Psychobabble how is baby-led weaning going?

[ToffeeTatties]

Hi
Remember your thread from a wee while back and just wondered how you were getting on with baby-led weaning. I seem to be taking one step forward and two steps back with ds at the moment!

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Hi, sounds like things are going great for you! I haven't been doing baby-led weaning, but have been thinking about it and as you say, it seems more natural to me than giving 'baby food'. I did all the home-made fruit & veg purees and baby rice to begin with, which went ok, but we are about 6 weeks on now, and it seems to be grinding to a halt. By that I mean that ds doesn't seem to be increasing the amount or frequency he is taking solids, and sometimes he won't take anything at all.. I am still BF, so I know he's getting all he needs from that, but I worry a bit that maybe he's having too much milk? I also think that perhaps he doesn't quite get the idea of solids, after all, it's the milk that fills him up. My instinct tells me that he might get it a bit more if he just has a bit of what we're having - it just seems like the natural thing to do. How did your ds deal with large lumps of food? Any choking? Think that's what I'm paranoid about.. The only finger foods I have tried are banana (crushed it between his fingers) and sticks of cheese (a little went in the mouth but most on the floor!) How long did it take for your ds to start eating things?

No I'm not in the Yahoo group - is it good?

Psychobabble thank you so much! This is all really helpful, am definitely going to give it a try. Will let you know how I get on and will be interested to hear how things go for you

I did baby-led weaning with DS2 (now 13 months) and found is much more pleasant than the purees and spoons method.

I like steamed bits of carrot or other veg, in chip shapes, as an early finger food. DS2 is now mad for any pasta, and really really loves meat, ideally with spices.

Just started trying this myself (ds is just over 24 weeks so a daring 312 hours early...) and he happily chomps chunks of pear and fists of avocado and so far no problems. Messy though but chews and swallows like a pro. Love the principle and too lazy to puree.

Just a day later and I've gone and lost my confidence. Today I was having a sandwich with a friend with ds on my lap and he saw me eating and wanted a bit. I gave him what I thought was an unbiteable slab of cucumber to hold and gnaw on (no teeth yet) to keep him happy and a few minutes later, a big lump of it had gone. A few seconds later he tried and failed to swallow it and spat it out. I'm sure that's what Gill means when she says they'll be able to tackle real food, but it worried me that he could have choked. Has anyone had any problems with this approach? Psychobabble, you mentioned fear of choking. How did you reassure yourself and did you just take a leap of faith?

I didn't worry about choking, as DS2 is my second child (duh), and DS1 never really choked, except on really obvious stuff (big piece of meat, big piece of squid).

Apparently the risk of choking is a lot lower if they put the food in their mouths, rather than sucking it in with a bunch of puree. So far, DS2 hasn't choked at all. He's gagged a bunch, but I just watch closely to see he's still breathing, and leave him to it. (He gagged a lot on a piece of lamb at tea today, and my neighbour, who had him on her lap, was all ready to start clapping him on the back and flapping, but we left him to it, and he was fine.)

You do, of course, have to watch them while they're eating, particularly at the start, and particularly with anything easy to choke on. And you have to know what to do if they do start choking.

this sounds really interesting indeed. my DD2 loves finger food but is fast going off the purees (we have to mix everything with pear before she'll touch it now) . MAy just give this a try. Thanks for links.

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