Hi there!
DD started herself on solids at about 5mo when she grabbed my banana and ate it so I figured she was ready.
We started off with just giving her stuff to taste and lick while we were eating.
She really enjoys it and we have started her on a few other things over the last 2 weeks given when we eat because she was getting really mad when we ate and she didn't get anything.
I've kind of been wondering if I'm doing it right because a few family members have been commenting and now I feel a bit confused.
We aren't doing jars, just stewed fruit and veg (apple, pear, banana, prunes, carrots, potato, avocado) but I'm not making a smooth purée, just mashing them up with a fork so they are still pretty lumpy. Is this ok or is she too little for this consistency?
Also, she has a love/hate relationship with a spoon. Sometimes she'll be fine with it, other times she clamps her mouth shut and tries to grab it and feed herself. That doesn't work well because she's too eager and rams it down her throat making herself puke. I've been giving her food in a mesh feeder but family members have said that this way she continues to suck and I'm not teaching her how to chew and pass food to the back of her mouth. I'd be fine with dropping the spoon totally and using the feeder but now I don't know. I am considering BLW but I think we'll wait a bit with it because I'm a bit scared of her choking (she stuffs food down her throat the same way as the spoon).
I think she has also gotten a bit constipated (although not in any obvious pain) because it's been 8 days since her last poop - a record so far. I've read the FAQ about laxative foods and gave her stewed pruned and pears for her 3 meals today and we'll see how it goes.
As to portion sizes, I have been giving her about 1tblsp 3 times a day in addition to BFing. More family member comments here about how I should be giving her as much as she wants and at 6 mo the 3 meals should be replacing 3 BFs. She can go 3.5h between feeds but now that she's outgrowing the 45min naps our feeding has gone all wonky as the 3.5h is in the middle of a nap.
Right now we do:
7.30wu BF
8.30 1 tblsp solids
9.30 BF (otherwise she wont make it to the end of her nap)
9.45 S
11.45WU
12.30BF
1.30 solids 1tblsp
2.15 S
4.00WU BF
6.00 Solids 1tblsp
6.30 BF
6.45 CN (in theory but she's difficult to get down)
7.30 BF
8.00 BT
11.30pm DF
NF
So as you can see I haven't replaced any BFs at all, have even kept the CF in the evening since she still takes it. She's very little for her age (6.3kg) and I feed her as much as she'll take because she till fits in some 3mo clothes! That's also why I'm so hesitant to drop any BFs. I was under the impression that BM should be the main food source till 1yo but how to do that when LO gets 3 meals a day??
Sorry about the long post and tons of questions, I just don't really know what I'm doing:/