I'm guessing that those of you who have read the blog more than once will have noticed that my boys, Bean and Pumpkin, are pretty much inseparable. It is rare to find them following their own pursuits or doing their own thing, although it does happen. Even when you would assume that the two different things they are playing would not easily come together, they find a way. Today it was cowboys and pirates!
The other pursuit that has dominated our day is Bean's need to clean everything! Particularly the windows. Pumpkin and him spent happy hours this afternoon washing down the conservatory windows.
The boys each have a doll. Pumpkin has been playing with his lately. Last week we even took the buggy to the library with us. This week Bean found a collection of baby doll accessories in the bric-a-brac shop at Amberley Museum and today it inspired a baby feeding session, then nap time with dummies.
There has also been a lot of sticking and painting and drawing and making following our trip out to Little Builders where they had a Father's Day theme. Sometimes it is a good job we do visit the mainland occasionally otherwise certain events would pass us by and whilst we're not into big celebrations it is a nice idea to show some appreciation to daddy. I just happen to think that maybe this should be a natural habit rather than a once a year, inspired by commercialism, event.
Plum is continuing to enjoy her playtime with food. Today included peaches (which Pumpkin had picked up to try and declared too hard, it probably was but waste not want not!) cucumber, apple, avocado and carrot. I'm enjoying catching up with the how's and why's of Baby led weaning and am always a bit apprehensive (maybe relieved) at how easy it is. I've copied a bit more of the web pages I shared yesterday. It sometimes looks like a lot of reading but basically it comes down to the natural development of your child, you will know and they will know when they are ready.
Baby Led Weaning shouldn’t be started before your baby is ready, i.e. showing signs of interest in solid foods (which can start as early as four months, but hold out for six), is able to sit up on their own, and is six months old.
Baby Led Weaning is about the experience of food, rather than the nutrition only of it. Food is fun till one. Until they are around one, milk should be your child’s primary source of nutrition, and food should be introduced for the touch, feel, smell factors. Food should be mushed in the fingers, sucked, gummed, smelt and experienced, and how much is eaten is rather irrelevant. Around the first birthday, your child will automatically start eating more of the food.
Baby Led Weaning doesn’t mean you give your child food and then walk away. It’s not ‘hands off’ in the way that scares parents looking in to it. It’s still weaning, there’s still parental involvement. It’s just baby led.
Babies don’t need teeth to eat. They are perfectly capable of breaking down foods with their gums – be smart though. A 500g rump steak isn’t a good idea.
A baby’s gag reflex is in the middle of their mouth, unlike an adults, which is more towards the back. Your baby might sound like he or she is choking, but it’s unlikely. The gag reflex is precisely there to prevent chocking. At the same time, don’t leave an infant unattended when they are eating.
If your child doesn’t like something, it doesn’t matter. Remove it from the plate, and offer it again in a few weeks time. Tastes change as taste buds develop.
Try to use organic foods, and don’t boil them. You’re trying to maintain the flavours – bland food isn’t very interesting. Steaming works best for hard vegetables, or we often pan-fry in a non-stick pan with no oil.
If there is a history of allergies, asthma or eczema in either parent’s family, try to avoid milk products (cow’s milk, cheeses and yogurts), shellfish, citrus fruit and their juices or eggs, until your baby is around eight months old. If there are allergies, also avoid sesame seeds or peanuts. If you’re really concerned, do a blood allergy test, so you know for definite what to avoid and what not. There is also a school of thought that says avoiding these things increases the risk of allergies, rather than reducing it – do your research and decide for yourself.
Honey, salt and wheat products are not recommended until the baby is a year old. This is a strange one for me, as, for example, in South Africa we give babies œbiltongâ– dried, cured, salty meat for teething. ‘Regulations’ and ‘recommendations’ vary from country to country and over time, so do what you feel is right for your baby.
You can change to baby led weaning at any time, even if you’ve already started puree feeding, but be aware that babies used to swallowing purees first may be more likely to try to swallow and then gag on finger foods.
We’ve never puree fed, and you don’t have to start with mush.
When you were pregnant, your baby became accustomed to your way of eating. If you’re breastfeeding more so.
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