Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Around 6 months old, babies start to become interested in what Mommy and Daddy are eating. So when they aren’t putting the dog’s toy in their mouth, they try to take the food out of yours. There appear to be two camps of what to do next. You can mash up food into oblivion and spoon it into their faces. Or cut up food into baby-hand size pieces and let them squish it into oblivion. Sometimes the food actually makes it into their mouths. Hubs and I decided to do both. Baby led weaning refers to the latter of the two processes. In the United States, weaning is defined as slowly reducing its consumption until they no longer eat it. Mommies in the United Kingdom refer to weaning as adding complementary foods to baby’s diet. I call it painting with food.
Of course there are things that don’t make a ginormous mess, like sweet potato fries and bananas (so pretty much anything phallic). But avocados? Forget it. Last night he gave himself a unibrow with it. And even though purees just teach them how to swallow foods like they would breastmilk/formula, it typically doesn’t end with a bath because they have used it for hair gel. The high chair cushion sees the inside of the washer a lot more nowadays. Now that we have spoiled him by giving him our food, I can’t sit on the floor with him and eat anything by myself. Especially now that the little booger can crawl over to me and whine. Even if I just finished feeding him. He’s a cavernous hole. It’s a good thing he’s so damn cute.
What do you think about giving babies whole foods before they have a mouth full of teeth?
WeeOhana says
I found this very interesting as my little one is just turning six months and I’m really not sure what to do! I may try a bit of both too, it sounds like a good mix! I do love the picture of your little man chowing down on a banana!
Jaime says
As soon as he sees the banana, he goes crazy trying to get to it. It’s pretty funny.
WeeOhana says
Its adorable!! I’m off out to buy bananas tomorrow!!
Jaime says
Let me know how it goes!
WeeOhana says
I will do!! 😀 thanks!
Hil says
Do it. In Cuba, kids are supplemented arroz con pollo, lechon, and carne con papa almost right after delivery. It’s blended, of course. Not to mention a rainbow of beans. You can pretty much imagine that what goes in, comes out. The only difference is that what comes out doesn’t smell as yummy as what went in. Our method of weaning is simple: blend the crap out of the “adult” food you’re serving- minus allergic ones, and take note to which they prefer. By the time you see their first tooth/teeth come out switch to tiny bite-size pieces and have lots of patience. It may take them a while to mush their food with their gums. Then, slowly start introducing new favors. By the time they have teeth, your booger will be a food connoisseur like mine, who, now at 8, loves raw oysters, bone marrow, escargot, pate, and sushi.
Jaime says
Hil, We are currently doing a combination of the two. He usually gets a jar/pouch of puree and then something “adult” like whole wheat toast, avocado, hard-boiled/scrambled eggs. We are attempting to do chunkier purees now and get away from the “soups”.
Chardae says
I’m pregnant and from what I’ve been reading (in the US) pureed foods are introduced at six months. I think that’s the route I’m gonna take. I’m planning to wean off breastfeeding and into bottles and adult foods. I say that now, that could all change when baby arrives.
Jaime says
The best laid plans!
Saira @ Mom Resource says
We love baby led weaning! Those little toothless gums are very sharp (I breastfeed & it hurts like hell when they bite even with no teeth!). We ended up “supplementing” with purees for my 2nd one because she is a hungry little monster. But don’t try to take her finger foods away – it’s like a game to her & she loves picking up tiny little peas one by one, etc. Thanks for the post Jaime!!
Jaime says
He really enjoys feeding himself, too. So we are trying to give him more “real” food now. Though he’s not quite ready to feed himself yogurt. The spoon is more for play and flinging food. 🙂
Gwendolyn says
My daughter just turned 6 months and I’m doing a little bit of both. I just introduced sweet potatoes in purée form and she seemed interested in them. I even added a little cinnamon to give her a different flavor. I’ve given her “sticks” of food, but she doesn’t bring them to her mouth yet. Hopefully soon she will because she’s definitely very grabby now!!