Question on spooning

[LaBoheme]

LO (5 1/2 months) grips the spoon so tightly whilst feeding I almost have to wrench it off her to keep getting more puree. She is so interested in using the spoon herself, do you think I should encourage her to dip it in the puree herself? it just seems like that will take ages but I don't want to keep snatching it off her...is food more about the experience that the amount at this stage?

Gosh I sound really daft....I am so confused on this weaning stuff

[PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt]

Seriously - have a "look at this" website by another MNer. It's know in 'the biz' as baby led weaning. Also google. I met up with a friend of mine yesterday who said that she did this with her DD, now 14 months, and she is FAR less fussy than all her peers and it's so much easier!

Think...'what would I do if I lived in the wild'

Apparently they gag once or twice but nothing serious and all is splendid! Just no choky stuff like grapes / whole cherry tomatoes etc

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I was also scared about the choking thing but I gave DS toast fingers and steamed brocolli and he loved it (he actually ate the brocolli whereas when I pureed it he turned his nose up at it!). He did gag a few times but I think thats the natural reflex to bring it back up to stop them choking. Bit scary when it first happens but when you realise they're not actually going to choke its fine. My DS just sucked the toast until it turned into a bit of a puree anyway!

[LaBoheme]

PTIYP seriously - toast strips, but will she not choke and scare the hell out of me? I think I will try it but I will be v nervous, I really like the idea of going with nature and not all this puree drama...

[LaBoheme]

No nothing that exciting going on in my household I'm afraid - just weaning!

[TequilaMockinBird]

Pmsl i too thought it was another sex thread ... sorry!

[ChipButty]

Thought this was another sex thread. Have just read a corker (fnarr!) by InThe Willows. Sorry for hijack.

One spoon each worked for my Dcs BTW....

[PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt]

To summarise everything that I have learnt....

According to government guidelines, she shouldn't be having solid food for another couple of weeks anyway and even then, her milk will be her main source of important nutrients for weeks and weeks! Handily enough, by the time she's 6 months old, she's actually old enough and dextrous enough to eat 'normal' food! Not just a coincidence - nature is pretty cool. If she wants to play with the spoon and suck it, then great - it probably feels fantastic on her gums and she's also getting a feel for it as a 'new item' - normal exploratory stuff. It's either be that or an egg wihisk or your house keys etc. Soon she'll discover that she can pick stuff up with it - like yoghurt or humous!

Try throwing your puree away and just put some buttered toast strips / steamed carrots / chip shaped bits of banana in front of her and see what she does.....

[SoupDragon]

One spoon for her, one spoon for you.

Milk should still be making up the majority of her diet at this age anyway.