After the baby is born, you'll enjoy precious moments with them. Time will fly by, and the day you have to go back to work will arrive quickly. You'll then need to use a daycare or rely on family/friends to look after your little one. A question might be on your mind: "Can I continue with BLW while my baby is being cared for?".
My children's daycare, "Les P'tits Biloux" in Ciney, Belgium, agreed to continue baby-led weaning. I'm going to share their experience with Lenny's BLW (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food).
The "Les P'tits Biloux" daycare center
Lenny attends daycare several days a week and is looked after by Sandrine, a trained kindergarten teacher, and Nathalie, a childcare worker. They have agreed to continue the weaning process initiated by the child for Lenny's lunches.
But they quickly wondered what they'd gotten themselves into. Let me tell you their little story! During Lenny's first BLW meal at daycare, they wondered what they'd gotten themselves into when they saw the state Lenny was in at the end. He'd gotten it everywhere—all over himself and his chair! They had a good laugh, and even the other children at daycare kept saying that Lenny really did make a mess. But that's not all! As time went on, the other children became envious of Lenny's meals, especially when they were in the form of patties or pancakes. They no longer wanted to eat their own meals and only wanted the same thing as Lenny…
The BLW experience at the nursery
Sandrine and Nathalie experienced baby-led weaning when Holly started nursery. They had already heard about it on social media related to early childhood. The nutrition workshops organized by ONE (Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance) don't even mention it…
Holly and Lenny had already started BLW at home before going to daycare. They simply agreed to continue since it was already working well at home.
Initially, there was some resistance. Nutritional training courses generally highlight the potential "dangers" of BLW and especially the risk of choking during meals... which is not particularly reassuring.
However, Nathalie and Sandrine are willing to repeat this experience with other pups only if the BLW is already well established at home.
The advantages of BLW in daycare
For Nathalie and Sandrine, the biggest advantage is that BLW Baby-Led Weaning) fosters the child's independence and autonomy at mealtimes. This allows the childcare workers to be more available to feed the other children while keeping an eye on the baby eating independently.
It's a great approach to feeding that allows babies to discover food in different ways, with textures different from smooth or mashed purees.
But that's not all! BLW meals reheat much more easily than purees or solid foods. Meal preparation is quick, and the child no longer has to wait too long before eating. This saves a significant amount of time when it comes to meal planning.
Lenny's meals made Nathalie and Sandrine want to try them! 😊
The disadvantages of BLW in daycare
The biggest drawback of the BLW is the cleanup after each meal. Lenny gets food absolutely everywhere on his chair, which makes cleaning a bit more of a hassle.
It's also difficult to know what Lenny had eaten since part of his meal always ended up on the floor. With purees or portioned meals, it's easy to see what the baby ate at mealtimes.
Learning BLW Breath-Woman Therapy) in a group setting isn't very practical. Early childhood staff have other things to care for and can't dedicate themselves solely to your little one. It's best to start BLW at home and continue it at daycare once it's well established.
Does your little one's daycare also accept BLW Baby Weaning) with the baby? Feel free to share practical information about your baby's daycare (name, address, etc.) to inform all parents about daycares that accept BLW .
