Baby Lead Weaning (BLW) on a cruise?

Next week we’re starting our 6 month old daughter on solids using the baby led weaning (BLW) approach. We’ve been on various cruises, but her first cruise was supposed to be in January. However due to a last minute bargain we’re now going away on our first (Thomson) cruise as a family in two weeks time.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience or tips of baby led weaning on a cruise, especially the early days?

thanks!

Normally when I changed my kids environments and schedules, everything just fell apart. Plan to have a backup plan and lots of patience. At least with a family cruise, hopefully you'll have help to let you enjoy some down time.

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Breast milk or formula will still be your baby's number one source of nourishment. You could always hold off or start with something you know they'll have like bananas.

We started our lo on solids at 6 months, she probably had a tbsp once a day, nothing that would really require a plan or change.

Have a great cruise! :)

I would hold off. There will be no difference if you start in a week or 3 weeks. If she shows interest in food on your cruise, by all means let her have a taste, but you might as well wait until you are all back at home before you start major changes.

No stress :) Have fun!

I would either start a couple of foods now and only give those foods during the cruise, or just wait until you get back. I would not start new foods while on a cruise. The chance of a reaction is small, but I wouldn't want to be on a cruise ship if my infant had one for the first time (or any time really, but first time is harder to predict). We cruised when DS was 10 months and he was eating a good variety of foods then and has never had a food allergy, but we still made an effort to not give brand new foods while on vacation. It is so easy not to, that it just isn't worth the risk.

We didn't do BLW, but my understanding is that one of the benefits is that you don't have to worry about what food will be available or having to puree it or anything. So you could introduce a couple of fruits, yogurt, etc. now and should have no problems accessing them while on board.

We did BLW. It's usually a pretty slow start...and if you donit once a day at first you're doing fine.

I'd be tempted to just start when you return...but there's no harm in giving her an avocado or sweet potato on board either if you're comfortable with it.

It may cause a change in routine and diaper habits or possible rashes...so that's setting else to consider.

Since the general thinking in baby led weaning is usually "food before one is just for fun" I wouldn't worry too much about what she will eat on the cruise. There will be plenty of things you can offer if you choose to, my son loved broccoli as one of his first foods (still loves it!) and that would likely be available at dinner (or cooked carrots). Whatever you are comfortable giving her will probably be available.

BLW is ideal on a cruise IMO. We started our son at 5.5 months on steamed veg and strips of meat. I am sure that you will have no problems asking for something similar in the dining room. The main thing you need to be aware of is that salt must be kept to a minimum, as babies cannot process it in their undeveloped kidneys. This is an issue on cruises as the food is so heavily seasoned! But stick with salads and steamed veg, and you'll be fine. We will also be cruising with our son for the first time next month (he will be 11 months) and I have no worries that we will be able to feed him from the offerings in the dining room and buffet. Good luck :)

Pick a couple of really basic foods to start with this week that you know they will have onboard, like bananas and lettuce, for example. If she doesn't have any reactions to those foods at home, then they are considered safe foods and you can give her those foods onboard.

If you have been breastfeeding, then you are probably ok giving baby anything you have ever eaten during the the past six months, but still, I wouldn't choose to risk it while it in the middle of the ocean.

The only reason six month old babies need to start eating solids is to get them used to eating. They don't need anything beyond breastmilk or formula for nutrition. And they don't start actually swallowing significant amounts of solid food for months.

But if you don't want to deal with a change of routine in the middle of vacation, then waiting to start BLW after you get home is fine, too.

We actually moved when my daughter was 6.5 months old. I didn't want to deal with the infamous "solids poops" until we were settled in, so I just waited the 2 extra weeks. Not a big deal, either.

We do BLW also and I think when my dtr was 6 months old I gave her solid foods just at dinner time for about 2 weeks until she got used to sitting in the high chair and being with the family and having the food in front of her...

My dtr is 10 months old now and I'm just starting to try 3 meals a day. I definitely do two, but lunch, she never seems to eat much anyway, so some days I skip it...

BLW is VERY messy, and I think thats maybe one reason i'd be reluctant to really get your LO started while on the cruise... it depends on your personal preference...

we sail in january - i am hoping my DD will be a little bit neater with her eating habits by then... but if not, oh well, i am excited to have lots of different options for her to try and to eat....

at home, going to a dinner buffet with her has been great because i let her try lots of different things...

a very small percentage actually makes it into her digestive tract lol

We do BLW also and I think when my dtr was 6 months old I gave her solid foods just at dinner time for about 2 weeks until she got used to sitting in the high chair and being with the family and having the food in front of her...

My dtr is 10 months old now and I'm just starting to try 3 meals a day. I definitely do two, but lunch, she never seems to eat much anyway, so some days I skip it...

BLW is VERY messy, and I think thats maybe one reason i'd be reluctant to really get your LO started while on the cruise... it depends on your personal preference...

we sail in january - i am hoping my DD will be a little bit neater with her eating habits by then... but if not, oh well, i am excited to have lots of different options for her to try and to eat....

 

at home, going to a dinner buffet with her has been great because i let her try lots of different things...

a very small percentage actually makes it into her digestive tract lol

It definitely *can* get extremely messy, but it doesn't have to, especially at first. I used to place a vinyl tablecloth on the floor of the kitchen, put a bumbo in the middle and put my daughter in that.

But for restaurant meals, she would literally get one item on a plate in front of her: an apple slice, a cucumber from the salad bar, a strip of toast or meat, whatever is handy. The worst she could do was throw it on the ground. When it is just one item it is easy to pick it up and throw it away.