Learning to Feed Himself

After a solid month of suddenly waking up multiple times a night to nurse and wanting to nurse almost every other hour during the day, I decided we were ready to give solids the old college try.

Our first attempt with a tiny smashed piece of banana required a bath as it triggered his gag reflex and he has a history of losing his lunch if he's congested at the same time. A week later we tried a little bit of unsweetened apple sauce thinking a smoother puree would make it easier. Let's just say we rinse off a lot around here. I'd done a bit of skimming over websites about baby led weaning (what?! Baby led weaving? Wouldn't that be fancy.) and asked all of my hippy friends at Sebastian's school what they knew and decided it was worth trying at least one more time. 

I dragged the vintage high chair up from the basement where I'd been storing it since before I was even pregnant with this boy. I was so hopeful we'd eventually have a third little Denbow that I bought it at the local outdoor flea market without a thought. I'm so thankful I did because steamed carrots wipe right off! 

You'd think I'd given the child a lemon wedge with the faces I was getting.

Sunday showed up to provide moral support. 

She was actually so efficient in keeping the floor carrot-free, I should've just let her lick him clean, too.

I'm not sure he actually ingested much of anything but he didn't gag and lose his lunch so I'm calling this a milestone. We're still primarily breastfeeding and I plan on nursing him at least until his first birthday or longer so we're treating this new venture into baby led weaning as a low pressure, experimental learning time. I'm looking forward to him being able to feed himself and eat most of what we're eating. Also, let's hope this translates into a more satisfied belly so that we both get a bit more sleep.

I'm so thankful for the internet, guys. On any given day at almost any hour I can ask a question about mothering and get such a great amount of feedback that I am either completely enlightened on a new subject or affirmed in something I was already leaning towards or away from. I think this is what it must be like to be in a MOPS group but maybe minus the snacks?

-Rachel