Baby Led Weaning

Has anyone used this technique for starting solids? I'm trying to avoid purees, and have ready the book, but could use some pointers on how to get started.

Thanks!

 

We did! My baby is one now and eats everything other than peanuts- which we will try soon.

We have incomplete medical history so I was a bit more cautious with giving her new foods. I made a list of different foods / categories of foods she'd be trying and gave her 2 a week (one for 3 days then the other). After she tried it I highlighted it so DH and grandparents would know what she can eat. Most of her fruits and veggies were cut into sticks at first. Veggies were steamed; fruits were sometimes peeled. We washed and froze berries which for a couple of months she LOVED when she was teething.

 

We did! I will never go back to purées again. We did very similar to Michelle although I wasn't concerned about allergies so Emmett pretty much just got whatever we were having for dinner (sometimes slightly modified for him).

I found this site helpful: http://www.babyledweaning.com/

 

I should add one tip: don't be afraid of spice or flavor. One of Annabelle's favorites is chicken fajitas!

 

I did it with Josh too, it was sooo much easier! He gets whatever we eat. In the beginning I would cut things into about the size of a steak fry, easy for him to grab and gum on. I didn't worry about allergies either and just gave him what he would eat. He loves cheese, fruits & veggies. Except cucumbers, can't get him to eat those. Or meat.. really struggling with meat.

 

What age did you start? Mine are 6 months so I was thinking now. We have tried a few things but they just push them around and ignore them basically. Should we wait?

 

6 months and I treated it as play. She eventually would stick it in her mouth which I counted as trying. I tried for every day but realistically it was about 5xs a week that we did solids.

 

We started around 6.5 months. It probably wasn't until close to 8 months that he was actually eating much of anything. I had it as a rough goal to offer him an opportunity once a day to try something but did not worry about quantity consumed at all. Before 12 months the bulk of their nutrition still comes from breastmilk/formula.

 

I didn't go the blw route this time although I had wanted to. Long story involving a knee jerk reaction to how things went with Vivi and starting them on solids at just shy of 4.5 months (with pedi approval). That said, I pretty much save purees for while I am at work or when I am making something I really don't want them to eat (read unhealthy as sin). One thing that they really like is toast cut into sticks. Sometimes I butter it sometimes I don't. Some advantages are that it is easy to make, easy to choose a variety of sizes when you are cutting, and easy for the babies to hold and gum.

As for their seeming lack of interest, it will pass in time. If you keep offering it, eventually it will find their mouths (because nothing stays away from babies' mouths long!) and they will figure it out. Even if they don't seem to like it at first, offer it without pushing and they will pick up on it soon enough.

Another thing, I will often run some veggies through the food processor until they are really tiny chunks but not pureed. Then just put a pile on their tray and let them go to town. Messy but effective. I don't know if thatfits the official blw rules but it works for us.

 

Thank you for all the info everyone!

 

We did this too. We didn't start till 8 months, but that was because we were waiting for an allergist appointment for one of the twins. I started them with baked sweet potato, avodcado, shredded cheese. I still spoonfeed them soup and yogurt, and I would recommend spoodfeeding them a few times a week so they are used to it, it's also useful for when you are out and can't make a huge mess.