BLS the right way to go?

[Barb Glare]

Yes, babyled solids is the way to go - it's what most of the world's population have done from time immemorial. it's not a "new fad' But, you have just fallen for myth 101 - that Babled solids is a dogma that only allows baby to feed herself finger foods. Nothing could be further from the truth. When baby is developmentally ready (around 6mnths- can sit up and is reaching for foods) then you can give her whatever it is that your family is eating. You don't *have* to give her liquidy mush - she can cope with soft peices of family food. Babyled solids is all about socialising your child - helping her, giving her a taste of what you are having, exposing her to a range of textures. And more than that, making meals a social event.
from personal experience, when my 17 yr old was a baby we were *instructed* to feed farax at 4mnths. Many babies just weren't into it - getting all they needed from breastmilk and not wanting or needing anything else. We were in a lather of stress cooking and pureeing food and then having them spew it back at us - terrified we'd have to report to the health nurse. And there was a whole list of things that babies couldn't eat - *eggwhites from xmtns but the yokes from Y months. no dairy/meat to be honest it was so complicated I just can't even remember it. My subsequent children just about had to write me a 3 page submission outlining why they would like to join the family in eating solid food. (BTW - this is a joke) Or when they ripped the vegimite sanwhich out of my hand and stuffed it down their throat I had to take their claim seriously - they reached that age at varying times - but I had the confidence to watch the baby not the calendar, or the book (who didn't know my baby) solids was a whole lot less stressful. Now I see the pendulum swing the other way - it's apparently a polarisation - at one end many mothers are instructed to do as I was 17 yrs ago - at the other end there is a complete misunderstanding of "babyled' - and it's more of a battlground than ever! Relax! it's just not meant to be this hard. If she wants dad's pumpkin soup - cool. if she wants a banana - excellent. if she wants the breast fabulous.