Purée to BLW?

[SpezzaB]

So, I thought weaning would be a breeze, after all, I didn't really change my diet through pregnancy or BF and the hubby & I kinda love food!
My PFB happily and greedily BF for 5 months and easily stuck to her 4hr feeds from week 3. Then I started to think about going back to work... (6month mat leave) getting her onto a bottle has been a task in itself. Getting her to eat purée has been an absolute breeze. (15days in) I offer finger food of the same veg with every purée I make (except peas) to make sure she gets the taste and some actual food, and she shoves it into her mouth before almost gleefully pushing it back out again. I even let her stick her hands in the purée to feed herself. She goes to nursery three days a week in two weeks and although she seems to love the food, she just won't chew it. Have I knackered it with the purée first?!
I've read a little about tongue thrust, and a little bit of all her food comes back out each time - but it mainly looks like she sucks in her bottom lip when taking food in, and it just gets caught there and dragged back out!
Any advice?

Don't worry, she'll get there in her own time and nursery won't be expecting a baby that age to feed herself big meals! I found DD actually started eating loads more once she started nursery and saw all the others eating.

I don't know if you've tried already but the first thing my 6 month old successfully fed herself was a rice cake as she could hold onto it and basically suck on it for long enough without it falling apart. All the veg and squishy stuff she would bite off a huge bit, and it would then come out.

I'm sure she'll get it in her own time, glad she's enjoying her food!

Thank you both.
I'll give rice cakes a try next!

I would cut a slice of bread into little cubes, and pop them into the puree, they go soft and yet still hold a shape so, it's a way of introducing non purée. They are called pobs oop north!

If she's using a lidded/spouted/or sealed cup alongside meals you could try a little open baby cup instead as that will help with developing the tongue position. Really mini open cups worked best for us as it meant the drink could go into the mouth (and not so much down the cheeks!!). Great that she's enjoying the taste of the foods and is happily exploring them.

Just wanted to update with a thanks.
Rice cakes make a fab snack, and the bread is great for thickening as I use my own milk so it can get runny.
She's settling into nursery and the staff have asked if she can eat their food with the rest of the children at midday. (She has milk at 10&2) but then they never listen to my food instructions anyway with regards to what gets eaten when so I just told them yes!
I still BF exclusively at home but I worry she won't get the 'recommended' 500ml a day if they feed her a dinner in between as she's almost 7mo.
Normally at home we have:
6am milk
10am milk followed by toast (2 soldiers)
2pm milk
3pm fruit
6pm milk
7-7.30pm-ish food
Bathtime as she gets food everywhere () and then a top up BF as she falls asleep around 8-9.
I know I need to not worry so much as she needs to adapt to the nursery day anyway, I just think I needed for someone to say it's ok! Plus I won't have to make her a packed lunch every day!