Can someone help me on mixing BLW with a more traditional approach?

[MyPlugInBaby]

I've been BLWing my 7 month old since he was 5.5 months, and I fully BLW'd my now 3 year old with no problems, its all I know in regards to weaning.

The problem I have is I have a really hungry boy. I know, I used to think that was really cliched but he REALLY is hungry. He cries every time I give him food, gets very agitated and frustrated, trying to shovel it all in but not quite getting there, he has no teeth yet but was sitting unaided very early. I breastfeed him before meals, but he is truly insatiable.

So i decided to mash up some of my food and give it to him, and well, he was like a different baby, happy content and slept better satisfied.

So I've decided to combine the old BLW with a bit of mush, but I'm not sure where to start, as we've already been weaning 6 weeks or so, he's been exposed to quite a variety of food. Is fantastic with swallowing/textures etc, rarely gags. Do I need to slowly introduce stuff like a 6 month old or can i dive right in? I'm guessing somewhere in between...

I'd dive right in!
Why not follow the principles of BLW, and do what you have already done - just mash up some of what he's already got on his plate, and spoon some for him. Or how would he do with loaded spoons? ie you put the food on the spoon, but he puts it in his mouth?

We did BLW for meals which lent themselves to fingers (including pasta and sauce), but spooned in things which naturally lent them selves to spoons - so did a half and half approach, but always stuck with the eating together, eating the same food, and not do, oh, just one more spoonful, or aeroplanes etc.

I say dive in!
DS is 7 months and getting on well with feeding himself but it sometimes seems like a lot of work to chew finger foods and get them down so he also seems to enjoy the easier option of spoon feeding at times.
Like previous poster we are doing a half and half approach with fingers/spoon depending on what suits the food we're having and with a bit of both each day. Lunch could be spoon fed soup and finger food toast? Or spoon fed scrambled egg and finger food toast? Evening meal tonight was spoon fed cheesy mash with finger food carrot and baby sweetcorn followed by spoon fed fruit puree.
Does that help? It seems to be working for us!

Agree with dive in! My dd really enjoys purees so I give her what we are having, with half mashed and half 'real' at dinner. I tend to give her sandwiches with no purée at lunch though.

Why not just mash up what you are having?

Dive in. It's the same food, just mushed up to make it easier for him isn't it? Give him finger food as well and voila, traditional weaning. Nothing non-baby led about that, you're doing what makes him most content and not forcing anything. Good job you.

Ooh thanks for your replies, I've only just looked back at this.

So you've made me feel more confident and just gone for it! Well I have steamed some random combinations of veggies and roughly mashed them and kept in the fridge then added them to whatever we've been eating - so tonight he had sweet potato and parsnip with a spoonful of bolognese and some gluten free spaghetti. Porridge with cinnamon or natural yoghurt and fruit for breakfast usually and baby led lunchtime.

I guess what I was thinking is this ok for his little (ha!) tummy? As in with BLW they gradually start to take in larger amounts but with purees they are gradually introduced to stuff. Not sure I'm making sense. But I feel like I'm hitting him with a full whack of foods in fairly large amounts.

Next problem though........ He seems to have an insatiable appetite. He will literally keep eating until I stop offering food. He ate so much the other day that he was sick. That can't be right?! I'm scared he can't regulate his appetite, he was/is breastfed on demand. So any ideas on how much I should be giving him?

I completely BLWeaned my 3 year old didn't spoon feed her at all, but find I just don't have the time it takes with my 7 month old, particularly as he is also a very hungry baby. I basically just feed him the same food as we eat, and have done since 4 months, but I spoon feed him, so for example today he had porridge/ fruit for breakfast, tuna sandwich for lunch and lasagne for dinner, none of it mashed. he finger feeds himself some things, such as blueberries. I think really the milk is still the most important thing at this age so I wouldn't worry about how much he eats. mine probably has around 2/3 tablespoons of food at each meal.