Baby-Led Weaning Day 1

The day had finally arrived for us to put all I had read and heard about to the test, and start Eva onto solid foods using a method I hadn't even heard about until a few months ago, baby-led weaning.

We laid a blanket down on the carpet to catch the bits, placed her new chair onto it, and prepared a piece of banana, a piece of kiwi, and a small slice of melon to start with. I kept the skin on each piece of fruit as I'd read it makes picking it up easier and less slippy, not that the skin on the banana lasted long, it soon fell off.

I did what it said and made sure Eva had had a feed just prior to ensure she wasn't hungry, so wouldn't get frustrated if she couldn't eat the food in front of her straight away and off we went.

Mike and I were so intrigued to see what she would do. You're not supposed to intervene but it was hard not to, and we did cheat a tiny bit and show her by holding the fruit up to her mouth a few times. Her facial expressions were so funny bless her, and it was wonderful watching her in wonder at what these new 'toys' were in front of her. She didn't really eat any of it to be fair, she sucked the banana (when she could actually get hold of it) and she had a good few sucks of the kiwi when Mike held it for her, but she didn't touch the melon. It all had to be picked up off the blanket a fair few times and she got in a right mess, but Mike and I loved it, and Eva seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself too.

Mike gave her a quick rinse in the shower after, but obviously we can't do this every time, so later on when we gave her some fish paste spread onto some bread and some more banana, we stripped her down to her nappy so she was easier to wipe clean. Again she didn't eat anything, just sucked on the bread, but wasn't interested in the banana, but as it says in the Gill Rapley book, food is for fun at this stage while she's getting all she needs from breast milk, and she will learn in time.

So, I would definitely say that our first experience of BLW was enjoyable all round and roll on day 2 :-) xxx