SPOON!

A very brief post (it is Friday night after all) to share baby E's dinnertime success with a spoon!

We tried out Gill Rapley's Shepherds Pie but I upgraded the mash to cheesy mash... Was brilliant! We loaded a spoon up for her and she grabbed it and shoved it in like an old pro! There really is a wonderful sense of achievement to watch your family enjoying a meal you made together.

 

Lesson: Spoons are good. This open a whole new manner of menu options. Fish pie, cottage pie, soup, yoghurt... Basically anything gloopy that'll stick to a spoon!  

Rapley's Banana Muffins

I'm working my way through Gill Rapley's "Baby Led Weaning Cookbook". So I thought I would post about my attempts... First up BANANA MUFFINS! Brilliantly simple recipe that is super quick. I got 12 muffins in the oven and cleared up in the time it took Euna to destroy two toast soldiers. I'll be honest they don't look fantastically appetising but they taste nice, they're sugar free, full of fruit and Euna lapped them up.

So here are the muffins...











And here is baby A's review...

First food!

After a gruelling four nights of sleepless nights we decided to bring weaning forward a day in the hope it might help the nights. So, with a slightly heavy heart, we gave it a go. Baby led weaning take one...

She took a moment to look at it before she even touched it but once she got a hold it went straight in her mouth! Amazing! How do they know EXACTLY what to do? Incredible. The bottom right hand picture is her swallowing face, which to mine and husband's delight is followed by a weird shudder... Hilarious.

The bread and egg worked better as the mango and banana was slippery and hard for her to grasp. Surprisingly also it seemed better to have larger pieces!

I'm having a few lazy thoughts along the lines of "oh I'm going to have to get home earlier for dinner time" and "oh what a fuss it's going to be taking pots of cucumber and carrot out with me". But I'll just have to get organised with eating. This will be good for me. I was already healthier for the experience as I enjoyed a slice of brown bread toast and half a banana for breakfast. Plus I am going to further my cooking repertoire. Use less salt. Find meals that are good for sharing and good for reheating for when Steve comes in. This will be good. I can not whine forever about her growing up. I can not let it sadden every big milestone. I am positive mummy.

Lessons:
1. Embrace the milestones.
2. Slippery food is hard for babies.
3. Larger finger foods are easier to grip.
4. Baby led weaning is fun fun fun! Trust your baby knows what to do... they will always surprise you.

Weaning countdown...

I'll be honest. I never intended to be but I am a complete breastfeeding convert. I wasn't anti "breast is best" before I had Euna but I was laid back. I had a very easygoing "if it works out great, if it doesn't I won't punish myself over it" attitude. I don't know where that changed. I don't remember what kept me going through the cracked nipples and rock solid aching boobs. I don't remember consciously saying to myself "I will NOT give up". I just kinda did it.

I give up trying to explain my thoughts and feelings during those very early hormone charged weeks. 

Suffice to say I love breastfeeding. The bond, the closeness, the pride. I love it. Sounds smug, sorry. The thing is I don't think I really believe in the benefits long term. Is Euna now more likely to go to University? Ridiculous, of course not. Long term health benefits? Maybe fractional, but I don't believe they'll be anywhere close to noticeable. It's more I just love it for the now. It feels natural. She does it so beautifully. She looks beautiful doing it. I'm having fluffy feelings just talking about it.

Down side? Well it's making weaning feel like SUCH a bigger step than I anticipated. A wrench. The beginning of the end of our wonderful journey together with breastfeeding. My heart sinks. 

(Side note: I find a new appreciation for the journey a wonderful mummy friend of mine went through with feeding her daughter and when, after she persevered longer than ANYONE halfway sane would have, she went to bottles she was devastated. To her... I get it more now.)

So there's the emotional side and then there's the logistical. I know what I'm doing with breastfeeding. Since it's been established (week 4-ish) there are two modes to feeding; hungry and full. The magical human body took care of everything else for me. Now I need to think about nutrition, balanced diet, choking hazards, food allergies, different foods allowed at different ages, salt/sodium, saturated fat and sugar limits and that's before we ever START thinking about recipes, shopping and cooking. Can I buy an eighth of a mango? Will I be able to think of enough baby friendly meal ideas or will she just end up with carrot sticks for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Further to this on the logistical side... going out! Is this gone are the days of easy outings? Cue tupperware and having to be more selective with where I eat. Never before has been possible for me to forget her food on account of it being strapped to my chest!

Well, ready or not here it comes. Sitting up... check. Putting things in mouth... check. Grabbing food... check. 6 months old... very nearly almost check. This Sunday's the day, we're going to cook a lovely roast dinner. Just the three of us and she will offered broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Pics, tears and squeal-ey enthusiastic sounds to follow...