https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 11:14:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169352 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:46:56 +0000 cmomma17 1169352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: thinking about things other than choking too though. BLW is a great opportunity to learn about different textures, how to pick up and hold things, hand eye coordination, etc.<br /> Today was our second day of sweet potato and C wasn't super interested in shoving it in his mouth. He squished it a lot, smeared it all over his tray and made fart sounds :) Some days I don't think he swallows anything at all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169349 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:44:51 +0000 sslm 1169349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@heartonastring: I have read all of that too but for some reason I still feel panicked! I need to arrange the CPR class. I agree that will help. </p> <p>@mrskc: thanks, I will try to let her sort it out. It's so hard not to jump in! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169343 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:42:18 +0000 sslm 1169343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: I bought avocado, peaches, and pears. I'm tempted to purée them, that's how freaked out I am! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169305 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:29:21 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 1169305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think avocados and asparagus spears were the first things we tried. It was more for just letting her get used to the taste and texture of something other than breastmilk. We tried soft pieces of whatever we were eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169252 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:17:41 +0000 cmomma17 1169252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: I am surprised by how calm I have been! DH is the one who over reacts and tries to reach in LO's mouth or take stuff away from him. They are pretty good at working it out on their own, and it's a very important skill to learn.<br /> My LO just spits big chunks out. And has barely gagged at all. The second day (with banana) he must have gotten a piece too far back so he spit up, but that's the one and only time that happened!</p> <p>I can't wait to hear what you try and how it goes! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169227 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:12:11 +0000 mrskc 1169227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: I was very anxious with it all too. I would try to let her figure it out before you fish it out of her mouth. Many times my son took too big of bites and he would just spit it out. And I echo all that @heartonastring: mentioned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169095 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:25:36 +0000 heartonastring 1169095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: stuff like that is very unlikely to be a choking hazard. According to all the BLW research I've done, it's really hard things (like raw carrot or apple) or windpipe shaped things (like grapes) that are the worst choking hazards. Something soft like banana and avocado....not so much. </p> <p>Remember, there's a huge difference between gagging and choking. Gagging can be a good thing...it's them learning how to manage food in their mouths. Also,their gag reflex is much closer to the front of their mouth than ours, and that's to keep them from swallowing something too large and potentially choking. Gagging is coughing and spitting things back out, choking is silent and often accompanied by a change in colour and a panicked expression. If they gag, don't panic just leave them to work it out. If you panic when they gag they may get scared off from eating, and sticking your fingers in their mouth has the potential to push food down their throat. If they're choking, on the other hand, that's when you get them out of the high chair, turn them upside down and do back blows.</p> <p>Have you done an infant recus class? I think that would give you a lot of peace of mind :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1169051 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:15:01 +0000 sslm 1169051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: yummm! Baked apple with vanilla ice cream. Zomg need some now!!!!</p> <p>@LittleFox: with the avocado, or anything else super soft, what happens if they break off a piece that looks like a choking hazard?? She did that last night with banana so I took it away from her. </p> <p>I feel like I'm way too anxious of a person for this :S </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166347 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:55:39 +0000 LittleFox 1166347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We gave him avocado, peeled and quartered. Then we gave him wedges of apple, half of a plum, cantaloupe cut into spears, and wedges of watermelon. He also liked (and still does) large strips of meat (like a big strip of London broil to suck on). We've found the Baby Led Weaning cookbook to be an informative and helpful starting point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166307 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:44:07 +0000 cmomma17 1166307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Interesting! :)</p> <p>I want to give LO baked apples because it's also an excuse to make a baked apple for myself (except mine will have sugar, butter and cinnamon, lol!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166267 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:31:42 +0000 JoJoGirl 1166267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: I''m actually allergic to raw apples - if you slice it up (with an apple corer thing) and stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes it gets good and mushy :) that's how I've always eaten them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166260 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:30:28 +0000 cmomma17 1166260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: I was just doing some reading on BLW this morning and it said raw apple is one of the hardest things for babies to eat. I am going to try baking (I've also seen steamed suggested). You can give her a raw apple slice just to suck on, but she might not enjoy gumming it much.<br /> I'd start out with mushier foods - banana, avocado, etc. Don't stress too much either, it's pretty fun once you get going! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166248 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:27:59 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1166248@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: I just gave it raw. He already had his 2 bottom teeth though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166219 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:21:28 +0000 JoJoGirl 1166219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tagging because we are about to start! No teeth over here! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166212 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:19:40 +0000 sslm 1166212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: she does have her two bottom teeth! But I'm still a little wary of raw anything... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166209 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:17:44 +0000 mrskc 1166209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: I wouldn't do raw apples. They are firm and she could bite off a big chunk. My son did better with apples when he had two bottom teeth that he could use to scrape little apple bits off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166202 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:14:48 +0000 sslm 1166202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: raw apples? And did you slice the baby carrots at all? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166193 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:08:54 +0000 GrapeCrush 1166193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: he was about 5 months when I have him the toast </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166185 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:06:14 +0000 blackbird 1166185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Steamed baby carrots and broccoli, cucumber spears, and chunks of beef off our plate. I also used a crinkle cutter to cut up apples. </p> <p>So far, the baby carrots and broccoli is the most liked. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166183 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:04:58 +0000 sslm 1166183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: did you cook the apple or just give it raw? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166182 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:04:17 +0000 sslm 1166182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarbear: did you do the toast at 6 months? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166150 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:54:19 +0000 sslm 1166150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: thank you for taking the time to write all of that out!! It's very nerve wracking for me right now. Haha. Madeline has 2 bottom teeth but I doubt that makes any difference. </p> <p>@mrskc: yummy. I would totally eat those sweet potatoes :) that's a good idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166085 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:28:32 +0000 GrapeCrush 1166085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tried avocado girls, long spears and he wouldn't eat it. Then I made a piece of toast and put a little cream cheese on it, cut it into strips and he gobbled it up. Basically he just gummed at it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166081 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:26:58 +0000 mrskc 1166081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did roasted sweet potatoes. Cut them into strips like french fries and sprinkled paprika on them then roasted until soft. He didn't really eat any of it! Others things I did in the beginning were toast fingers with hummus or avocado on it, bananas (but I cut them in fourths lengthwise after he gagged pretty badly after giving him a whole banana). I also did strips of meat like pork loin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166080 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:25:55 +0000 banana 1166080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started with ripe bananas pieces (the size of my finger nail), bread, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, and steamed apples! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166058 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:18:28 +0000 cmomma17 1166058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yay! Fun! I just started a little over a week ago.<br /> My LO is 6 months old too (we started a few days early though because we thought he was ready).<br /> This is what we have done so far:<br /> Banana - mushed up the first time (he was not a fan!), then big hunks the rest of the time (2 inches-ish)<br /> Oatmeal - prepared just like normal the first time, then we did "oatmeal fingers/squares" the next two times so it was easier to pick up and hold<br /> Avocado - again, big pieces he can pick up<br /> Sweet potato (today!) - baked the potato, then sliced into big disks he can hold. </p> <p>I want to try apple next (will bake and cut into chunks), broccoli (will steam and give him pieces with stalk attached to use as handles), and I want to do frozen berries too but I'm not sure if I want to thaw them and let him have them whole, or if I want to put them in a mesh feeder thingy.</p> <p>I'm currently obsessed with BLW and first foods so I'm here if you want to talk! ;)</p> <p>ETA: my LO has zero teeth so far </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166021 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:00:35 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1166021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>banana slices, apple slices, roasted sweet potatoes, steamed baby carrots, steamed green beans, mum mum's, cucumber spears... anything that they can grab with their whole fist because they haven't developed a pincer grasp at that point yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1166018 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:58:51 +0000 Lilbear 1166018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Banana spears, avocado slices, plum slices (with the skin left on), pear spears (with skin), mango (no skin), steamed broccoli, cucumber spears (no skin). I cut everything up so it is about the size of my finger (as suggested by my BLW book). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1165900 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:15:42 +0000 swurlygurl 1165900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started with avocado slices, so it was long enough for her to hold (no skin, obv). It was soft/mushy enough for her to gum.<br /> Banana slices were next (cut the banana in half then made long 'sticks' so she could hold them)<br /> Then we had a hundred traveling vacations so she didn't get much more than a celery stick or raw carrot that she would chew on for fun.<br /> When we got done with traveling and were back home we started up again, but she was gagging on everything so we gave up. The avocados and bananas were great though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-your-first-blw-foods-and-how-you-prepared-them#post-1165850 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:00:07 +0000 autumnlove 1165850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was just cut up banana spears! She had 4-5 teeth at the time.</p> <p>I will probably start with bananas with the baby....next week! </p>