Solids.... the beginning

We're planning on starting solids soon and so I've been doing lots of reading on the subject lately. We're planning on going with a combination of baby led weaning (child-led solids) and purees. Since Q is exclusively breastfed I'm not overly concerned with him getting lots of nutrition from his food just yet. Not like I'm gonna give him junk food or anything, but I just don't plan on giving him a lot of food yet. We're planning on delaying grains, dairy and meat for now. At some point I think we'll open the flood gates and let him eat whatever we're eating but for now, it'll be fruits and veggies one at a time.

One of the things I like about blw (baby led weaning) the most is allowing Q to hold the food and feed himself. He'll be able to gauge how much he wants, and as most people remind me - for the first couple months he won't consume a lot and it'll be mostly for play and to explore flavors and textures.

Honestly, I've been on the fence about starting solids. I LOVE LOVE LOVE our breastfeeding relationship and don't want to do anything to jeopardize it or change it. I see that Q has an interest in what we're eating and a strong interest putting it in his mouth but I'm just not sure his little gut is ready yet. At least that's what my grown up gut is telling me. I do find myself wanting to give him food at dinnertime - something to hold and play with and gum. So you know what? I did. I followed the advice of other blw moms and opened a banana up, exposing some of the 'meat' while still leaving the peel on for him to hold onto.

Here's how it went:


He mostly nursed the end of the banana until he got some off and then smacked it around in his mouth for a little bit. He made some hilarious faces, gagged a couple times, spit it out on his shirt, and gagged quite a bit more. I practiced a trick for gagging babies that my mom learned in Mexico.

I'm fairly certain no actual banana was ingested. It was fun though and we'll definitely be trying again - maybe mashed up on a spoon or maybe like this again....