So I’m not an expert on baby led weaning. Actually I just started last week (December 2014). So if you are interested in learning alongside me, than please follow along and add comments below because together I’m sure we can figure this out!
I know you’re supposed to just hand them whatever type of food you are eating, but for the first few foods I want to be deliberate on what I give her. I’m letting her feed herself (bring on the mess!) and I’m not doing any purees. We don’t have any food allergies so I’m not avoiding any specific food, but I still get nervous introducing some. I’m still breastfeeding so I know she is getting all she needs from me for now, so I’m not worried about how much she eats.
Why Baby Led Weaning?
I want her to learn about food. I want her to get to know the texture and taste, and be interested to try all different types of foods. This will hopefully allow her to decide what, when and how much she eats.
Also, I don’t have to prepare her separate foods, or remember to pack anything when I go out, I can simply share what I am eating with her. It keeps me eating healthy and fresh, because that’s how I want her to eat.
Resources that helped me understand the benefits of baby led weaning.
I’m trying this out. Hopefully it works, maybe it doesn’t – follow along over the next 6 months to find out!
Some of the million of questions that were racing through my head when I got started:
What do I do if she is choking? What is the difference between choking and gagging?
Is that piece of food too big… too small? Can I add spice to her food .. when?
Veggies first? Fruits first? Cereal? No Cereal? Green Veggies or Red Veggies First? Does it even matter?
Why am I doing this when it makes such a huge mess – am I going crazy?
Skin or no skin?
How do moms have dinner on the table at 5 pm? What family is all home at 5 pm and ready to eat?
Why do her diapers look and smell so much worse? We need to start potty training ASAP.
Do I follow the charts out there saying which foods to introduce each month, or do I just start her on everything right away?
What did moms do before Google existed?
So back to my adventures of starting my 6 month old on foods. We started with Avocados,. The first time she hated them. She actually spit it out, gagged and full on threw up. I felt like an awful mom. I knew this was normal and it could happen, but as I was taking pictures in excitement of her first food, catching her throwing up was not what I imagined.
Anyways, next I baked Sweet Potatoes in the oven (425 F for 25 minutes) and served her a few fry size pieces. She embraced these more and I loved watching her play with the food in her mouth. Here eyes would get real big as she looked at me saying “what the heck is in my mouth mom?” and then she would get this funny smile on her as she swallowed, almost like she was proud of herself. Some got spit out, but some she was able to swallow (the proof was in her poop). Success!
These photos are from our third attempt at food, I gave her choices this time. 1/4 of an avocado and 2 sweet potato fries. She ate the fries and got some of the avocado in her mouth, but mostly on her face as you can see in the photos below!
I cut the skin off the avocado and the sweet potato. I know they say if you leave the skin on they have an easier time picking the foods up, but she has no problem with the fries, and if I keep the avocado in a big enough chunk she seems to be able to manage just fine.
Don’t want to make a mess?
I just ordered the KLADD PRICKAR Bib f
What a fun post! We started with avocados too. I wish Baby Led Weaning was more popular back when mine were little. I sort of did it with tortillas anyway. My babies loved to gum them into mushy messes. 🙂
New follower here! Our lil guy was born in December and I’m starting to prep for his introduction to solids. I’m not a fan of oatmeal/rice cereal or store bought jar food. I’ve been debating making purees or going the BLW way – I think maybe a combo of both will work for us. So glad I found your blog and and use your tips!!
Our doc said to skip the rice cereal, she compared it to white bread. We started with Avocado, Sweet Potato and Banana – those are still three of Lottie’s favorite foods!
When you made the sweet potato fries, would you make extras and reheat them at the next meal?
Yes! I still make a big batch of roasted veggies at the beginning of the week (sweet potatoes and all types of root veggies) and let her eat on them throughout the week, reheating them. She loves them – and it makes my life easier!
We started with banana followed with avocado, she loves both. I do make some mashed food but Indie feeds it to herself. I do load the spoon up but aiming it towards her mouth has nothing to do with me! This is so much fun!
Yes! We also are loading the spoon and letting her take control from there! Depending on the food we are creating quite the mess but it is fun seeing her discover it for herself!
She still, 5 months later, obsessed with all things bananas!