Starting weaning

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My DS is 6 months old next week and we are going to start weaning. We would like to do baby lead weaning. I was looking for some advice on what and how you cooked and presented the food to your baby. I want to start giving broccoli etc but can this be giving on a stalk for baby just to eat the florets but and not the stalk ? Do you give puréed food as well as finger foods ?? Also does the food need to be steamed rather than boiled as this eels to be suggested on everything I read.

Sorry there seems rather a lot of questions but any serving suggestions and methods welcome as I am finding this a but if a scary concept

Keep the stalk on the broccoli, just steam it so it's really soft. Steaming is recommended over boiling as it helps retain more of the vitamins in the veg which get lost through the process of boiling. You can give purees if you want but that's traditional weaning, not baby led. I occasionally gave my baby puree (home made or the lumpy Ella's kitchens one) for when she was teething or poorly (and off her food) but would load up spoons for her to pick up and eat herself, which she loved.

I just usually give her a bit of whatever we're eating as long as it's no whole nuts and no or very little salt. No honey before 12 months either, but I think everything else is fine.

There's loads of blw recipes on pinterest and there's recipe apps. It was scary at first, I was worried about choking! So make sure you do a first aid course. My baby gagged a few times, which looks scary but she was absolutely fine and just spat it out then carried on eating! She's never choked.

Also there will be a lot of mess and maybe not very much actually getting eaten at first! Mine would normally eat quite a bit one day then throw everything on the floor the next. It's fun for them though.

I did a bit of a mix, so at most meals I’d give a little bit of mashed up food like sweet potato, avocado, banana etc and then some bits for him to chew on afterwards. I did mostly steam the veg as it’s hard, but you could do roasted veg too. And peas or sweet corn they can pick up themselves once they get the hand eye coordination.

He also had things like a slice of toast and butter cut into fingers, thin slices of cheese, various berries, pasta, crusty bread, bread sticks, bits of chicken and ham. And also spoon fed things like yoghurt and porridge.

We started with bits of steamed broccoli (the stalk is like a handle), carrot, green beans, then banana cut into strips, and then just went for it. DD is 9 months now and is yet to refuse anything! She loves raspberries, noodles, peas, even salmon. Don't be worried if it seems like it all ends up on the floor at first. I was sure she wasn't eating anything at all until I started to see the evidence in her nappies after a few days.

I tend to give DD a spoon where appropriate e.g. with yoghurt or porridge. I'll load it up for her and she'll grab it and put it in her mouth but there's no way I'm allowed to hold it. She tends to get bored after a couple of spoonfuls, it ends up on the floor, and then her hands go in. It's amazing how well they can eat runny foods with their hands. Personally I've never felt the need to give purée - just seems like too much faff compared to just giving her what we are eating. The BLW police won't come after you if you decide you want to though, entirely up to you!

I really recommend the baby led weaning book by Gill Rapley. It talks you through it all and I found it particularly useful for explaining the difference between gagging and choking. It's pretty scary at first seeing them with big chunks in their mouths but you have to try and relax. DD has gagged a few times which is completely normal (but still hard not to panic!) but (touch wood) has never choked. Just relax and enjoy it. It's so lovely when you see them starting to tuck in.

Dd is just weaning, and she loves baby corns. I've bought a crinkle chip cutter to add grip when the food gets slippy (e.g. Carrot batons or pear)

I second the the baby led weaning book by Gill Rapley but get her cook book. Less waffle plus some recipes.

We did just blw with no purée. But a little later when she started to suffer from constipation have her some Ella prune pouches.

She is now normally and very independent eater but today she tells me she is a baby and I need to spoon feeder her breakfast.

Thanks guys these ideas are all great, I'm getting excited now !!!