5 month old crazy for food...

My DS who is nearly 6 months old has starting to go crazy over food. Its the only expression that really fits. The last week I have started him off on purees which he eats with enthusiasim. Yesterday we were eating home made pizza and my DH was holding him. He grabbed a piece of pizza off the plate and starting munching on it before anyone even realised. We tried to take it off him but he starting screaming so we let him eat it. Today when I was dishing out dinner (roast lamb) he was in the kitchen and he started screaming. I gave him some beans and he munched on them. Then I gave him some of the lamb and it was like he went crazy. he was grabbing my hand so hard and pulling it to his mouth and when he had finished that bit was screaming for more. I put him in his high chair and put a bit of veges and meat on there and he went crazy trying to eat it all as fast as he could.

Is this ok? Can I just let him eat like this if I cut it up small enough? I have heard of Baby lead solids, is this what people do? I am happy to not go through the puree stage but will his little tummy be ready for this?

He is also so distracted at the moment he is not breastfeeding as much as he used to during the day. He does feed alot overnight, 4-5 big feeds. He used to b/f at least every 2 hours during the day and night so could he just be a hungry baby? I know there is plenty of milk, so that is not an issue.

I guess I just want to make sure I am not doing any harm letting him eat like this.

Sounds like your bub is the one teaching you about Baby led solids :)
That is exactly what it is, sharing your own meals with your little one. If your DS is happy and you're comfortable with it there isn't any reason to stop. He might gag from time to time but that's fine, just keep an eye out for choking. Check out the BLS thread for more ideas on what to give him. Sounds like he's doing a great job!

that's how we started with solids - at a bit over 5 months DS just grabbed something from my plate eating & starting eating it.

definitely pop over to the BLS chatter thread...if you're cutting food up though, don't make it too small - make it a size that your baby can hold. i was given the example of an old film cannister as a guide. that way they can hold it themselves (because early on a bit of the food will be inside their fist) and can suck/bite off what they can manage.

as long as you let him feed himself, he should only take in what he can manage. lot of people start with vegies & then fruit. my DS had bread as his first food :redface:

lol what a gorgeous post. Your DS is awesome! Thats pretty much how DD started eating. we did the puree for a few weeks, mainly things like rafferty's cereal, banana, potato, avocado mash easy things to mash up (i was a lazy mama!) before she was eating off my plate...she also loved her food - not quite as much as your DS does! I think BLW rocks, so much easier and DD is the best eater now - she eats everything (except sweet potato as i found out last night she doesnt like - only food so far she has tried and said yuck to). GL! I hope he keeps up his BF's though! :) Dont grow up too much lil'man!

Thanks girls. I didn't realise baby lead solids and baby lead weaning were the same thing :doh:

Will go and have a look for ideas.

THat's exactly what's happening here too... DD#2 loves to be in control of her food and that's fine with both myself and DH. She had broccoli last night and absolutely loved it!

You might like to pop in here: Baby Led Solids - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

There's also a great article in the ABA's current magazine that describes BLS in pretty much the same way as you have done. The guidelines are (broadly) to let your baby take the lead and feed themselves when they're ready (although it's usually not until after 6 mths, which is when a baby's digestive system is better developed) and just feed them what the rest of the family eats! Easy! Enjoy your BLS journey (and all that time you'll save with purees).