Baby Led Weaning

Weaning??? Huh? What!

Yes, weaning. The moment that your baby gets something other than breast milk, you have begun the weaning process. Don't worry though, it can be a very long process!

So, how is it so different from traditional solids? First, there are no purees or cereal. No choo-choo trains and trying to get baby to open their mouth.

It is a whole lot of sitting back and enjoying mealtime with your baby. Baby eats what you eat. Someone once told me, "if your baby can't eat the same food at you, YOU need to adjust your diet!" (or just save the chocolate binges for after bed time!)

Okay, okay, I know. I still haven't really explained it. Are you ready? This is how you would feed baby apples:

1.) Slice apple
2.) Put apple on tray

Done!

Baby picks up the apple. Baby puts the apple in his mouth. Baby chews with his little gums. Or, baby just plays with the apple and throws it on the ground.

When I tell friends, family, and the occasional nosy elderly person behind you at the checkout they all ask the same thing, "Doesn't she choke?!" Nope! We have been doing BLW for 2.5 months now and Elaina has never choked. Gagged? Yes. But, never choked.

Now, let me tell you about the gag. Most people think gag=almost choking, but it is actually just a reflex that moves objects that are too big to be swallowed back to the front of the mouth to be spit out.

Daddy doesn't like gagging. It scared him. It doesn't scare me. I have been certified in infant CPR for a long time, so that might make me more confident.

Elaina munching on an apple slice at 6.5 months

Stuffing a pre-loaded spoon full of yogurt into her mouth at 7 months

If you are like me, you had no idea that spoon feeding would feel so unnatural and you already made organic purees and stocked the freezer. Here is what you can do with those...

Finger Paint!!!