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Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Baby Led Weaning
Play Care 09:25 AM 01-23-2017
One of my clients is doing this with baby.
In theory, it sounds great and I see a lot of positives.
With infants I have parents supply the bulk of the food, as it's easier, I know it's been introduced, etc.
Mom sends in a chunk of apple, skin on. Says baby just gnaws on it. Grapes are sent in only halved, skin on.
What I've read on "safe" baby led weaning is that baby does get "real" food, but it's in finger food size bites.

Grapes are a choking hazard even for adults. Apple skin can be tough for younger kiddos to chew, and I've had older kids gag on the skin.
I've been either cutting it smaller or not serving if I'm not comfortable with it (and mom is fine with that) But I just wonder if I'm missing something?
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Play Care 09:29 AM 01-23-2017
Want to add that mom's research is that baby's rarely choke and that it's usually adults trying to "sweep" objects out that causes choking. That babies learn to safely eat this way because they cough up or gag out the object....
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Jupadia 10:12 AM 01-23-2017
I did not do baby LED weaning full scale. But I upgraded from purares to big pices fast with my guy. By 10 months I stoped them and just give him what every other kid gets. I do stay away from skin on fruits and don't do very many raw veggies yet. But he is about to be 13 months and has just got his first 2 teeth so once there in he will start to get some more raw veggies.

I would say cut or peal when you want to and feed him food sizes your comfy with.
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Blackcat31 10:15 AM 01-23-2017
I've heard of all sorts of "odd" things parents have followed as far as baby/child rearing but the bottom line for me is when it's MY liability it's MY option/choice.

If DCM wants her baby to have grapes or apply chunks with the skin on, she can do it on HER watch when it's HER liability/responsibility.

I'd just continue explaining and re-explaining that if she chokes and dies on your time, it's criminal but if she chokes and dies on mom/dad's time, it's a tragic accident and you aren't willing to take that additional responsibility/liability on. No skin on apples and no grapes sent to daycare....
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happymom 10:56 AM 01-23-2017
I do baby led weaning.
I never saw a problem with he apple skin, but the grapes need to be more than halved. I asked daycare to please cut his food in french fry type pieces rather than little chunks at first (it's easier for babies to learn to gnaw and take bites they can handle if it's from a larger chunk rather than small chopped pieces)

I never once sent food with my baby to daycare. They had a list of foods they feed and I could highly what he could have. I went through and highlighted everything except juice/cookies/pudding (empty calories anyone?) when he was 6 months old.

He is 15 months now and has 2 teeth and the daycare always comments on how well he eats. I love love love the process of baby led weaning, it's fun for all involved =) I always trusted the daycare wouldn't serve anything that was a choking hazard.
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Play Care 11:15 AM 01-23-2017
Originally Posted by happymom:
I do baby led weaning.
I never saw a problem with he apple skin, but the grapes need to be more than halved. I asked daycare to please cut his food in french fry type pieces rather than little chunks at first (it's easier for babies to learn to gnaw and take bites they can handle if it's from a larger chunk rather than small chopped pieces)
I think that's what this client is getting at. For foods like banana and avocado, great!
I always have infants bring food because my clients have very strong feelings on what/how the want baby fed, and it was just easier. Takes out any guess work on my part.
I do love BLW, and at 9 months she eats much better than my almost 11 month old DCG.

On a side note, cookies and puddings aren't even credible on my FP, not that I would serve them anyway, but I can't see why a center would feed food they are not getting reimbursed for
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Play Care 11:22 AM 01-23-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I've heard of all sorts of "odd" things parents have followed as far as baby/child rearing but the bottom line for me is when it's MY liability it's MY option/choice.

If DCM wants her baby to have grapes or apply chunks with the skin on, she can do it on HER watch when it's HER liability/responsibility.

I'd just continue explaining and re-explaining that if she chokes and dies on your time, it's criminal but if she chokes and dies on mom/dad's time, it's a tragic accident and you aren't willing to take that additional responsibility/liability on. No skin on apples and no grapes sent to daycare....


This is my feeling. I always have parents supply food for the under 1 crowd. I've had a lot of parents who make their own baby foods, etc. this is the first BLW parent. And it's not as if she's sending it in thinking I'll cut it smaller/peel it, because I told her to send it in *exactly* as she wants it offered. Now, I'll use common sense, but I wondered if I was missing something.
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happymom 11:22 AM 01-23-2017
I never excluded foods, except for completely nutrient free foods.
All foods were fair game for my baby from the day I started solids. Sandwiches, Toast, Burritos, Quesadillas, Spaghetti, Hamburgers --- if we were eating it, he was eating it.

It was messy, but I certainly didn't just stick to mushy foods.
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Play Care 01:10 PM 01-23-2017
Originally Posted by happymom:
I never excluded foods, except for completely nutrient free foods.
All foods were fair game for my baby from the day I started solids. Sandwiches, Toast, Burritos, Quesadillas, Spaghetti, Hamburgers --- if we were eating it, he was eating it.

It was messy, but I certainly didn't just stick to mushy foods.


I never said that was the case? Baby eats pretty much anything. My question was on the foods that are known choking hazards and the reason mom may not want them cut up.
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MarinaVanessa 02:35 PM 01-23-2017
I do baby led food for my kiddos and pretty much do it for my daycare kids too but like BC said ... I do what I feel is safe. I choose what they are going to eat and I just have the DCP write down the list of what they've already offered so I don't have to worry about allergies.

I cut up grapes in quarters but long ways, I don't skin apples but I cut them up into very small pieces and I may boil or steam them depending on whether the child is under or over a year. I have three 1 year olds (one is my own DD) and they all eat whatever everyone else is eating. Today we had home-made clam chowder complete with potatoes, bacon, clams, carrots, celery, leeks and corn. The bigger veggies were cut up into small pieces but other than that I don't really do much peeling.
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Play Care 06:08 AM 01-24-2017
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I do baby led food for my kiddos and pretty much do it for my daycare kids too but like BC said ... I do what I feel is safe. I choose what they are going to eat and I just have the DCP write down the list of what they've already offered so I don't have to worry about allergies.

I cut up grapes in quarters but long ways, I don't skin apples but I cut them up into very small pieces and I may boil or steam them depending on whether the child is under or over a year. I have three 1 year olds (one is my own DD) and they all eat whatever everyone else is eating. Today we had home-made clam chowder complete with potatoes, bacon, clams, carrots, celery, leeks and corn. The bigger veggies were cut up into small pieces but other than that I don't really do much peeling.



Although this is a first for me, I actually am LOVING it! It is so much easier for baby to self feed. They eat as much (or as little) as they want. They get different taste, texture. My other infant will be 1 at the end of February and she's still on mostly purées. Her finger food consists of those puffs.
I take over feeding once they turn 1 and it's all self feeding "table" food, and bottles are done. I have a feeling it will be tough for her to adjust. I have no worries with my BLW kiddo.
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MarinaVanessa 04:58 PM 01-25-2017
Originally Posted by Play Care:


Although this is a first for me, I actually am LOVING it! It is so much easier for baby to self feed. They eat as much (or as little) as they want. They get different taste, texture. My other infant will be 1 at the end of February and she's still on mostly purées. Her finger food consists of those puffs.
I take over feeding once they turn 1 and it's all self feeding "table" food, and bottles are done. I have a feeling it will be tough for her to adjust. I have no worries with my BLW kiddo.
My own DD and one of my 1yo DCKs is also BLW at home, the other one is too for the most part except he is still hand fed at home (eats almost everything that his family eats but spoon fed by DCP's or grantparents). Can you guess which two of the three have better fine motor skills and have mastered their pincer grasp. The other little guy gets a whole lot of cheerios here with his snacks so he can practice but half end up on the floor, but he's trying so hard and getting so much better!
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hwichlaz 02:48 PM 06-22-2017
I know this is old, but it was just addressed at my food program training...and the new regs in October encourage it.

My own kids never did purees. I fed them what we were eating once they were able to eat it. I just used a food chopper to dice it up.
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Tags:choking hazard, food program, grapes, puree
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