I need to ask a couple of things about BLW

[VintageGardenia]

DS is 24 weeks and has been exclusively bf and I am now going to start weaning him.

If he holds a chunk of banana or a segment of mandarin he seems to suckle on it - obviously very satisfying getting orange juice out of the segment - but his suckle is so strong that he has popped it right to the back of his throat and auto-jerked it out again.

If he is suckling on the food like this does this mean he is not ready for blw? Should he be mashing it about in his mouth, chew-style?

Is it better to put food in front of him and see how he gets on with it or to help him by holding up the banana for him, etc? Or does that make it not baby-led? I have held the segment because it gets so slippy it shoots out of his fist like soap in the bath, and that frustrates him.

When he gets a bit of banana off he likes to suck his thumb around the banana. What is this about? I assume it feels nice pressing the banana against his thumb, or maybe the thumb helps to "chew".

I don't want to be rushing him, but he seems so keen for food. Any general advice?

Bumping for you.

It sounds like you are doing perfectly to me. Let him explore his food. DD used to suck on banana exactly how you describe, also on cheese - the resulting dribble was rather niffy.

Have you seen Aitch's website?

RE: bananas, I break it in half and he holds it with two hands, the 'outside' is drier and easier to hold.

I wouldn't give chunks but bigger bits of food, ie half or all of a banana etc where possible. I started mine on brocolli, there are some pics on my profile at the bottom of ds2 eating some.

Thanks for the bump earlier and the responses since! I've been out (looking for G. Rapley in W'stones).

Re. chunks I've been snapping the banana in half then separating it into its natural segments but they are too thin, one squeeze and they're in two pieces, shooting out of the hand.

Re. cheese I thought no dairy or gluten till 1? Sorry if someone has already told me this my head is sieveish at mo.

I've just listened to the Gill Rapley / Annabel Karmel debate on Woman's Hour, it's here if anyone hasn't heard it.

Sweet photos, Jodie!

After six months, anything but honey and whole nuts, unless there are allergies in the family.
With the half banana, DS holds it in two hands and gnaws at it.
I got the Rapley book from Amazon, it is useful. All the info is available on the net, but it's nice to have in one clear document. She really explains the physiology of gagging and it's really reassuring.

They were sold out in that branch of Waterstone's but I will try and get hold of it somewhere else.

Lots of really good links on Aitch's site, have been reading around, but as you say, wenceslas, handy to have a single clear source for ref.