Derrick vs Oranges

We continue on our journey through every fruit mommy can think of.  Today's journey is oranges!  I have been holding off on this standard childhood staple due to the acidity.  With Derrick having acid reflux, I wanted to delay introducing citrus.



We have another winner in the fruit category.  Derrick loved his orange pieces and ate them right up!  Yummo!

Food size

Every thing that I read when we first started BLW talked about food that was stick like with a handle.  We started our solid food journey with sticks of sweet potato, broccoli stalks,  and carrot sticks.  But, as you can see as the blog progresses, the size of Derrick's food keeps getting smaller and smaller.


This is our own natural progression based on Derrick's needs.  As his pincer grip became better and his desire to eat food grew by leaps and bounds at 9 months, we had to change how we fed him.  Derrick was getting so excited about eating food, that he would put the whole piece in his mouth.  He ended up overwhelming himself by stuffing his cheeks full of food that he couldn't swallow.  We tried giving him his sippy cup to help with swallowing, but it didn't always work.  He would end up getting upset and crying.


So we started giving him smaller pieces.  This worked for awhile, until his excitement overcame him again and he started pushing food into his mouth until he cheeks poofed out like a little chipmunk.  Again we tried giving him his sippy cup to promote swallowing, but that didn't always work.  We have had to change our mindset with feeding him, giving him the small pieces and only giving him a few at a time.

I don't remember reading anywhere in the BLW how-to's about reducing food size.  I guess the important thing is to not take BLW too seriously or thinking that you 'have' to follow a strict set of rules.  The only reason there is a label is because it is against the mainstream way of thinking and by having a name, others can plug something into Google and learn more about it.  Just follow your instincts and your baby's lead on what they like and what they can handle :)

Happy eating :)

Derrick vs Chicken stir fry

This is one of our family's go to meals.  We cook cut up chicken breast, bell peppers, onions, and garlic and stir fry it up in a wok.  We serve this with rice, and everyone picks their own sauce.

Derrick had his without sauce (and cut up into smaller pieces)



He was a big fan of the bell peppers.  Out of my own little fear of him choking, I took the peel off of the bell peppers before I game them to Derrick.

Derrick vs his 9 month appointment

A few weeks ago Derrick went for his 9 month well baby check up.  The reason I wanted to post about the visit is that we had talked about solid foods.  I didn't tell my pediatrician that we were doing BLW, but just that I was preparing all of his foods myself, no jar junk.  At the visit our pediatrician encouraged us to start table foods.  He said with Derrick's pincer grasp, as good as it is, there was no reason to hold back.  Hearing that made me very happy.  He also said that except for four foods, I could give Derrick whatever I wanted.  Those 4 foods are:  peanuts, shellfish, eggs, milk.****

This news also made me excited.  I didn't have to keep wondering, "Is this a proper first food"?  Now I could really just give Derrick whatever we were having ourselves for dinner.  What a great way to really include him as part of our family.  This also meant that I could start giving Derrick proteins, which worry wart me had been holding back.

So be on the lookout for more posts involving some more interesting foods!

****Follow your own pediatrician's advice as to introductions to high allergenic foods.  Do not take my post as advice of when to introduce certain foods.   

Derrick vs spaghetti and meatballs

Say what?  Spaghetti and meatballs??  Yes, I gave it a shot.  My parents were in town and I was already cooking for 4 adults and I didn't have anything planned for Derrick.

My one mistake was trying to give him angel hair pasta.  I should have done penne or bowtie, something that would have been easier to grasp.  That would have been much better for his little hands.  Derrick played with the angel hair, but didn't end up eating any.  Mommy mistake :(


Derrick did end up loving the meat ball though.  He just ate them up.  I cut them up in little pieces about the size of peas, since he has gotten so good at grabbing items.  Meatballs - yum

Derrick vs Kiwi

One of my favorite fruits happens to be kiwi.  I wish I lived in a place where I could grow them myself - yummy!  I was searching for something to give to Derrick for lunch and I decided, what the heck, we can try kiwi.

On first taste Derrick wasn't completely sure what his silly mommy had put in front of him.  It suspiciously looked like those peas we had a few nights before.

But they tasted much better!  My little piggie can almost eat a whole kiwi in one sitting! Yummy

Derrick vs Peas

Now that Derrick has a pretty good pincer grasp, I wanted to give him a challenge.  Well, maybe not a challenge, but more to see how good his little fingers work.  Plus, personally, I was getting sick of eating orange veggies all the time.  My hubby may love them, and I do too, but I need more color in my life.

Derrick had no problems with the peas and seemed to enjoy them


These will be a veggie we try again!!