Baby Led Solids with family allergy history

We are about to start DS2 on solids in a couple of weeks - i reaaaallly want to do BLS this time from the start with him as I already cook for a family and just need him to fit in.

However, we have loads of family history including anaphylactic son, eczema in both other kids and DH, asthma and hayfever both sides of family etc.

Therefore I know I still need to introduce food slowly and same food for 5 days in a row instead of 3 - but it is soooooo boring - for me I know, not for bub :ROFL:

Has anyone done BLS with this type of history, and if so, what were your experiences, ie did you still start with farex/rice cereal, or what did you introduce first and how - and what did the next few weeks menu consist of???

Interested in any and all opinions and experiences please!!

I haven't had allergies to worry about so I'm probably not much help. I know there are paediatric dieticians who specialise in allergies though - is there any chance you could see someone like that to get a plan?

I would hold off as long as possible then introduce one at a time. There is no rule saying you can't do BLS with one food at a time, it just means that you will have to build up his plate instead of just plonking a heap of things in front of him. One thing a week I think is the reccomendation seeing as most allergies don't happen the first time they eat it.

Goodluck :) We love BLS here!

We have a lot of family allergies.

TBH, I started DS off with fruit and veg only, so he didn't have a full meal, just the fruit or veg part of the meal. Then I introduced carbs, then meats. So not strict BLS, but it worked well for us.

Example - at 5mo I'd cook brocolli and pasta bake, keep some broccoli aside for DS. We'd have sandwiches and an apple, DS would have an apple. At 7mo DS would have brocolli AND pasta on his dish, or bread AND apple. Later he'd have meat on there too. And a choice of veg with the meat. Just after 10m he was having a scaled-down adult meal (only because it was Christmas and DS was nicking the turkey and sausages from DH's plate!). BUT DS loves his food and started BLS himself at 5m. If your DS isn't interested you may have to do something else.

I still have't introduced allergens, other than cow's milk (DS is now on goat's due to allergies). I am having his allergy tested next month to find out which, if any, parental allergens we can introduce. Not that we'd actually introduce penicillin to his daily diet, but maybe brazil nuts.

I also would cook for four every night when DS was 1 and then I'd have enough food to pop in the freezer so DS could have the same again! Although he hated that and liked variety, so that didn't work too well. And I'm still cooking for 4, but DS and DH generally eat the extra portion between them. So no leftovers!

MR - thanks for caring though!! Yeah all the MCHN here and dieticians (I went to 2 with DS#1) tell me to puree, puree, puree and farex the life out of them :lol: They are not pro BLS at all :(

Missy - I was going to try and wait it out, but DS2 sits in the highchair at the table with us for dinner and he is getting mighty impatient - grabbing, whinging etc so i think he is ready to start

Rosehip - that is what I was thinking - one thing at a time etc - as missy said - building up his plate gradually

so if they are still hungry when you are in the throes of building it up - i suppose i just have to give him more of the same whatever he is having rather than just some of mine etc

I nearly made a booboo at the shops the other day - Zander was whinging, I knew he probably needed a feed, I had just bought some lovely fresh rolls and was in the middle of breaking off a piece of one to give to him to nibble on - i just forgot!!! :redface: Needless to say he didnt get it as I got it together, hence why I really wanna do BLS and not puree/farex blah. I wouldnt eat it LOL.

Thanks ladies - will see how we go ...

Sami, I'll be watching with interest. I know we're a long way off solids, but I do prefer the idea of BLS rather than mush and both myself and DH have so many different food allergies. Sorry I can't offer advice, but I am looking forward to seeing how it all goes.

BW

FWIW, DS doesn't mind the odd puree. We give him a bought fruit puree in a yoghurt pot when we're having yoghut (he can't have dairy and I've only just found some goat's yoghurt). He loves his "yoghurt" and yums it up. Puree isn't bad, but it is very messy when you're out and about. We did mostly BLS with a bit of mushy/puree stuff and tbh that's because I subscribe to "what works" rather than an ideal or a set of rules. So don't rule out puree just because - just see what works. DS had some fruit slightly mushed up with baby rice in it as well as fruit proper, depending on how I felt that night! And how he felt: purees are so much better when DS is teething.

Bummer Sami. It's a pity that more health professionals don't keep up to date. Have you tried ringing the IBCLC or ABA to see if they have any recommendations of BLS friendly dieticians?