BLW, how to start?

[loubaby1]

My DS is now 5 and a half months so I'm thinking about the next stage and weaning. I really like the idea of baby led weaning but I'm not really sure how to start?
When he gets to 6 months do I just give him lots of different finger foods and see what he does? Are there certain foods to try first?
Also I know with traditional weaning they say to introduce foods one at a time in case of allergies? Does this not apply with BLW?

Also when I start do I start with just one meal a day or go straight to 3?

Thank you, any advice gratefully received!

Up to you which foods you offer, depends if you have a history of allergies in the family & how cautious you wanted to be. Dd3 started with banana because that's what I was eating. We moved pretty fast & shes almost 8 months & on 3 meals a day eating more or less the same as me. She still spits some out but I think that's normal.

Main rules seem to be when baby is sitting up & trying to nick your food then they are ready. No soft eggs or honey before they are one, limit salt & no whole nuts(choking hazard).

www.babyledweaning.com :)

This is a very helpful website.

In gave DS some lovingly roasted root veg for his first meal, carefully cut into chip shapes for easier handling. He tried them all, threw them on the floor then stole my pasta with bolognaise and sat happily troughing that instead!!!!

I would usually take a few finger foods such as bits of cheese, roasted veg, rice cakes with a spread, fruit etc and then offer him some of whatever I was eating too.

You don't need to introduce foods one at a time or gradually increase meals with BLW (unless you know of possible allergies of course) as the baby will only eat as much as they need. I offered DS food three times a day with a couple of snacks, sometimes he ate it, sometimes he didn't. Nearer one year he would eat more food more often and he is now a fantastic eater who tries everything and eats till he's had enough.

Can't recommend BLW enough, brilliant way to introduce baby to food.

Get a cheap tablecloth or shower curtain for under the highchair.

Get a crinkle cutter (got one for a quid on Amazon) to help them pick up slimy food sticks.

Sit with them and eat whatever they are having so they can copy you.

Once they are 6 months its considered pretty safe to give them virtually anything (except what HarrietJones said) unless you have food allergy in the immediate family.

Try and relax about the whole thing as some take to it quicker than others.