Have you decided that you want to follow the baby-led weaning approach but don’t know where to start? This guide has you covered. Learn all about baby-led weaning (BLW), how to know your baby is ready for BLW, first food ideas and how to prepare them.
What is Baby-Led Weaning?
Baby-led weaning (or baby-led feeding) is a style of feeding that involves bypassing traditional purees in favour of foods prepared in a size and shape that can be handled easily by a baby.
Babies sit with the rest of the family at mealtimes, are encouraged to explore food and feed themself, rather than being spoon-fed by someone else.
Although the practice of Baby-led weaning has probably always existed, the theory of why and how it works was developed by Gill Rapley, a British nurse who specialises in infant feeding and child development.
When to Start Baby-Led Weaning
Your baby should be six months of age before starting baby-led weaning. However, age is just one of the factors to consider. Your baby should also be able to;
- sit up unsupported or with little support
- hold their head upright and steady
- reach out to grab objects and easily take them to their mouth
Their thrust instinct should be diminished (does not push the food out of their mouth with their tongue) and they should also be showing an interest in food (watching you eat, mouthing for food, grabbing for food)
Getting Ready for Baby-led Weaning
When it comes to starting solids, safety is essential. Learn how to safely prepare food, what foods to avoid and educate yourself on what to do if your baby chokes on something. (take CPR / first aid course)
You don’t really need to buy special equipment for baby-led weaning although there are some items you may find beneficial.
- HIGHCHAIR: Look for a fully upright highchair with a footrest. A detachable tray is great so your baby can eat at the table with you.
- BIBS – Baby led weaning is messy. Invest in a large bib or just strip your baby down to their nappy (diaper) if warm enough.You may wish to put a drop cloth under the highchair too.
- SELF FEEDING SPOONS – Self feeding spoons are great, always have two on the go to begin with. (Preload one spoon and give to baby, as your baby is eating have a second spoon ready for when your baby is done. Repeat so there is always a spoon available to stop frustration). Don’t worry about bowls or plates at the start, they will probably end up on the floor, instead just pop the food straight onto the highcair tray / table.
- CRINKLE CUTTER – useful when preparing slippery foods to add more grip.
- STEAMER: If you don’t already have one they are great for preparing vegetables.
Once your baby is approaching six months you may wish to sit them at the table during family mealtimes so that they can become familiar with mealtimes.
First Foods
Advice in the past was to feed your baby one food at a time and wait several days before introducing a new food. It was also advised to delay allergens. This has now changed.
It is important to offer your baby a variety of foods. This not only provides your baby with a range of nutrients but also gives your baby an opportunity to experience a range of tastes and textures. You want to focus on foods that are packed with iron, protein and are nutrient-dense.
It’s also important that the food is prepared in a way that is easy for your baby to hold and safe to consume.
Introducing Allergens
Previous advice was to delay introducing common food allergens but the recommendation now is to introduce allergenic foods as early as possible and continue to offer them often.
(If you have a baby at risk of developing food allergies (those with pre-existing allergens or severe eczema then talk to a health professional before introducing allergens.)
When introducing allergens…
- START SMALL: Start with small amounts and if there is no reaction gradually increase the amount over the next couple of days.
- ONE AT A TIME: You should introduce allergenic foods one at a time. This way if there is a reaction you are able to easily identify what food was responsible. A few days of consuming a food is usually enough time to determine if a food is tolerated.
- A WELL BABY: Always make sure your baby is well (no fever, runny nose, cough, etc) when introducing a new food. This ensures allergic symptoms are not being masked due to illness.
- INTRODUCE IN THE MORNING: It is best to introduce allergens early in the day This gives you the opportunity to observe your baby throughout the day and to make it easier for you to contact your doctor if needed.
The top 10 food allergens in Australia are wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk, fish, soy, sesame seeds, lupin but any food can be a potential allergen. See links below for more information on food allergies in my top 3 readership areas.
- USA – https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/food-allergies
- UK – https://www.allergyuk.org/
- AUS – https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/food-allergy
How to Prepare Foods For Baby-Led Weaning
Baby-led weaning first foods should be a shape, size and texture that is easy to pick up and safe to eat.
Shape
- To start with, your baby will use their whole hand to grasp things so the food should be long (around 1.5 – 2 times the size of your baby’s fist.) This will make it is easier for your baby to hold and get to their mouth.
- When your baby gets going with BLW and has developed a pincer grasp they can start to experiment with smaller pieces of food. Start by offering them alongside the larger pieces, this will allow them to experiment without frustration
- Of course, some foods are obviously too small and can’t be served in finger form (e.g. lentils, rice etc). Serve these foods in piles and allow your baby to scoop up into their mouth (very difficult to start with). You can also mash and clump together or mix with something that liked mashed avocado or yogurt and serve on loaded spoons.
Texture
- When your baby first starts food you want to be able to smoosh the food between your fingers so they can mash with their gums.
- Some foods can be very slippery to handle (mango, avocado, kiwi etc) and your baby can get frustrated. Use a crinkle cutter or coat in a dusting of flaxseed etc to provide more grip.
Flavour
- Babies don’t need to be given bland food. Herbs and spices are great for adding flavour and babies can handle all kinds of spices from the beginning. Just avoid salt. Read more on introducing herbs and spices to babies.
How Much and How Often to Feed Your Baby
At the very start of baby-led weaning breastmilk/formula milk will still be the primary source of your baby’s calories. You should keep breastfeeding on-demand or bottle-feeding according to your schedule.
It is best to give a milk feed before, or close to, solids meals so your baby is not hungry at the table. (Hungry babies can be fussy and not good learners, you want them to come to the table happy and able to learn about eating.)
You can start including your baby in meals whenever you eat. (As long as baby isn’t tired or hungry.) It is a good idea to give plenty of opportunities to practise but it doesn’t matter if you miss meals at the beginning. To begin with, you may wish to start with one or two meals a day and then gradually increase to three meals.
Remember, variety is key and you do not need to stick to one food at a time (apart from allergenic foods). I liked to offer three different foods choices at a meal in very small amounts. I always included a vegetable and an iron-rich food (such as beef, chicken, tofu, hummus)
Start with offering a small amount of food (e.g one piece of each food) but have more available if needed. You don’t want to overwhelm your baby by offering too much.
When it comes to feeding your baby, your job is to decide what food to serve, when to serve it and where. It is up to your baby to decide how much they eat from the food you serve. You shouldn’t restrict or pressure them to eat more. The chances that your baby will eat anything in the first few meals are very slim. They will be learning and exploring but may not be eating much.
Foods to Avoid / Be Careful With
There are a few foods that we should avoid giving a baby altogether and some that we need to be careful with to ensure they are served in a safe way. Foods that you should avoid giving your baby include…
- SUGAR/SUGAR FOODS – Sugar is not reccomended to be added to babies’ foods and added sugar should be kept to a minimum. Hard/sticky lollies/sweets/candies can also be a choking hazard.
- SALT/SALTY FOODS – Salt isn’t good for developing kidneys. Avoid adding salt to meals and try to keep salt intake as low as possible. Check labels on packaged goods (such as bread, crackers, stocks etc)
- HONEY – Honey may contain a bacteria that could be dangerous for an immature immune system. It should be avoided completely before 1. Read more about honey for babies.
- UNPASTURISED DAIRY – Only offer pasturised, plain dairy products to babies. Unpasturised means it hasn’t been treated and can contain bacteria that can be harmful for babies and toddlers. Also avoid mould-ripened cheeses and soft blue cheeses.
- UNDERCOOKED/RAW FOODS like eggs, meat and shelfish -These should be avoided due to the potential risk of food poisining.
- HIGH MERCURY FISH – Fish such as swordfish, shark and marlin can be high in mercury, which can affect your baby’s developing nervous system.
There are many other foods that are choking hazards but there are ways to give them to you child in a safer way.
- HARD & ROUND FOODS (e.g grapes, cherry tomatoes, large berries, candy, popcorn). – Cut the grapes and tomatoes in quarters and the berries in halves / quarters depending on size. Avoid popcorn and candy altogether.
- HARD SNAP-ABLE FOODS (e.g apples, carrots, celery) – You should cook these until soft or offer them grated.
- FRUITS WITH MEMBRANE SKINS – (e.g oranges, mandarins) – Remove all membrane
- FRUITS WITH PITS/STONES: Stones should be removed and fruit should be ripe.
- WHOLE NUTS / LARGE PIECES NUTS – Avoid, they can get lodged in a babies windpipe. Chop very finely.
- STICKY FOODS (Nut butters, candy, gummies, dried fruit) Gummies and candy should be avoided altogether. Sticky purees, such as peanut butter, should never be offered on a spoon. Always spread thinly on toast. Dried fruit should be finely chopped)
- FISH – Remove bones carefully
Gagging and Choking
One of the main worries parents have about baby-led weaning is choking. Often worries about choking are based on seeing babies gagging on food.
Gagging is a normal part of your baby’s feeding journey. It is a built-in protective mechanism to remove any food that isn’t ready to be swallowed. Over time, the gag reflex starts to lessen. Exposure to various textures can help your baby to learn how to cope with different foods better and in turn, can lessen the gag response.
- GAGGING
Tongue will thrust forward
Baby’s skin may turn red
You may hear spluttering / coughing / gagging
Babies usually recover fairly quickly, and you may see the food come forward in their mouth. During this time, watch closely and let your baby work it out. Try to stay calm and try not to intervene, as this can make it worse.
Choking is less common and happens when there is a blockage of the upper airway. It prevents the baby from breathing properly and requires quick intervention.
- CHOKING
Baby is quiet or silent
Baby’s face will start to go blue
Baby is unable to cry / cough
Your baby may become unresponsive or lose consciousness if the food is not cleared. Shout for help and start first aid to try and dislodge the food.
To prevent choking it is important to be as safe as possible
- ENSURE BABY IS READY FOR BLW: See section above “When to Start Baby Led Weaning”
- FEED BABY SAFELY: Your baby should always be fed in an upright position (not in recliner, bouncer, car seat etc) and should never be fed while on the go (crawling, walking).
- ALWAYS OBSERVE: Sit next your baby evertime they are eating.
- PREPARE FOOD CORRECTLY: See section above “How to Prepare foods for Baby-led weaning”
- AVOID CHOKING HAZARDS: Some foods can be a choking hazard if not prepared properly. See section above “Foods to Avoid/Be Careful With”
- MODEL: Sit with your baby at meal times and show them how to bite, chew and swallow foods.
- TAKE A CPR/FIRST AID COURSE
First Month of Baby-led Weaning – A Food Diary
I have compiled a list of everything that my youngest ate during his first month of baby-led weaning. (with links to some of the recipes/cooking instructions). I introduced several allergens in his first month (wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, fish, sesame seeds)
This is by no means a list of foods that you should feed your baby during their first month, this is simply a record of the food Rory tried in his first month of solids.
Fruit and Vegetables
- Apples – pan fried (until soft) cinnamon apples, Apple puree (served in yogurt on loaded spoon)
- Avocado – wedges , mashed (on pre loaded spoon)
- Banana – spears, with skin handle, mashed on toast, banana pancakes.
- Berries -(raspberries, strawberries, blueberry) – smaller berries slightly squashed, larger berries halved / quartered
- Eggplant/Aubergine – skin removed, cut into fingers and pan fried.
- Grapes – cut into quarters.
- Green Beans -steamed.
- Kiwi – long slices / wedges (cut using crinkle cutter)
- Melon – (ripe) long slices
- Pears – (very ripe) half / wedges
- Bell Peppers (capsicum)- roasted skin removed and cut into strips
- Stone fruits (ripe mango, peach, nectarine, plum) stone removed & cut into wedges.
- Tomatoes – peeled and cut into wedges
- Asparagus – roasted, steamed.
- Broccoli – steamed, roasted broccoli,
- Butternut Squash – roasted.
- Carrots – cut into finger sized pieces and steamed, thicker version of carrot fries, carrot potato mash
- Cauliflower – steamed, pureed cauliflower (on loaded spoon)
- Courgette /zucchini – sliced into fingers and roasted, zucchini fritters.
- Cucumber – cut into finger sized pieces, topped with hummus
- Parsnip – roasted parsnips
- Turnip – steamed fingers, mashed
Proteins
- Beans and chick peas – hummus, carrot hummus, white bean spread, white beans mashed and formed into finger (see above picture)
- Beef – strips of steak cut along the grain, chilli, bolognese.
- Chicken – strips cut along the grain, drumsticks, shredded chicken.
- Egg – hard-boiled, omelette strips, fritatta strips, fruity egg muffins.
- Fish (salmon, cod) roasted and flaked, mixed with mashed potato
- Lentils – mashed together with avocado and offered on pre-loaded spoons, lentil curry, lentil bake
- Peanut Butter – thinly spread on toast fingers
- Tofu – cut into strips and seared in pan
Starchy Foods
- Bread – fingers of toast, eggy bread fingers. (make sure bread is not too soft and gooey)
- Oats – porridge fingers,(pictured above), banana porridge (pre loaded spoon)
- Pasta – cooked and served plain, served with lentil pasta sauce, vegetable pasta sauce.
- Potatoes – boiled, mashed and mixed with cooked vegetables/fish
- Quinoa – Quinoa balls, mixed with avocado and offered on loaded spoon (pictured above)
- Rice – boiled and clumped together into finger shape
- Sweet potatoes – sweet potato wedges, mashed on pre loaded spoon, sweet potato pancakes
Dairy
- Plain Yogurt – loaded spoons / mixed with fruit/vegetables
- Cheese – cheddar grated, cream cheese spread on toast fingers
Still Unsure what feeding method is best for you and your baby? Have a read of Baby-Led Weaning vs Purees.
Looking for more food ideas to serve your baby? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Finger Foods for Babies. or my Baby-Led Weaning Recipe Section.
What foods did your baby eat in their first month? Please leave a comment with some other suggestions.
**This post was originally published in May 2015. Originally it was just a food diary and has been updated to include more information on baby-led weaning.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the personalised care and advice given to you by a health professional. You should never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here. Please refer to our full disclaimer for more info.
Sabrina says
This is very helpful. My baby is breastfed, how often should he drink milk along with two meals a day?
Amy says
Hi Sabrina, I’m glad you found this useful. How old is your baby? At the start, your baby will only eat small amounts of solid food. I’d offer breast milk as you were before.
Bethany says
This is great thank you so much! I was wondering how many meals you offered baby a day in this first month?
Amy says
Hi Bethany, I just offered food when we were eating as a family. He also had his milk feeds too 🙂
Bianca says
Hi Amy, it was so nice reading your experience. I just had one question in mind that when you say with ‘Herbs and Spices’ What do you mean by that as in which herbs and spices do you use ? and is it safe to use them for as lil as 5-6 months old ? and do you suggest starting with rice cereals and rice water for 5 month old?
Amy says
Hi Bianca,
I used a variety of herbs and spices. I added finely chopped fresh herbs – e.g mint, parsley, corriander, chive, basil etc but also dried herbs and spices such as cumin, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger. I started adding this to my sons purees (baby 1) and food (baby 2) from 6 months.
I used rice crereals with my first born (who I did traditional weaning with) but I didn’t with my second (who did baby-led weaning) but I would discuss and follow the advice given by your heath provider re rice cereals. I am not a health professional so can not give advice.
Thanks for reaching out,
Amy
Andreea says
Hi Amy, I had almost the same experience as you have, that is with my eldest I have tried combined weaning at first, puree but also finger food. The second was more successful, except yogurt. But now, with my youngest, 6.2 months old, doesn’t work that way. I have started the same, but he doesn’t seem to be very kean to eat anything. He is for now still an explorer, that is why I have used the old school way just to have him eat something. The thing is that I’m not sure which way works best for him. How did you know what to choose?
Amy says
Hi Andreea, I did purees with my eldest and baby led feeding with my youngest. I didn’t really know much about baby-led feeding when I started my eldest on solid foods. With my youngest, I felt I was cooking healthy, veggie-packed foods for my eldest so was happy to feed my baby that too. I was exhausted and didn’t want the extra work of having to puree foods for him too. Luckily he took really well to baby-led weaning so I had no issues. I think it all really depends on baby and parent with what methods suits best. You can read more about my experience of both methods here…https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/traditional-weaning-or-baby-led/
Patricia Irons says
I was wondering, when you started Baby Led Weaning with your baby. Can you tell me how many times is suitable for serve food in the first month? What do you think? Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Amy says
Hi Patricia, I started at 6 months and offered food whenever we were eating as a family as well as keeping up with milk feeds. I found this book invaluable for giving me a better understanding of the baby led weaning process. https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Baby_Led_Weaning.html?id=SNkbDo2gn8kC&source=kp_cover&redir_esc=y
Jelly says
Hi Amy, my baby turning 6 months old in a week. I’m intrested to introduce BLW to him. However , I wonder does BLw will cause constipation compare to purée? Also can I introduce rice to him? We are Asian family, diet are mostly rice. Looking forward to hear from you, thanks.
Amy says
Hi Jelly, I don’t think BLW would cause constipation, just make sure you are serving a varied and healthy diet and always consult a health professional. My youngest used to love rice (although it could get very messy!!) If you want to read more about BLW then this is a great book Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food It gives a lot of information and answers a lot of questions people may have before starting the BLW journey.
Maddy says
We’re three weeks into our blw journey and found your blog while looking for less messy healthy food inspiration. My Rory is a girl and started solids at 6 months. Sweet potato fries, cucumber discs and mango are some of her favorites. Today we added carrot fries to the list thanks to you. Can’t wait to try some of the recipes you’ve developed.
Amy says
Thanks Maddy, so happy you have stumbled across my site! I know too well how messy baby-led weaning can be, even though my youngest is three there is still a lot of mess created! I hope you find many recipes that Rory will enjoy x
Julie says
I was wondering, when you started Baby Led Weaning with your baby, did you do it three times a day? Did you start by introducing one thing at a time like example a banana in the morning, Lunch carrots, and dinner beef Something like that, or did you put two or three things at one meal time. I am so confused at this BABY LED WEANING. My son is 7 months old. He started eating baby cereal at 4 months old and apparently eats a half of cup of cereal. What do you recommend I should do upon him getting into baby led weaning. I just don’t want him to be a picky eater later on in the future.
Amy says
Hi Julie, thanks for reaching out. I have done both methods of weaning. With my eldest I did purees and with my youngest I did baby-led. You can read about my experience with both here https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/traditional-weaning-or-baby-led/ . In summary, I don’t rate one method better than the other. Both my boys are good eaters and my eldest is far from fussy. I think the best method depends on baby, parents and life situation. As your son has already been eating purees he will already be used to swallowing so you have to be more careful when introducing solid foods. BLW is for babies that are completely new to food, they are not used to purees and so don’t automatically swallow new foods when given to them. They feed themselves from the beginning. Has your son had anything other than cereal? Have you tried pureed vegetables? At seven months you can add more texture – mash rather than puree smooth. I used to add different herbs and spices so my son could get used to a lot of flavour. You can also start to introduce softer finger foods with close supervision. My boys loved roasted vegetables cut into fingers.
Mara says
Hi …how many times do you searve food in the first month? in the puree style they say one meal the first mont.two meals the second month and 8mo to have 3 times. but with blw is the same ? and how do you combine the food..fruit veggie and protein at each meal, or per day. so like i can do veggie and meat and than the next meal I can give only fruits? thank you
Amy says
Hi Mara, When my son was six months I just included him whenever we ate – breakfast, lunch, dinner or when we had a snack. (I made sure the food we were eating was healthy and suitable to be serving him) I also offered milk feeds on demand. At the start he just explored and over time he ate more.
If you are looking to find out more about BLW I would recommend reading “Baby-led Weaning – Helping your Baby to Love Good Food” by Gill Rapley & Tracey Murkett. It explains what Babyled weaning is, how it works and how to get started. I found it really useful. Good Luck!
Taylor says
Hi. My baby is 6 1/2 months old. We started solids at 6 months with puréed foods, introducing a new food every 3-4 days. I wasn’t thinking I’d be interested in baby led weaning but as I read more I find myself becoming more curious about trying it. I have read though that once you start puréed food you can’t switch to BLW. Now, I’m sure that’s just what some people say that think serving puréed food is bad but idk. This is a great post and I am wondering since you said you just give baby what your eating, do you not use spices or anything? Also, you have a lot of things on here. How did you introduce sauce(lots of ingredients ) or meat if baby has no teeth? And things like rice cakes? I’m a little nervous about choking and also very curious about how and when you introduced all these different foods. We don’t have any known allergies in our family so I’m wondering if I can also try things not on the 3-4 day schedule.
Amy says
Hi Taylor, sorry for the later response. If you have started your baby on purees then be very careful switching to BLW as your baby will now be used to swallowing food. Make sure you are fully supervising (as I’m sure you would do anyway).
I used a range of spices and I didn’t wait 3-4 days before introducing new foods, as per the advice in the book I read. Rory chewed on meat without teeth – just gummed it. He would suck on rice cakes / crackers until they got softer.
Katie says
What do you keep the skin and peel on? How do you keep them from trying to eat it?
Amy says
Hi Katie, I kept the skin / peel on so my baby could grip it easier. I never had an issue with him trying to eat the peel.
Ruth Quiles says
Hi Amy. This is a fantastic post. I am considering BLW (my daughter just turned six months). Our doctor is a little old-school and suggested starting her on rice cereal, but I’m finding that, though she likes it, it’s too heavy and she doesn’t want to eat anything else after a serving of rice cereal. I am also uncomfortable with how processed it it. My question is, how many foods did you introduce at a time and how many times a day did you feed? Did you just start BLW on day one with bits of whatever you were eating at meal times? If so, have you been trying to keep track of allergies? The common practice here is to introduce one new food every three or four days. That seems arduous to me. Thanks for your insight?
Amy says
Hi Ruth, thank you so much for your kind comment. With my first I did purees and introduced one new food every three to four days like you mentioned. With my second I did BLW and didn’t wait 3-4 days like I did with my first. I started with veggies and fruit but quickly he was eating what we were eating as a family. I recommend reading this book https://www.amazon.com/Baby-led-Weaning-Helping-Your-Baby/dp/0091923808 as it explains BLW really well.
Katie says
Aloha, I see this is an older post but just starting my BLW journey with my son now. Hope you get this comment… He will be 6 months on the Wednesday and excited to begin but a little nervous! Is there an order I should start? I saw the recipe for fritters has egg is that ok right away? Did you do the above in about that order? thank you! Love this post!!
Amy says
Hi Katie, thanks for your message. I didn’t do this is order. I think I started with avocado and then some roasted veggies but I can’t remember now. I was quickly giving him everything that we were eating. I gave egg very early on (6 months) but you might want to check with a health professional if you have any concerns. Good luck with everything and I hope you mange to find some recipes on this site that your baby enjoys. If you have any other questions then just let me know.
Lin says
Hi I’m starting on blw. I would like to know how often should baby eat?
Amy says
Hi Lin, How old is your baby? I started BLW at 6 months and just tried him with food at meal times but kept breastfeeding him as normal. Every child is different though.
Siobhan says
I discovered that if you slightly overcook couscous and then pack it into a small rectangle it makes a great finger food that instantly brakes down in their mouth. My daughter loves it. I have a rectangular tablespoon measure i use and can give it to her while its still a little warm.
Amy says
This is a great idea, Siobhan! A lot less messy and so much easier for little hands. Thanks for sharing ?
Lynsey Jayne says
Hi, Thank you for the great ideas, my baby started weaning on purees 3 weeks ago at 5 months due to having reflux, I am uncertain on how to progress to the next level and nervous about offering finger foods however after reading this it has inspired me though can I check that the above foods were during your babies 6th month or 7th month? My plan is yo start introducing meat in another couple of weeks when he is 6.5 months I hope im right. THANK YOU
Amy says
Hi Lynsey, yes this was food that I offered my son when he was between 6 and 7 months. I didn’t give him any purees before hand. If you are uncomfortable offering finger foods/ foods that you eat yourself at this stage you can start by giving more textured purees then roughly mashing food and finally giving him/her what you eat. Enjoy, whatever method you choose and no method is right for all, it is what is best for you and your baby. I also did a post on my experience of traditional weaning vs blw if you wish to read it.
http://www.feedingfinn.com/traditional-weaning-or-baby-led/
Edwina says
Hi. I’d like to try blw too as my LO (7mo; started purées at 6) doesn’t seem to like being fed / not ready? She shuts her mouth, shakes her head, gags and even vomitted her milk on me a few times!
Did you just start off with putting the food on the tray in front of Rory – and he just knew to pick it up and put it in his mouth? I tried once with pieces of avo and she just mashed it up on the tray and played with it! Not one bit landed in her mouth >.<
Amy says
Hi Edwina, Sorry that the purees haven’t been successful with your LO. My friend had exactly the same problem with her girl and so switched to blw. She took to it great and hopefully your lo will too. I was pretty lucky with Rory, he did pick everything up and try it. Have you only tried pieces of avocado? Does she ever try to grab anything from your plate? (Rory did this all the time and still does!) Hopefully she gets the hang of it soon. ?
Edwina says
Thanks Amy. I’ve now tried banana also. She squishes it plays with it but it never ends up in her mouth. Its strange cos she puts all non-food objects in her mouth!! Its like she knows ?
At meal time she moves her mouth like she wants some but never has any when I offer. She doesn’t grab things off my plate either. Really lost but I’ll keep trying.
Katrina says
This is my boy to a tee. He’s just now at 8 months putting things in his mouth. No worries, some kids just don’t take too food as early as others I think.
Lynsey says
When you say ‘skin on’ for avocado, pineapple, melon, citrus fruits etc. how does this work? Do you watch for pieces breaking off then remove them or with no teeth is it only possible for them to remove the flesh? It seems avocado would be gripped better with skin on but I’d worry the skin would also get eaten!
Amy says
Hi Lynsey, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Rory has never eaten the skin, he just removes and eats the flesh. It is quite amazing to watch! He has no teeth and I don’t think he would manage to eat the skin even if he tried! To be honest he still finds avocado difficult, even with the skin on, as it gets so slippery. I usually mash it on toast / rice cakes etc. Often he eats all the avocado and leaves the rice cake! I never leave him when eating and always have an eye on him.
Lynsey says
Thanks Amy. Tried avocado with skin on today & it was great, he just sooked it off the skin. We are on day 2 of BLW and so far tried strawberry, dried apricot, banana, avocado, green pepper and courgette. I’ve also made the energy balls and banana ones and chocolate mousse and tested on my toddler. Great recipes thank you!
Amy says
That is great Lynsey and I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes. Thanks for the feedback!
Alan Herbert says
#BabyPink is about to hit four months and eyes every bit of food the rest of the family eats within sight distance of her.
Its been 61/2 years since her closest sibling was weaned so I can barely remember it.
Hopefully she is as keen an eater as Rory is, I’ll be watching #weaningwednesday for tips and recipes.
Amy says
Baby Pink sounds a lot like what both my boys were like at 4 months. I”m sure she will take to weaning really well!
stephanie says
awww hes taken so well to food, Emily is the same, she will eat pretty much anything you put infront of her. xx
Steph |
Amy says
Hopefully it lasts Stephanie! x
Mummyandmonkeys says
Wow what a lot of foods, that’s great that he has taken to it well and is enjoying it. I’m going to check out some of your recipes. Thanks so much for linking up to #weaningwednesdays I hope to see you again this week x
Amy says
Thanks, i will def link up this week. Thanks for hosting x
Ashley says
I am on baby #2 (3 months old) and I was thinking the other day that I can’t even remember how I introduced food or what I introduced to my first! (now 2.5 years) I think I started with rice or oats blended raw and then cooked. But I think I may start with bananas or avocados like you suggest rather than the more starchy items. Great ideas!
Amy says
Thanks, my weaning experience has been totally different with Rory than it was with Finn. I spent hours making different purées for Finn but Rory just eats what we eat. I guess it is like every other aspect of bringing up a baby – totally different with number two! Good luck x
Valentina Castano says
Amy, did Rory already have teeth when you began to give him the food your family ate?