Baby-led weaning- what to start with?

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My DD (24 weeks and EBF) is starting to grab food from my plate and so I think it will soon be time to start weaning. I would like to try BLW but was wondering which foods are best to start with? Also, did anyone have any problems with choking?

Most babies will gag a bit when they start having solid food in their mouths. This is not something to worry about. They have a very pronounced gag reflex and will usually spit out far more than they swallow whilst they are getting used to moving food around with their lips and tongue. DD has never choked. If you haven't done any first aid training the Red Cross has an excellent website which shows you what to do if a child chokes: childrenfirstaid.redcross.org.uk/.

Most people start with fruit and veg, cooked until soft and cut into largish chunks so they are easy to handle. Broccoli florets, carrot sticks, chunks of banana, pear, plum, peach etc. DD's first meal was a very mild lentil curry and rice mixed with yoghurt to make it sticky enough to pick up. It was very messy.

Thanks Veronica, we will get started with some fruit and vegetables. Yesterday DD swiped a piece of buttered crumpet from my plate and pushed it straight into her mouth, so she thinks she's ready even if we haven't quite reached the official 26 weeks yet!

I agonised about the 26weeks thing and the two weeks between beginning weaning at 24 weeks and the actual official 6m point seemed interminable. For the first two weeks DD was very frustrated at being fobbed off with chunks of pear when she really wanted to explore my spag bol!

Looking back I'm not sure what magic I thought would occur on the dot of 26 weeks that would make it all OK. If I was doing it again I'd try and be more focused on DD and less on the calendar. So if your LO is telling you she wants crumpets then I think I'd go for it.

Have just started BLW with DD2 who was six months old yesterday. So far she has had broccoli florets, banana pieces, slices of ripe pear and halved chunky slices of cucumber (she sucks out the middle bit and the skin holds everything together).
Pear and cucumber most successful. Will probably try pasta spirals, sweet potato wedges and maybe home made hummus or pesto next.

Get yourself a copy of the Gill Rapley book (borrow one from the library, you'll not need it long) and have a look at www.babyledweaning.com

Ultimately, start with whatever you're having for lunch/tea - it's easier than devising different meals. Even messy food like yoghurt or bolognese can be smeared about with hands and licked off fingers.

The only thing to do is avoid honey until 1, cut grapes and cherry tomatoes in half, and no whole nuts until about 5yo as these things are the greatest choking risk. Babies can gag a lot but choking is much rarer.