This Little Piggie

You would think with how much Robby likes food that we'd have a chubby little man on our hands, but we really don't anymore.  He's slimmed down considerably since those early days.  Our food journey has involved a lot of intertwining paths.  Some of it has to do with allergies, some of it has to do with when I read about a method, and some...well it's just gut instinct.

Butternut squash puree

Robby's first solid was rice cereal.  He hated it, wouldn't touch it, we quit trying.  It turns out this was a good thing, as he's still unable to digest rice, and we don't feed it to him.  His second food was butternut squash puree.  Also?  Allergic.  It's a contact allergy, though, so according to the pediatrician, we could feed it to him and just slather him with Vaseline...but we do not.

At this point?  Typical methods of feeding a child were not going so well.  I started following my gut, and while I went crazy before he even started solids with puree-making, I started adding chunks.  He ate hunks of avocado, banana, and chewed on whole apples.  He was MUCH more interested in food if there was texture.  He did still continue to be fed purees, though, with mixed success.

Around this time, I started reading about Baby Led Weaning, and joined a support group.  This is the concept that a child should LEARN on chunks of food, rather than purees.  That when they can feed themselves, they are more likely to develop good chewing and swallowing habits, and also will eat appropriate portion sizes.  I also learned about how some people now believe that grains, in general, are a bad idea for children under the age of 1, and infant cereals are one of the worst early foods we could give them.  Our experience with rice cereal seemed to reflect that!  (Robby did, and continues to occasionally eat oatmeal, however.)

Spaghetti

Since I had a huge stock of purees, and it was easier for the daycare, Robby continued to eat purees while at school.  This is NOT recommended.  When following Baby Led Weaning, typically you avoid purees so that they don't get confused with safe swallowing until their habits are well established.  We never had any trouble, though, probably because this transition was not made until 7.5 months or so.  Around 8.5 months we did have one choking issue with a piece of apple, but I was able to scoop it out of his mouth.  Otherwise, he has no difficulties eating "real" food.  I was so proud that at a recent party, he chowed down on everything, as I watched a much older child still eat a jar of puree.  It just opens up a lot more options for us, and he's actually a joy to eat at restaurants with!

 Asparagus, Steak, Potatoes

Today?  There is less and less cutting of food taking place at our house.  Meat still needs to be for the most part, but otherwise?  He's a champ and eats the same foods that we do.  He did just have his 7th! tooth cut through, so he has plenty of chompers, but I still am amazed at what a little man he is.  He continues to breastfeed and get pumped bottles at daycare, and I intend to continue this until he is 1, when we will start the transition to whole milk.

Fish sticks, french fries, cucumber ... yeah, not the healthiest day

Overall, I would say I have learned so much in the process of Robby learning to eat solids, and I'd like to say a second kid would be a breeze, though I'm sure they'd have their own quirks!