I had a lunch date with my 3 year old son last week, we often go for sushi together after our Steiner parent and child group. He adores sashimi, could eat raw fish until it was coming out of his ears, where as my daughter, who is unusually not the least put out by our outings without her, ‘hates’ sushi! ‘Yuk!’ Each child is different, each adult is different. Tastebuds, sensory perception, olfactory reactions – they all, and more, play into what we as individuals like to eat.
Yet, there are still ways we can aid our children to develop expansive and curious palates and to offer them a foundation of eating experience that provides a framework to live by.
Baby Led Weaning….
From our sushi table I watched a mother feed her baby some puree – organic, well considered etc, but as I was watching I suddenly realised how sweet all of those packaged foods are, even without added sugar, they’re stuffed with sweet vegetables or fruit to make them more appealing. I was struck with the realisation of how narrow that introduction to food becomes when, even healthily done, the only nourishment offered is sweet. And that’s what I love about BLW.
It is totally messy, crazy, exhausting, messy, initially nerve wracking and did I mention messy? But totally worth it. I started my eldest on purees and thankfully she wasn’t at all interested so after just a few weeks we discovered BLW and I haven’t looked back.
Many will know about it already but to lay out the bare essentials:
Baby
Learns to eat from you
Sits on your lap at mealtimes
Chooses from your plate
Uses intuition to decide what feels right
Parameters & Concerns
Age: BLW allows the baby to know when they are ready to start with food, if they are sitting on your lap at mealtimes they will reach a point of needing to grab your food that becomes intense and necessary. For some this maybe as early as 6 months, other 9 months to a year. Breastfed babies do not need any other nutrition for their first year so there is no pressure for them to eat solids (BLW mantra is ‘food is fun until your one!’).
As they develop at different rates, some babies take longer to be able to digest certain foods. For example orange foods like carrot & sweet potato can be tough on an immature liver (my daughter was way over 1 before she liked orange veges!). If you leave them to explore, including trying for size in their mouth, they will animally and instinctively leave (or spit out) what their body is not ready for. This includes meat and fish. Both my kids were past 9 months before they became interested in meat & fish.
Different textures and hardness all play into their experience and pleasure. The fear of choking can be hard to overcome as it is so drummed into us, but once I trusted their animalness, I soon observed how amazing their regurgitation reflex is. Anything too big or unchewed came back up in a baby bird sort of way. It looks like being sick but actually is just a reflex and, not only do I understand is not at all uncomfortable, but never seemed to phase them. My midwife wisely guided me that if I was ever concerned, to hold them upside down and pat them sharply on the back. I only had to do that once for a sharp piece of apple, and that was fine too. Messy yes, natural yes.
So that was it for me, I didn’t have to make anything separate or spend hours whizzing. Just cooked my regular (healthy) meals and allowed my children to explore and discover food in a totally organic and natural ways. They have their own tastes and their own preferences but I also see their willingness to try new things, their large palate, their ease around what can become such a pressured and emotive place – mealtime. I am utterly convinced by BLW.
Best ‘Licious Way!
Be prepared for mess and sit back and enjoy the ride.