Oh yes, there will be mess!

We have started down the road of Baby Led Weaning (BLW).  For those unfamiliar with the term here is a summary written about BLW:

Baby Led Weaning is just that. Led by baby. The idea is that they are completely in control of what and how much goes into their mouth and belly. Eating is a sensory and educational experience, where they explores textures and tastes themselves. They are active participants in eating right from the beginning. Rather than passively opening their mouths to receive food, they learn to feed themselves. Each day a  selection of food from all the food groups is offered. As parents we learn to trust that they know what and how much they need, we learn to let go of expectations and emotions attached to food (like they 'should' eat this much or, its 'good' to eat that). Research shows that over a period of time, when given the choice, infants will instinctively choose foods that meet their nutritional requirements. As they are in control they will know when they are full.  Rather than being encouraged to take 'just one more mouthful' they will listen to their body and stop when they are full. As parents we listen to their cues and respect that they are in tune with their needs. Hopefully with this approach we will have a child who grows up remaining in tune with their instincts, who has healthy eating habits and attitudes, and who is open to new foods and tastes.

Now, while this is all very lovely it is imperative that anyone embarking on BLW is well and truly prepared for the mess!  We started our journey with a trip to IKEA to buy a cheap-and-cheerful (and able to be hosed down easily in the shower) high-chair and many, many bibs.  We started off by offering banana, which can turn into a slippery little customer pretty quickly.  We've since offered roasted butternut squash, broccoli, toast, honeydew melon, steamed carrot sticks and the crust from my pizza today.  So far the only "evidence" tells us that broccoli has been ingested, not sure about anything else though!  She has also had a sip of water from a sippy cup, and while she LOVES to suck on the sippy cup she seemed rather startled to find a cold liquid coming out of it.

A slippery little customer by the end of it all.