As parents you quickly
discover that with every decision you make it will always feel like there are a
½ dozen other options you could go with (and the people that will tell you all
about them too!). As Lucy approached 6 months we were preparing to do the “all
natural, make your own baby food” route. However, the idea of Baby Led Weaning
(BLW) kept popping up. Myke was actually the first to bring it up and push for
it. Your question is probably the same that mine was….. “what is it”?
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| Getting ready for her first meal! |
Baby led weaning is a method
of introducing food to your baby without purees, mush or lumps. Simply put,
baby eats what Mummy & Daddy eat. Initially the focus isn’t on getting her
nutrition from solids, but just getting to enjoy it. We were slightly skeptical
at first but as we talked to others that had done we were sold.
Here are the benefits that
sold us on BLW:
-
Lucy eats with us at dinner – this literally transformed our lives as Myke and I are now able to
enjoy our food while Lucy enjoys hers!
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We don’t have to make
separate meals, Lucy eats what we eat. The only difference is how we season our
food and how long we cook it for.
-
Lucy's hand-eye
coordination has improved dramatically since starting eat along with her gross
and fine motor skills. She can now pick things up between her fingers instead
of using her whole hand to grasp it.
-
She’s never choked –
one of the thoughts with BLW is that babies are less likely to choke because
they get a chance to handle it first (this allows baby to understand the shape,
texture before it goes in their mouth) rather than being spoon fed by a parent.
-
By eating with us it is
giving Lucy the opportunity to try lots of different foods and discouraging
an attitude of “kid vs grown-up” food.
-
It also means that Myke
& I have to stay consistent and healthy in our own diet!
We got ourselves started by
reading these books by Gill Rapely and Tracey Murkett.
Baby Led Weaning: Helping Your Baby Love Good
Food
The Baby Led Weaning Cookbook: Over 130 Recipes For The Whole Family To Enjoy
There are some foods to
continue avoiding until the age of 1 (like honey). The main change came in our
food preparation. Meat needs to be fully cooked, vegetables need to be soft,
and salt needs to be excluded. We’ve learned to use other seasonings or add salt
to our own later. We cut food into strips that she can handle it easily.
Lucy’s first meal was
Ratatouille (peppers, zucchini and eggplant) with pasta & chicken.
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| Lovin the Ratatouille! |
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| Valentines Dinner with Daddy (and Mummy) |
Other foods Lucy has tried:
salad, spinach, green beans, broccoli, beef & noodles, mashed/baked
potatoes, steak, chicken, guacamole, fish, meatloaf, cabbage, corn, scrambled
eggs, banana, grapes, mushrooms, French fries, tortilla, bbq chicken, grits,
bread, macaroni & cheese, oatmeal…
So far her favorite is any
kind of green vegetable, but then she’s never turned anything down either!
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| Mac n Cheese, Grits, Bread & Spinach |
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| Chips & Guacamole |
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| Beef & Noodles |
