Baby-led Weaning


Hello! It’s little N here. Mama said people have been interested in my baby-led weaning journey so I’m going to tell you a little bit about it!

A few days before I reached 6 months old, I grabbed a pizza crust off Mama’s plate and chewed it and sucked it and even swallowed a little bit. Mama said it looked like I was ready to start weaning, which in the UK means to start having complementary food as well as milk. I got to have my yummy milk feeds as normal, but in between I would also get to eat some of whatever Mama was eating. Sometimes she cut the food into strips to make it easier for me to hold but most of the time I just got stuck in. Mama doesn’t feed me, I do it all by myself. This is called baby-led weaning

Some of my friends from playgroup had pureed or mushed up food and then tried “finger food” a bit later, and some of them had a mix of purees AND finger foods; this is called traditional weaning, or parent-led weaning.

baby led weaning 1

Mama was really nervous about me starting solid food, so she did a workshop about CPR and Choking at our local SureStart centre. She also read a book called Baby-led Weaning by Gill Rapley, who pioneered this method of weaning. It made her feel much more relaxed about letting me eat solid food. When I first started to have food sometimes I would bite off quite a big chunk and it would tickle my throat and make me gag, but I just spat it out and tried again. Mama has some pictures stuck on the fridge telling her what to do if I were to choke, but she has never needed to use it! Learning to eat food this way means I have learned how to chew before learning how to swallow and I have been in control of how quickly and how much I eat.

After I started having food at first I didn't eat much and just wanted milk when I was hungry but when I got to about 9 months old I realised that food filled my tummy too so I soon started to have less milk and more food. I’m now 14 months old and rarely want milk during the day. I drink a lot of water though; Mama gave me a sippy cup at first and now I have a big sporty cup that I drink from.

I have eaten all sorts of food; from pasta to Sunday roast to risotto to Shepherd's pie, I’ve even eaten soup! Mama pours it over chunks of bread for me, yum yum! The only things I couldn’t have were whole nuts and honey, and things with too much salt.

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For breakfast I like things like toast, Weetabix and multigrain hoops; when I finish my breakfast I like to have a few spoons of Mama’s porridge too. For lunch I usually have a sandwich and some cucumber and some cheese.  If Mama and I are in town we’ll stop at Starbucks and share a panini. I absolutely love pasta with green pesto, our lovely Health Visitor suggested it and I’m so glad she did as it’s my favourite. For dinner we have all sorts of things, I’ve tried so many different meals. Rice is a lot of fun so is anything with beans. Chicken is my new favourite food, I love when Mama makes a roast dinner. Mmm.

For my snacks I like to have wedges of fruit like apples and pears, I used to have banana strips with the skin left on to make it easy for me to hold but I’ve gone off them recently. I like oatcakes as well, Mama started buying them for me to stop me from eating her books. She said they taste just like cardboard. I also really like the baby and toddler snacks by brands like Organix and Kiddylicious. Mama always puts things like Organix Cheese & Herb Puffs, Organix Squeezy Tubes and Kiddylicious Fruit Wriggles in her bag when we go out, just in case I get peckish. Sometimes, if I’m really lucky, Mama lets me have a little bit of chocolate. She’s a bit strict though, Daddy is much more forthcoming with the chocolate.

baby led weaning 3

Daddy was a bit worried that I wouldn’t learn how to use cutlery if I wasn’t spoon-fed but the health visitor said it doesn’t matter, as long as I can feed myself I can learn to use cutlery later. Mama always lets me have a spoon and fork when I’m eating so I’ve been trying to copy her. I can now use a spoon perfectly and I can also use a fork properly but only when I feel like it. I like to jab my food with my fork and then use my other hand to take it off the fork and put it in my mouth. I don’t know why Mama finds this so funny.

Some people have said that baby-led weaning is messy, but I don’t make too much mess.  When I was younger Mama tucked a muslin cloth into my t-shirt but she doesn’t anymore. She just wipes my hands and face when I’m finished. I did go through a phase of throwing my plate on the floor when I’d had enough to eat but now I know how to sign “all gone” so I do that instead. My highchair, the Joie Mimzy, is really easy to clean. It’s fully adjustable and has two different sized removable trays. It’s also very comfy, I have fallen asleep in it quite a few times!

I think that’s pretty much everything I have to tell you today, but if you have any questions let me know!

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33 comments

  1. Hehe such a cute post... And baby. Nice Photos and that carrot muffin sounds delicious! Xx

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  2. I love this! We did BLW as well and it was just such a great decision for our family - sounds like it was for yours as well. A wonderful post, and it sounds exactly like our journey so far. Sarah xx

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    1. Thanks Sarah! It's been so lovely to watch him explore new foods and I love that he gets to eat with us xx

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  3. Aw babyled weaning is so fun! Those carrot muffins look yum!

    Kerry @ lLived With Love | Parenting & Lifestyle Blog

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    1. They were a bit bland for my liking but he loved them! xx

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  4. Just gorgeous! You've made this so informative, and provided easy reassurance about the bits parents sometimes find scary. Well done, Little N!

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  5. These pictures are just too cute! And you've got some fab ideas for weaning recipes too :) I'm impressed at how little mess has been made too - nothing like the high chair in my house! x

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    1. Everyone is always surprised at the lack of mess! xx

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  6. Aww what a cutie! He seems like such a neat little guy, whenever I've been around babies feeding themselves they've made SO much mess and they've managed to get food literally all over their faces hehe

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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    1. He is pretty tidy but is known to get rogue bits in his ears or hair! xx

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  7. Great post! Lovely pics)
    would you like to follow each other?Let me know!
    <3
    http://irinabulgakova.blogspot.ru/

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  8. Good work little N :) come round for cake soon with Charlie x

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  9. This post is so adorable! I'm so glad I just found your blog. I will be a first time mum in April and reading your posts about your little guy are making me so anxious to meet my little one. I also have a blog if you want to follow each other. :)

    -Danielle | My Little Sprout - pregnancy blog

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    1. Aww how lovely, I will definitely come check it out xx

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  10. Awwh what a cutie! Interesting read hasn't he grown so quickly! x

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  11. This is very useful to read - my little E hasn't taken to baby-led weaning but is doing well regardless, however I'd like to try and get him to eat a little more by himself soon.

    Kelly x
    www.tobecomemum.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. He will get there in his own time I'm sure! xx

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  12. Awww what a great post! Love the little carrot muffins :) xx

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    1. They were fun to make, I used petit fours cases! xx

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  13. I really enjoyed reading this post, found it really helpful and the foods sound lovely & healthy just what they should be eating! I'm still breastfeeding Sophia she's nearly 6 months, and has pureed fruits or veg but the baby led weaning sounds great. I'm going to see if I can get the book. Thanks for a great post xxx

    www,londonmummyoftwo.com

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    1. Wow I can't believe Sophia is coming up to 6 months already, where does the time go! xx

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  14. He's really cute :3

    www.punkheartspink.blogspot.com

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  15. Yay, we are big baby led weaning fans in this house too! Soup is my 14 month olds favourite.
    Thank you for the comment on my blog, I'm so glad to of found yours :)
    Bryony x

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  16. Such a sweetie, love the photos of him getting stuck in! M loves pasta pesto too :-)

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