Does the weaning method you choose really matter than much...

[Pheebe]

...so long as baby is eating a varied and balanced diet and you have a vague plan of introducing finger foods and working towards normal family meals by the age of about 1

I ask because we're just starting to wean ds2 and have bought a steamer and am making all his food for him, lots of organic fruits and veg, purreed and frozen and mixed with baby rice and milk along with youghurt etc. he's loving it and doing really well. Been really proud of myself as I was really lazy with ds1 and he was weaned pretty much on jars of shop bought food

BUT baby led weaning now seems to the all the rage and not sure I've made the right choice now

Any thoughts, advice etc gratefully received

if you are happy with what you are doing, then that is all that matters!!

BLW is not for everyone, just as puree isnt either

don;t do something just becasue it is a fad, do it because you believe in the rationale and it works for you

I'm sure it doesn't matter!

We did BLW because having heard about it, it sounded right for us. I think it was one of the best parenting decisions we've made so far - no faffing about with purees or mashing stuff up, and very easy when out, he just has whatever we have.

But that doesn't mean it's right for everyone, sounds as though you're doing fine as you are.

I'd second lulumama. Do whatever feels right for you. BLW is all the rage in ccertain circles, but vast numbers of people have never heard of it! if someone thinks it makes sense to them, then do it. If not, do the puree route. My ds is nearly 2 and was pureed(tee-hee!) with no problems. It suited us as a family and has worked really well.

Thanks lulu

I am happy with giving purees etc but I think I can see the reasoning for blw, I'm just not sure I have the nerve for it, not yet anyway. it took me ages to get up the nerve to give ds1 finger foods too

oo, thanks everyone

I think I will carry on purreeing ds2 for now anyway

Depends on you and the baby - we did BLW with DS because he is fiercely independent and HATED being fed anything (would purse up his mouth tight and turn away if you came anywhere near him with a spoon), whereas stuff he could pick up and eat himself he was fine with.

Whatever makes you both happy, basically!

Do you think it might confuse him to mix the two? So start giving him some toast or something now (he's 6 months and we've been doing the purees for a couple of weeks). Should we stick with one or the other, for now anyway?

Similar experience to LittleMy, DS was not keen on being spoonfed. Also as he was a first baby, BLW seemed really simple to me - give baby food, baby messes with it, sometimes eats it etc. It helped me to relax about how much/what food he 'should' be having.

goodness I feel like such a novice! you wouldn't think I'd got a 3.5 yo who stuffs his face with anything he can lay his hands on at any opportunity!!

I didn't do BLW . However, because I weaned at 26 weeks, I did find that although first week or so was the dreaded baby rice and fruit purees we were quite quickly into finger foods and a lot of the BLW "recipe" ideas and tips came in very handy.

I think that the perception (not yours!)that as soon as you go near a spoon you are diametrically opposed to all things BLW is unfortunate. I think that there are loads of things to take from the method without having to go the whole hog.

Pheebe - I think the advice now is to give finger foods alongside puree from 6 months, so don't think it would confuse...

Go for it, mix and match, why not! DS has been BLW from the start, no purees or mashed up food, but also has yoghurt most days which I spoon feed him - the deal is he will allow me to spoon feed him as long as he can hold a spoon as well and 'help'.

So we actually do a bit of both I suppose.

Sorry, that last post must have taken me ages!

I don't think you'd confuse. If DS2 doesn't want the finger food you'll soon know about it!

Ds had finger foods alongside pureed from 6 mths with no problems.

I did a mix of both i.e. purees with lots of finger foods alongside from 6 months (started weaning around 5 1/2 months). It didnt confuse him and he went fully onto finger feeding by around 9 months which was quicker than dd (4) as I was more cautious of giving her finger foods and she seemed to have a stronger gag reflex. You dont have to do one or the other as a mix of both can work just as well.

Finger foods also a great distraction for that moment when DC is sat in the highchair screaming for food and you're not quite ready to dish up yet

mixing the two is actually what the NHS encourages. at least, mixing finger food and purees, iykwim, cos BLW is really about letting them feed themselves. that said, of course, a lot of BLWers do use spoons for yoghurt etc before the baby can do it for himself. i think the thing is not to battle for control of the spoon, if they baby's happy and you're happy then that's the ticket.

You can always give him a few chunks of well-cooked/steamed stuff to play with while you mash up the rest. The main thing is that the food is healthy and varied and that the baby gets to play with some of it.

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the OP's talking about her child, malory... surely it's not okay for her to have an opinion on how she's weaning her own baby?

Ah but when you have a 39 year old you may suddenly forget your laid back ways and with all the other grandparents at these new fangled ways

or rather, surely it is okay?

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