Baby-led solids: Where on earth do I start???

[kungfubecca]

Hi,

it's a good idea. We did start on puree, and he loves apples, but at the same time we found merging to the next step difficult, because xavier got an chest infection. so I started offering finger food, and he now eats more finger food than most his age. he is just shy of 9 months old, but has always had very good fine motor skills. We have tried a fresh food feeder but he didn't like it.

His fav finger foods are steemed carrot, melos, and banans, and some naughty ones like chips, and teddy bear biscuits. He has had cheese, but mushes it up. I am planning to introduce a mix of whole noodles and vegies for him to eat soon, so he can essentially feed himself. Cruskits are good to start with though, 'cause they are easy to hold, and you can always spread some avocado on them.

I quite often now just et him try things off my plate.

[Melody7]

OK, so now I'm feeling a bit out on a limb - I went to Mother's group today and they're all feeding their babies cereal etc (up to 3x day) and Ethan has never had that - he just has occasional whole foods (fruit/vege). Should I be feeding him the cereal? I thought BLS meant I bypassed all that....hmmm

[Artechim]

Melody, you don't need to offer him cereal if you don't want to. Most people don't know that babies can start eating whole food this young. I bet if you suggest finger food to them they will look at you in horror and tell you the baby will choke. They are feeding cereal because they don't know any different.

My mum growled at me for feeding my DS finger food and said she hoped we knew first aid for when he choked but then she saw him actually eating something and I haven't heard anything about it since lol

My DS is 7.5 months now and apart from a few dismal attempts to spoon feed him he has never had puree or cereal. He is very happy to eat bits of fruit/veges/cheese or whatever is on our plates. He loves to chew on meat even though he usually doesn't swallow any. To be honest he probably only eats a couple of spoons worth of food a day but he is happy trying and at this age the amount they eat doesn't matter.

Try not to doubt yourself, if you and your bub are happy then it doesn't matter what the other mums are doing.

[MantaRay]

Melody, I agree with Artechim. Most people start their babies on cereal because that's what everyone else does, and they don't know better (like you do ). There is actually no nutrional benefit to those commercial baby cereals, so you are doing your baby an extra favour by not giving them. If you do want to give cereal, you would be far better off to make your own. But what you are doing is far easier, and will continue to make life easier for you and bub as they will be eating the same as everyone else earlier. How much better will it be for you to not be preparing two different meals each time - and also for meals at restaurants and other people's houses!!

[happygirl]

can I just say I looked for this thread looking for some encouragement and thankyou I got it!!

My bub is 7 months old and HATES being spoon fed. He loves and is so interested in food though. I didn;t know about baby led weaning - the only thing I have been able to do is give him bits of banana, steamed carrot, broccoli, cheese, cucumber, pieces of mandarin to feed himself. He loves doing this but doesn't really get any in. (although there was some bits of broccoli in his poo-yuk) I 'm still breatfeeding him as much as he wants.

I've been worrying because the other babies in my mums group are eating heaps and the lady on the parent help line said I might have 'missed the boat' when it comes to solids because he hasn't learned to eat from a spoon and that he should be eating a cup of food plus dessert by now!

It has really stressed me out because I felt like a bad mum for not getting him onto solids earlier. The parent help line lady made me feel scared he will never learn to eat, that his nutrition is compromised and will never wean! I don't want to wean him yet though and he certainly doesn't!!!

Anyway thanks for the great comments and discussion. I felt better after reading this.

CAn you just reassure me that it is ok for him just to play with his food at this stage? Wll he get better at actually eating it? I just really don't want to force feed him with a spoon its horrible.

Thanks again.

[MantaRay]

Oh happygirl, big hugs. It's awful when people undermine you like that. Absolutely he will be fine. Many bf babies don't take to solids until later on. My first DS really didn't eat anything until 8 or 9 months, and only ate any sort of quantity at nearly 1. He is now 3yo, very, very healthy, a good weight - and a great eater. I know of many others who's kids were the same. Your DS sounds perfectly normal to me - probably he's just smarter than most bubs, he knows where the good stuff comes from . I'm guessing your MCHN doesn't see so many bf bubs - how sad really!

[Melody7]

Hi,

CAn you just reassure me that it is ok for him just to play with his food at this stage? Wll he get better at actually eating it? I just really don't want to force feed him with a spoon its horrible.

The Breastfeeding Association have told me "food is for fun until they are one" - a great mantra! They say that introducing solids is more about a baby exploring tastes and textures and developing technique. My DS has a great time exploring and experimenting with his food now.

I must say, I've come a long way in the month since posting this thread. I now have great confidence in my son's ability to feed himself. I watched my MIL today hovering over him and getting agitated over every little cough or movement - thinking he was going to choke - and he wasn't. He's constantly refining his techniques and is becoming better at feeding himself as time has passed. Having said that, he doesn't have 3 meals a day every day and eats varying amounts each time. He's still a BF baby, with no intention of stopping (from my perspective or his).

I tried some rice cereal with him one day because I was eating porridge - and he hated it. Why bother with the hassle? He'd much rather feed himself a nice 1/4 pear or finger of zucchini (his fav atm).

Don't be afraid to be a bit different. I'm now asking mums when I see them feeding their babies mush, something like: "why are you feeding him/her that?" (nicely, of course). It's got them thinking!

[LimeSlice]

So I am startingto think about all this solids stuff (omg shes growing up on me!!)
I know this will sound silly given everything everyone has posted, but am really paranoid about her choking! I have had choking scarethis week with DD chewing (gumming) envelopes to their very soggy death. she has been doing this for a while, and I didnt think much of it, until a few days ago when she started choking on a soggy wad of paper!! Mum tells me we all ate papaer at that age and now to worry, she will learn, but I am so paranoid now! So lucky she was on my lap at the time!
So now I am paranoid about her choking on food!

Is there really no chance of her choking?