How to Feed a Henry

Since we are trying to let Henry feed himself, I have had several people ask if I am worried about choking. This is a topic that Daddy has been very curious about too. Many people think smooth purees are easier for babies to swallow, and that larger pieces pose a choking hazard. I have learned, however, that the risk of choking may actually be lower with Baby-Led Weaning.  Regardless of whether your baby is spoon-fed or self-fed, remember to use common sense and follow a few basic rules. Henry never eats by himself. He loves hanging out at the table with Mommy and Daddy. Henry is never left to eat alone. At least one adult is always at the table with him while eating. This is not only to watch out for potential choking, but because mealtimes are family times. Meals are a great opportunity to bond and share over food. Eating together also means that Henry can watch and learn from Daddy and me about how to maneuver new foods. Henry always eats food sitting...

I have been reading more about Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) as an approach for feeding Henry. As I wrote before , I am looking for alternatives to spoon-feeding and BLW seems promising. After the entertaining but unsuccessful attempt at letting Henry feed himself peas and avocado , I needed to get a better idea about how to make self-feeding work. After some initial investigation , it seems like the best place to begin is with long strips of food that Henry can easily grasp and bring to his mouth. Large stick-shapes can work for pieces of fruits, vegetables, bread crusts, or meat. Pancakes make a frequent appearance on our weekend breakfast table, so started there. Daddy made two small pancake strips for Henry and placed them on his tray as we started breakfast. Henry wasted no time picking one up and getting it to his mouth. It was easy for him to suck on the pancake strips, which gradually dissolved in his mouth. He was completely engrossed in figuring out how to handle thes...

Henry turned six months old this week and he has become fascinated with textures. Toys that crinkle are suddenly fascinating. He reaches out for flowers and tree branches as we pass by on our evening walk through the neighborhood. He is exploring the world through the shapes and textures of new objects, and food is a natural extension of this learning process. So as I am thinking about new foods for Henry, I want to give him an opportunity to try out new textures as well. I decided to begin with two classic starter foods for babies -- peas and avocado. Henry has already tried out the flavor of peas through soup, but avocado is a new taste for him. Since we are trying to bypass spoon-feeding , I wanted to see how he managed these on his own. The Results Henry enjoyed finger painting with the pea puree, but he had trouble eating the peas. He could pick up a handful but the peas just remained in his fist when he tried to put them in his mouth. He did have a fun time sm...

Henry has taken to eating the vegetable soups in his bottle without any issues. But after a few weeks, it is time to think about the next step. My latest question to answer is how we should feed Henry. The most important food rule for how to feed a baby is not to leave them unattended with food. A parent or caretaker should be with the baby while they are eating just in case there is an emergency, such as choking. Originally, I had planned to make homemade baby food purees for Henry. Jarred baby foods are notoriously unappetizing, filled with preservatives and expensive, so making my own healthy versions seemed like a good idea. I know many moms don’t have time for this, but since I cook most of our meals anyway it seemed like a natural extension. I have a very nice food mill that works well for mushing up cooked fruits and vegetables. My mom and I even canned applesauce last fall from the apples in our backyard. I was planning to store them for the baby, but we’ve already ...