Rice cakes

DS loves eating rice cakes.


One day, we saw a mom feeding his baby (just 1 yr old) a very creamy cake and a bottle of orange juice. We were shocked - the milk, the egg, the fat, the citric, and the sugar!


We are careful not to let DS eat too much added sugar (and salt) from his diet. He is still quite satisfied with feeding himself just rice and water. We are proud.

A new "technique"

Baby-led weaning is a social activity which means eating together not gazing at the baby! These days I have found a simple technique of encouraging my son to "eat" more....

We share the food. When he becomes less eager (you know, I observe him only secretly :wink: ) to a piece in his hand, I will bite a tiny bit from the piece (still in his hand). Whenver I do this, he will smile and will try the piece again for longer. 100% success rate!

Perhaps he thinks that he has a chance to feed his father! :-) Anyway, eating is fun when it is like a play which is always two-way.

Maybe you have known this "technique" for many months. Sorry!

Re: DH doesn't allow finger foods

Hope your DH understand that many babies are taking finger foods when they are 8 months old, no matter their parents believe BLW or not. Depriving them the opportunty to self-feed themselves is not good for the development of their new skills (pincer grasp and chewing). Many babies are too get used to purees that they have to wean pureed food when they are older!

I am also a worrier-father (my DW would consider me the world's top worrier). I still choose BLW because I know that spoon-feeding is conducive to choking as well if the food goes to the back of the mouth before the baby has developed the ability to process it (this often happens especially when feeding is done in a hurry). On the contrary, BLW can be very safe because the baby is not forced (or even made) to eat (+ common senses of safety applied to all babies e.g. no peanuts or other round hard or slippery food, never leaving the baby unattended when eating).

To end, I just want to say a few words of concern about your nanny. Since she is too accustomed to spoon-feeding if you really want her to practice BLW, please make sure that she knows the differnece between gagging and choking and knows what to do when seeing your baby gags or chokes. The latter (very rare in BLW as mentioned) of course requires first aid. Some people are too afraid of gagging (in fact, afraid of giving control back to the baby) that whenever they see any sign of gagging they immediately put their fingers into the baby's mouth wanting to take the food out! This may only push the food to the further back part of the mouth and result in real choking. The core issue to me is, then, WHO carries out the BLW. Perhaps in your case it is only you at the moment when only you are eating together with your baby. Although it's not perfect but to me it is not a failure, just a temporary compromise between feeding, safety and unique family situation (and family pressure).

Re: question for babywearing DH

I don't know if my experience applies to your DH. I am very thin, and chest muscles are weak. However, DS naps quite easily on me if I wear him in a MT (front carry), despite wife has far better "cushions".


When it's close to time for a nap and I am wearing DS, I will stop talking, take a good walk outside (around the park, the pier, etc...or just the pavement if there is no choice - but I hate the noise and air pollution) and walk very steadily (non-stop). I will pat his hip lightly to aid him too. Normally he will fall into sleep in less than 10 minutes. Then I can sit down (e.g. on a chair in the park - but make sure that no one is smoking or shouting beside) and enjoy a book's chapter or the sea or just feel the little one's breath.


I do this almost everyday for DS's third nap (late afternoon). For his first and second nap, I use a sling and wear him down to bed (previously after he entered deep sleep but now just put him down when he is sleepy). He is now 7.5 months and I have done these daily for 5 months.

I think the cue is to let the baby get used to Daddy's difference and accept Daddy as the comforter. So just keep practise! (and tell your DH he is not alone !