posted…Parenting Parking SpacesMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      It really is a minefield! So so hard to get it right x

  • Reply
    Wicked Wednesday 19.08.15 - New Mummy Blog
    August 19, 2015 at 10:34 am

    […] been a week of baby led weaning – see my silly post about the ‘baby led weaning coefficient‘ and standing. H will pretty much pull herself up on anything now… just so mummy […]

  • Reply
    Rebecca
    August 19, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    This is brilliant. I tried a cucumber stick yesterday. He pulled his ‘broccoli face’ and threw it across the room. Ahhh…. Thanks for making me feel less alone! x
    Rebecca recently posted…Choose kindness.. we can make a differenceMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:21 pm

      Haha yes, I think BLW improves their throwing skills 🙂

  • Reply
    Lisa (mummascribbles)
    August 21, 2015 at 4:40 pm

    We didn’t go down the BLW route – I couldn’t be bothered with all the faff and I too was scared about choking – he was bad enough with purée!! I did try a bit when I moved him onto solids and I agree, broccoli makes a lot of mess! Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
    Lisa (mummascribbles) recently posted…Feeling like work just don’t get itMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:18 pm

      Thanks Lisa, yes I’m still quite scared of choking, but she’s remarkably good at coughing or spitting big bits out. We’ve had a few scares, but she copes really well gagging x

  • Reply
    Alex
    August 22, 2015 at 7:10 am

    I was awful at weaning Lamb. I did purees and just really struggled with giving him solid foods. He’s a fussy eater and has been since he was 10 months. I will definitely be doing BLW with my second baby xx #busydoinglife
    Alex recently posted…Do you have a pension?My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:16 pm

      It is fun and feels nice seeing her work out what it is and hat she can eat it! It’s scary but I’ve definitely got more confident, so would recommend it x

  • Reply
    Claire
    August 22, 2015 at 7:12 am

    Great post!!! Had a really good giggle at the toast crust pic… I have actually tried re constructing a steamed carrot stick in this was, got really excited that she had eaten ‘loads’ then found the remaining missing piece in the top of her nappy! Thankyou so much for linking this up with #busydoinglife. Have a great week x
    Claire recently posted…Busy Doing Life #6My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:15 pm

      Oh wow I’m impressed you tried reconstructing carrot! X

  • Reply
    Cheryl @ Reimer and Ruby
    August 22, 2015 at 7:58 am

    I can’t quiet remember how I fed my kids at that age, they’re 5 &2 now… I know I did tried BLW on them too but on a slightly later age as I’m too scared in case they choke. Anyway, Great post and great tips here. #busydoinglife

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:13 pm

      Thank you Cheryl x

  • Reply
    Morna
    August 22, 2015 at 8:03 am

    I think utter laziness of parent also has a place in the co-efficient! I didn’t do any purees – not because I’m a purest (sorry accidental pun) but because I just couldn’t be bothered with the whole weaning thing! I still remember the looks of horror on the faces of the girls from my antenatal class when they all started getting out their pots of food and I looked a bit vague and said ‘oh I thought I’d just give her some of my sandwich!’

    Great post- this period is so much fun (apart from the mess!) Enjoy 🙂
    Morna recently posted…An apology to my daughter My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 22, 2015 at 8:12 pm

      Hahaha well yes, it’s taken a while for me to think that I have to take food out with me in the day… But yes it is fun 🙂

  • Reply
    Mummuddlingthrough
    August 23, 2015 at 7:58 pm

    We have coincidentally synchronised thoughts this week! Love this it’s hilarious, as a scientist, I love your use of an equation lol xx #sundaystars
    Mummuddlingthrough recently posted…Baby Led Weaning: The good, the bad, and the uglyMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 23, 2015 at 10:10 pm

      Haha I was thinking that earlier when I saw your post! Hmm. You’ve given me an idea x

  • Reply
    #MaternityMondays week 34 - Becoming a Stay at Home Mum
    August 24, 2015 at 5:30 am

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  • Reply
    Heledd - Running in Lavender
    August 27, 2015 at 10:10 am

    I tried baby led weaning with both my girls but they just didn’t get it at first – and to be honest I found that they ate so much more fruit and veg when I fed them. Also, I find the mess really difficult. All the best of luck to you! xx

    Thank you for linking up to #SundayStars xx
    Heledd – Running in Lavender recently posted…My Captured Moment #34My Profile

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    September 2, 2015 at 9:06 pm

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  • Reply
    DaisLikeThese
    November 9, 2015 at 10:46 am

    I love your before and after pic of the toast!
    I didn’t ever try baby led with my two boys but I think I will with bubba number three. Only a few months to go to psych myself up! Wish me luck!

    • Reply
      newmummy
      November 9, 2015 at 4:16 pm

      Good luck! It is fun 🙂

  • Reply
    Pauline
    November 9, 2015 at 8:19 pm

    I’m the same with my son, most of it gets squashed into his fists and on the floor, the clean up job afterwards is crazy and that’s just the highchair lol, I still give him purees too because of your formula, most gets wasted after you’ve spent 20 minutes prepping it and sometimes I just don’t want food all over the place AGAIN #TheBabyFormula
    Pauline x
    Pauline recently posted…Project 52 – My Family Photo Week 10My Profile

  • Reply
    newmumkaboom
    November 9, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    Ha, ha – love the pics! I was pretty lucky with my boy we did a bit of both BLW and mashed up food. He is going through the no green food apart from peas.. so that’s fun!!! Thanks for hosting 🙂
    newmumkaboom recently posted…Real mummy lifeMy Profile

  • Reply
    Chloe Brewer
    November 10, 2015 at 9:40 pm

    It seems like so long ago that I went through this with my son! He’s only 5 now, so it wasn’t that long! But baby led weaning wasn’t something I had heard of back then, sounds like something to look into next time – if there ever is one! x

  • Reply
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