Happy Eater

I cannot believe our little guy is 6 and a half months old already.  Knowing this is our last one, Scott and I find Traeger's milestones to be bittersweet. We are happy he is growing and developing on target yet we joke about pushing him down when he starts to crawl (we would never follow through!)

One milestone that cannot come soon enough is getting this kid weaned off the breast. I am committed to sticking it out until he is 12-13 months old, but I've had enough! I've been struck with mastitis, a breast infection that resembles the flu, more times than I can count. This busy wife, mother, & crossfitter doesn't have time to be down!

Steps we are taking towards weening. I started with Baby Led Weaning. It basically skips all the purees and jumps right into serving baby chunks of food. Yes, there is lots of gagging involved, but if you read the book, you will understand how gagging is safe and part of the learning process. At 4-5 months Traeger enjoyed teething on steamed zucchini quarters and broccoli, but after he threw up the skins in his sleep I switched to purees. I still offer him slices of raw and steamed fruits and veggies, (its always a mess so expect to change clothes, a bib won't help) but I serve him purees for dinner every night. In the next few weeks I will start adding in a lunch serving of purees and whole foods.

Things I've noticed in Traeger:
-His hand to mouth coordination seems skilled just beyond his age.
-He is making attempts to use his pinchers to pick up small foods (a skill usually developed at 9 months)
-His ability to move food around in his mouth using his tongue is also just beyond his age level
-He loves all veggies and wants to try everything. I hope that never goes away!

Whole Foods He's Tried:
-4-5 months Zucchini, Carrots, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Apples Spears, Sweet Potatoes, Pickles, Lemons
-6 months Pear Spears, Cheerios (out of town),
-7 months Peas, Pot Roast, Diced Pears, Yogurt drops, Crackers & Pitas (I aim to be gluten free, but I get tired and it keeps him entertained. Its his 15% cheat!)

The Book is very one sided and anti purees. On the contrary, the purees could make many arguments against the whole foods, as there are always two sides to every story. I decided to go with both and tested out what worked best for Traeger and myself. Its still a learning process for both of us.