Baby Led Weaning| My Tips and Tricks and Products I Swear By

November 1, 2020 Channing Hanneman

Hey Guys!
Luke is officially 13 months which means he has been eating table food for 7 months! I can’t even believe it! When we started on our BLW journey I never imagined it would be this fun and easy. Please read on for some tips I have, as well as all the products I highly recommend if you want to start on this journey.

I have never heard of Baby Led Weaning until I had a child. I saw some of my favorite influencers on Instagram feeding their babies regular table food and I found it so fascinating. I started researching the idea of BLW and found that I loved the concept. Now, this isn’t for everyone. I HIGHLY recommend doing research on your own before you start. BLW is an amazing thing but you have to be extra careful about the way you present the food so babies learn to eat without getting frustrated. I learned a lot from this book HERE.

I won’t bore you with all the amazing things I learned from this book but here is a quick summary. BLW is great especially for breastfed babies because they are already independent in their eating meaning they already control what they are drinking/eating and are teaching themselves when they are full to stop. Not saying that bottle fed babies can’t do BLW as well but this concept started with breastfed babies. Since these babies are already more independent, feeding them by spoon takes a step backwards because it teaches them to rely on you to feed them rather then themselves. BLW also encourages family bonding at mealtime so that every meal is shared by the family at the same time. I liked this idea because sitting trying to spoon feed a baby mushy messy food while my own food got cold didn’t sound fun to me.

The book also talks about the importance of cutting the food properly for each age. At first, you want to cut the food in long thin strips. This scares people because they worry about choking and think the food is too big. I learned that young babies don’t have a proper pincher grip to grab small food so when you cut it in long strips, they are able to pick it up and knaw at the end that is sticking out of their fist. Pretty cool huh! As they grow older and their pincher grip and hand eye coordination develops, you can start cutting pieces into normal small sizes like we adults eat. Speaking of hand eye coordination, I really believe that BLW has led to Luke having amazing little fingers and he has been able to use stacking toys and other complicated toys since he was really little.

Alot of people’s main concern about BLW is choking. This is understandable. From my research, babies are no more prone to choking in BLW than in regular spoon feeding. That being said, it is extremely important to always watch a child when they are eating no matter how old. I will never walk away from Luke when he is eating. Anything can happen in a second no matter what it is.

The number 1 rule for BLW is that you can’t start until they meet ALL signs of readiness. This includes sitting up on their own for 1 min straight, being 6 months old, loss of extrusion reflex, and baby brings objects to mouth with ease. There are also foods that you must not feed to baby including raw honey before the age of 1 (this can hide in objects such as bread so check the labels) obvious choking hazards, unpasteurized foods and anything undercooked. Besides that everything is fair game!

The other most important rule about BLW is food before 1 is just for fun and milk is still king. Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you should always offer milk first before every meal. This is where babies get the majority of their nutrients from especially before they aren’t eating a lot of regular food.

We don’t follow a specific diet for Luke. We have always given him what we are eating. He eats sugar and processed foods in moderation, we don’t add a ton of salt or seasoning to his food, and he eats plenty of fruits and veggies. He loves meat but sometimes red meat can be hard on his tummy so we have to cut him off ( which he hates haha)

Many people have doctors and family members who will try to talk them out of BLW. My own doctor had never heard of it but once I explained that this is what it is she didn’t say anything. My family was very confused and often tried to steer me away from my decision but I pushed forward. I knew what I wanted for my son and ultimately everyone is now amazed at what a great eater he is! Many people will also try to tell you to introduce foods in a certain order or one at a time to avoid allergies, This is also a myth. Allergies can pop up at anytime during your life so you don’t need to do this.

Overall, this is your child and your decision. You can do BLW 100%, half spoon half BLW or all spoon. Whatever you decide remember, you are the parent and you know what is best for your child.

See below for the products we love!

Highchair: I have talked about the highchair from Ikea a few times now. It is inexpensive, so easy to clean and works amazing. You can get a little blow up insert to go in to help move baby closer to the tray. Luke used this until he was about 9 months. I love the sleek minimal design and the fact that it takes up so little space.

Splat Mat: To go under the highchair to help stop any messes is this splat mat. It comes in many designs and can be washed in the washing machine. It is super travel friendly as well so we like taking it to places when Luke needs to eat at his grandparents or for holidays. This is waterproof so in the future we will also use it for the beach and other outdoor activities.

Smock Bib: Since BLW is messy, Luke wears a smock bib over his clothes. These are made of almost the same material as the splat mat and can be thrown in the washing machine for easy cleaning. I highly recommend having at least 2 for easy rotating. Luke also spends alot of time at his grandparents so I have a couple there as well.

Silicone Bib: I also recommend going with silicone bibs rather than cloth ones. These can be wiped clean, also can be thrown in the washing machine and have a pocket to catch extra food.

Sippy Cup: Obviously this isn’t eating, but when we started BLW we also started introducing Luke to a cup. We started out with water in a shot glass to teach him to tilt his head back and drink. Then we graduated to these cups. They are spill proof, easy to clean and Luke loves them.

Utensils: These were great in the beginning to load a spoon and let Luke feed himself. Obviously babies don’t know how to use spoons and forks yet so BLW encourages parents to preload spoons, set them on the tray and let the baby pick them up and feed themselves.

Bowls: These bowls are amazing and stick so well to the tray. Luke can’t rip them off. I am still trying to find plates that suction as well so I won’t be recommending any plates just yet.

Overall, we have really enjoyed this journey with Luke. He is an amazing eater and pretty much likes all food. Some days he eats more than others but more often than not, he eats more than me! If you have any questions or want to share any of your favorite products, let me know down below!

XOXO Channing

Must have Baby Products for 6-9 Months | Toys, Eating, and More!

August 22, 2020 Channing Hanneman

Hey Guys!

I wanted to share some products that Luke loved from 6-9 months. During these months Luke learned to eat, transitioned to bathing while seated, and found some toys he is obsessed with.

Check out:

Newborn Must Haves: HERE

3-6 Months Must Haves: HERE

TOYS:

First off lets talk about toys. I love toys that make Luke think and use his imagination. I prefer toys that don’t make noise or take batteries but Luke does have some favorites that make noise.

Tobbles: The first toy Luke loves are these Tobbles. They are basically weighted and stackable and teach him about stacking, and gravity. They are also fun to roll around and can be balanced in different ways.

Stacking Rings: Luke loves to play with these stacking rings. Each one is a different texture and the top comes off and becomes a rattle. This toy is perfect for hand eye coordination development and also can help teach colors.

Sorting Drum: This drum plays music and helps Luke to learn shapes, colors and animals. It amazes me how quickly Luke learned the shapes and he is obsessed with sorting the shapes and making the drum sing. You can also tap the drum to make a fun beat!

EATING:

Luke learned how to eat at 6 months and he has been using many different things to aid in the process.

Munchkin Cup: This cup has been perfect in helping Luke to learn how to drink on his own. He can put his mouth anywhere on the rim and water will come out but it is spill proof which I love. He is obsessed with his cup and helps him get his daily water intake easily.

Smock Bib: I love these smock bibs for helping keep food off of Luke. These ones have a pocket in the front to catch any food that Luke drops and he loves reaching into it at the end of the meal to get all the extra goodies. They are also machine washable and come in a ton of cute prints.

Splat Mat: This mat has been amazing at making sure food doesn’t get on the floor when Luke is eating. He eats where there is carpet so this is a necessity for us. Even if we had hard floors I would still use this because it easily catches everything, and is also machine washable. I also take it to family parties where Luke might make a mess and can be used for crafts or water play outside as well.

Other:

Here are some more random items that Luke has been obsessed.

Bath Seat: Luke officially graduated from his newborn bath seat to one where he is sitting up. It took me forever to find one that supports him in the front and the back but this one is amazing. It comes in cute colors and also suctions to the bottom of the tub for extra sturdiness.

Teething Necklace: Luke has been wearing his amber necklace since he was 3 months old. He currently has 7 teeth and I am a first time Mom so I don’t have any experience not having a teething necklace but so far, none of his teeth seem to have bothered him alot when coming in. He would be extra drooly and sometimes a bit more crabby but they never kept him up at night or anything. It is important to put this necklace on them when they are younger (hence why I started at 3 months) because this helps them get used to wearing one so they don’t mess with it as they get older. Luke will probably wear his for at least a couple years.

Mickey Walker: This walker was our lifesaver for the past few months. Luke isn’t to have a little lounger seat in the kitchen to watch us while cooking but he outgrew it. We got this Mickey walker that sits him up but also has fun interactive toys. He didn’t figure out he could walk in it for a couple months which was great since I didn’t have to worry about him going any where lol Now he can push it around and he loves chasing our dog around the kitchen. We have even used this outside in the driveway before he could walk on his own.

6 Month Baby Update | Must Have Products for 6+ Months

March 24, 2020 Channing Hanneman

Hey Guys!

I can’t believe Luke is 6 months old already! I feel like being pregnant was a lifetime ago. I can’t even imagine what life was like before Luke came along.

I wanted to share my go to products that I am still using and have started using for Luke. But first, here is a bit of an update on him.

He is so big and becoming such a little ham. His personality is starting to shine through and I love it. He loves to watch all the action and definitely gets FOMO very easily. He laughed for the first time and I started to cry. It is my favorite sound in the world. He is sitting up, and we also started on our Baby Led Weaning journey. This means he eats whatever my husband and I eat. We skipped baby foods all together. He is doing amazing and loves food! His favorite so far is cucumber and pulled meat.

We are still going strong on our breastfeeding journey. When I decided to breastfeed I gave myself a minimum goal of 6 months. I was going to try my hardest to do it for 6 months and if it was still difficult I would have stopped. But I am happy to report it is going amazingly. I am not going to lie, the first 4 months were extremely difficult. From latching difficulties, to oversupply issues, to hunger strikes and everything else under the sun, Luke and I had a tough start to our journey. Then one day when he was 4 months old he weaned himself from the nipple shield we used every day, and went from eating for 40 minutes every time to less than 10. Now we have more time for learning and playing.

My husband and I also decided to sleep train Luke at 4.5 months. He went through a terrible 4 month regression and I spent months 3 and 4 basically sleeping in his rocker with him in my arms. Once we realized Luke didn’t want to be swaddled anymore and was capable of going all night without waking up for feedings (per the pediatrician) we decided to sleep train him using a gradual cry it out method. He caught on fast and by night 2 he has been sleeping for 11 to 12 hours. He is still doing this but I know a 6 month regression plus teething is coming so I hope it doesn’t affect him too much. I still hold him for all of his naps mostly because I miss the snuggles and I know that when I have my next child I won’t be able to snuggle like I can with Luke. But I do plan on nap training him in the next couple of months.

He is literally such an easy going angel boy and I can’t believe how lucky we are to call him ours.

Scroll down for the products that I swear by and have been using for months now.

-Halo Sleep Sack- We have been using these since Luke was in the hospital. We had a newborn size and now have 3 of the bigger sizes. We had some fleece ones for when it was colder out and have switched to cotton. These made transitioning from being swaddled so easy since you can have their arms in, 1 arm out and then both arms out. Luke is about to outgrow this and then we will move to the traditional sleepsack without torso compression.

-Haakaa- Since I am still on my breastfeeding journey I am still using and loving my Haakaa. I don’t pump anymore because I hated it. I just use this to catch my letdown on the opposite side Luke is nursing. I usually get 2 to 3 oz a day just from doing this. Since I rarely leave Luke this is the perfect amount to freeze and store when I do leave him.

-Binky Holder- This thing is a lifesaver for my binky loving bug. He loves his binky and this helps to keep it attached to him at all times and off the floor. It also has silicone beads on it that he loves to chew. I put it in the dishwasher and it cleans well. Plus it looks so cute.

-High Chair- We set up Luke’s high chair around 4 months so he could sit at the table with us and watch and observe us eating. This is one of the things to do to lead up to Baby Led Weaning. He loved being apart of meal times and saw us chewing and eating properly. This chair from Ikea is super inexpensive and so sleek looking. It is no fluff and easy to clean and you can buy an insert for when they are small to help prop them up. I also purchased a wooden footrest for the chair off of Etsy since this helps him have good posture and helps them not to choke since they are sitting up straight. We love it!

-Splat Mat- Since Luke is a messy eater, I use this mat to put under his highchair. It helps with easy cleanup. Since we have a smaller dining room I fold it up and put it away between meals. But it is cute enough to keep out all the time if I had the room. It also comes with a smock bib which we love for keeping food off of Luke’s clothes

-Activity Center- We also set this up when Luke was 4 months and he loves it! We call it his DJ booth haha. It is nice because it transitions as they get older from sitting in the middle, to being able to stand and play and then using it as a table with chairs.

-Diaper Genie- We have been using the Diaper Genie since Luke was born. I love that it is sleek looking and comes in a variety of colors to match the nursery. Ours is grey and blends in so nicely.

-Tummy Time Water Mat- Luke isn’t always a fan of tummy time. He usually would rather sit or stand with help. But this water mat keeps him occupied for a while. He loves hitting it and watching the fish move around inside.

-Overnight Diaper Pads- When we were sleep training Luke the problem we kept running into was leaking diapers. Since he was going 12 hours between a change I wanted to make sure he was dry and not leaking. I found these pads for his diaper and they are a game changer. He wear 1 regular diaper with the pad inside, then I slather on a thick layer of diaper cream and then put an overnight diaper on top. In the morning he is dry and the moisture is pulled away from him and he never has diaper rash.

-Drool Bibs- Since teething has started Luke is a drooling mess. Withing 30 minutes of me getting him dressed he will soak through his shirt. I bought this pack of drool bibs and they come in so many patterns and wash great. I love them!

-Portable Sound Machine- We use this when we are in the car, grocery shopping or when Luke takes a nap at his grandparents house. Since he sleeps at home with his sound machine, this one is perfect to create that mood anywhere.

-Sound Machine- Speaking of sound machines we still love our Hatch. We use it for every nap and nighttime sleep and I can’t live without it.

-Huckleberry App- This app is amazing for tracking feedings, diapers and sleep. It will then calculate the best time to put baby down for the next nap. Helps me make sure I am hitting the correct wake times for Luke. It also adjusts for his age and lets you know when you should start to transition to fewer naps and when to go to bed.

-Stretch mark Lotion- I didn’t get any stretch marks on my belly during pregnancy but I did get them on my thighs and love handle area. I used this cream everyday since giving birth and the marks are gone. I mix it in with my regular lotion and I am amazed at the results.

Newborn Must Have Products| Luke's 1 Month Update

October 24, 2019 Channing Hanneman

Hey Guys!

Today I wanted to share my go to products that have helped me a ton this first month with my newborn. I use all of these products daily and they all come HIGHLY recommended.

Check out my Birth Story HERE

First I wanted to share with you a 1 month update on Luke. This first month has obviously had it’s ups and downs. From bringing home my first child, to postpartum healing, learning to breastfeed, and lack of sleep it has been difficult. The first 2 weeks were the hardest. I felt like I couldn’t get everything done, I was in pain, and I wasn’t sure if I was doing anything right.

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Luckily 1 month in, we are all settling into our new routine. Not every day is easy, and I know that things will change, but we are all getting used to having a baby around and slowly forgetting what our lives were like before Luke came along.

Luke lost more than 10% of his weight after we left the hospital since my milk took a bit to come in so we have had some difficulty with feeding. He has to use a nipple shield since his tongue wasn’t working properly when he was born but we are slowly weaning him off of that at the moment. He also had to be supplemented with formula to help him gain weight and I am happy to say after a week and a half of supplementing we haven’t had to go back!

I have been doing the Baby Wise sleep training method since the day he came home from the hospital and so far it is working. I HIGHLY recommend checking out the book HERE. It basically sets them up on a routine/ schedule to help them get the most sleep possible since this helps their brains grow and also helps teach them the difference between day and night. Luke has been pretty good about the routine and pretty much wakes up every 2.5 to 3 hours on the dot to feed, play then go back to sleep. He is only a month old so I am not super paranoid about keeping the schedule and sometimes he just wants to sleep on Mom during the day and I let him. He is only little once and infant cuddles are the best.

Our dog Bruce has adjusted nicely to having a baby around. At first he was very curious and would get anxious when Luke would cry but now he just ignores the cries and loves to check on his brother when he sneezes, coos, or is just hanging out on the couch.

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As for products, see below for the ones I swear by and links to purchase if you would like.

Haakaa: The Haakaa is a silicone suction device that you put on the opposite breast when you are breastfeeding and it catches the letdown that naturally happens. This letdown would otherwise leak into your breast pads or bra. On average during a feed I catch between 1 and 2 oz! It is amazing! I either feed it to Luke in a bottle if he is fussy after eating or I freeze it and add to my freezer stash. It is literally amazing and I will get it for every new Mom that is breastfeeding.

OXO Tot Space Saving Drying Rack: My kitchen is small and has limited counter space, so with bottles and pump supplies constantly being rinsed and cleaned throughout the day I needed something that doesn’t take up a lot of space but is also sleek looking. This drying rack doesn’t stick out a lot so it doesn’t take up a lot of my limited counter space and it has plenty of space to dry multiple bottles at a time. Even if you don’t use bottles, this is good for pump supplies and storage as well.

Kiinde Bottle Warmer: Since I had to supplement with formula I had to use a bottle warmer. This one heats the bottle up in 5 minutes and is so easy to use. You just fill it with water once and when you turn the timer on it circulates the water evenly so there are no hot spots in the bottle. Plus I love the sleek white design.

Halo Sleep Sack: The hospital that Luke was born in used a Halo Sleep Sack for swaddling so we decided to purchase a couple when he came home. He loves them and they are so easy to use! All you do is zip them up inside and wrap the 2 Velcro sides around and BOOM you have a perfect swaddle. I don’t have to worry about wrapping him perfectly and the zipper can zip from the top or bottom so it makes middle of the night diaper changing a breeze. Luke loves it and instantly falls asleep in it! I am linking the fleece one since I live in a cold climate at the moment but they also come in lightweight cotton. They also come in multiple sizes as well. We have a newborn size as well as a size small at the moment. Also, the patterns they come in are so cute!

Boppy Pillow: I took my Boppy Pillow to the hospital because a lot of people told me it would help with learning to breastfeed and positioning. I am so glad I brought it. I love the Boppy pillow because it can grow with the baby. You can use it for feeding, propping baby up, and tummy time. Plus it comes with many different cover options. I currently only use it for propping Luke up as it is a bit bulky for using in the chair that I currently nurse in. Once I get more comfortable nursing in other places around the house, I will probably start using it for feeding again.

My Brest Friend Pillow: This is the pillow I currently use for nursing. I like it because it isn’t as bulky so it is easy to use in my rocker chair. It has a flat top surface and clips around the waist for easy adjustment during feeding. It is made from super soft but firm foam and the cover is removable and washable. I am so glad I have this and the Boppy. This also has a pouch on the side to hold you phone, snacks, or a water bottle.

Hatch Baby Light and Sound Machine: Luke sleeps in my room but when we nurse we go into his room. At night I don’t like to turn on lights to wake him up too much so every night before bed I turn this light on in his room along with the white noise. I keep it on all night that way I am not fumbling around in the dark. The Hatch Baby is awesome because it can connect with an app to your phone so you can turn it on with your phone before you enter the room if you want. You can also have different programs with different lights and sounds, as well as adjust the brightness. Right now I currently have it with the white light that is dimmable with the white noise and when I am rocking Luke back to sleep I turn it off and have the white noise on a bit louder. When Luke naps in his crib, I also turn it on with just the loud white noise and it helps him sleep better.

Portable LED nightlight: Since I have to walk from my room to Luke’s room during the night, I use another nightlight. I keep this one next to my nightstand and what I like about it is that it is rechargeable and wireless. All I do is double tap on the top and a dim light comes on. If you touch and hold the top the light can get brighter or dimmer depending on your preference. This is perfect for using to check on the baby or walking to another room at night because it is lightweight, small and you don’t have to turn on any harsh overhead or lamp lights. Once I am in Luke’s room with the Hatch light on, I place this one on his changing table so I can see what I am doing while changing him but also not blinding him with light. This would also be great for traveling as well since it is small and doesn’t need to be plugged into a wall.

Washable changing pad: I HIGHLY recommend skipping a changing pad with a cover and getting this one. I know that covers are cute but honestly, 9 times out of 10 your baby will pee when you change its diaper and getting that on a cover and constantly having to wash it just sounds like a pain. I like this pad because it easily wipes clean and is waterproof. The only downside to not having a cover is that it gets cold and babies don’t like that but I just put a paper towel under Luke at night and he seems to fuss less. Honestly I am fine with him being a little cold since it means I don’t have to constantly wash a changing pad.

Those are all my current Must Have products for my Newborn. Let me know what you recommend I get for each new stage in Luke’s life. I am always open to suggestions!

XOXO Channing