Baby lead Weaning

[sweetchili]

Bastian is just on six months and i dont want to give him mush.....what can you tell me about baby lead weaning?

share your story of solid feeding please.

[Mercurious]

Does he want food? Food for fun until you're one.

[skn]

I offered food from just after 6mths, neither of the girls were interested until about 8 months. Even then, it was more about discovering texture and flavor and they weren't huge eaters until they were about 13months.

I'd always offer the breast first and then they could have their playtime with food.

[Natenimiri]

I offered food from 4 months with the first one but she developed allergies so with the second i breastfed exclusively for 6 months then offered food. She was a big eater but it didn't affect her breastfeeding and she breastfed solidly for 18months and weaned herself. I started with vegies not fruit as it is too sweet and then they find it hard to take vegies and not farex as it can give them wind. i also gave them new food in the morning so had all day to check for any allergy. i think they say it can take up to 14 times or something like that where they can reject a food before they will finally try it. so patience is the key! every child is different of course. the first was fussy and ate little but the second is like a garbage disposal unit and will eat anything in sight! the first refused home cooking but they second one would eat ONLY what i cooked!

[cherish]

I think with Matt I used to just feed him off my plate- so he'd sit up in the high chair at dinner and I'd throw some vegies on the high chair- sometimes I would mash them etc with my fork..

it's amazing how you forget.. I think I bought some rice cereal.. and put that with vegies etc..

banana is great.. good luck with it.. I hate food- makes so much mess!!

[Mercurious]

Oh I hate banana stains with a passion, we've ruined so many clothes with banana.

I did a lot of feeding DD off my plate. squishing stuff between my fingers so she just got a taste.

If I could do my time over again, I wouldn't let her have fruit until she was happily eating vegetables. It's so easy to fall into the trap of feeding them what they'll eat as it makes you feel successful.

[sweetchili]

thanks!!

He definately WANTS to eat. We have been sitting him at the table for Family dinner since he was four months. So he has been watching us all eat, and now throws 'tantrums' when we dont give him something.

About two weeks ago i was feeding Cj banana and Bastian really wanted some i put it near his moth figuring he would probably just lick it and pull a face, but he loved it and started to try and munch it down..he had a bit more than i would have liked to have given him but he was so into it..he ended up with a belly ache though...so i am backing off with the banana.

Last night i gave him a chunk of steamed pumpkin and he seemed to have fun with that. got tiny bits in his mouth and 'chewed' which was so cool to see, after what seems like years trying to teach CJ to chew.

He likes rusk sticks...but gets angry at them, i think he wants more flavour. I am not doing the whole 'one food at a time thing' i figure if he gets allergies i can go back and work it out.

But do you think its ok to dip his rusk in sauces from our dinner? (there low salt)

also what did you avoid at first?

i know egg, honey, and cows milk......what else am i supposed to avoid

[Stardust]

Fish. Nuts obviously. I tried Mol on puree'd pear at 6 months. She hated food until she was about a year. Rose is a whole other story. She's a real foodie. I just gave her chunks of veg, one at a time. Then fruit, then meat. She loves everything except fruit. Hates it.

[michelle_j_r]

i'd avoid everything except a few vegies and fruit at this stage. Just stick with pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, banana, potato, avocado, pear, watermelon....
Maybe soon you can add zucchini and cauliflower etc if you can steam them so they are nice and soft.

Both my kids loved congee, which is rice (white or brown) that you cook in the slowcooker until it is total mush. You can add other mashed foods to it for gentle flavour. It is supposed to be good for their bellies and is used in asian cultures (interesting to google it).

[Merlion]

jess and dan are so world apart. jess was into everything from day one. loved her rice cereal and veggies mash. while dan well lets just say i wore more rice cereal than anything but give him veggie mash he was happy and larry.

[Esther]

My boy never liked mushed up food so it was always finger food. He had pumpkin and potato mostly. I tried pear but it has always given him an upset stomach. Though his stomach is a bit sensitive.