Chai is 5 months old, which is younger than it's really recommended to start solids, but not so young that they say it's horrible. Thak leaves in a week for Maryland, and will be gone four months, and he wanted to be involved in Chai's first food experience. I didn't think that was asking much, so I got some avocado for the bebe Chai, and we let him do with it what he would! Mostly, he played with it, which is what's expected of somebody his age. He did get it in his mouth somewhat, and seemed to really like the taste of it.
He's still relying fully on breastmilk for his nutrition, which is exactly what he should be doing at his age, but it's cool that he liked the avocado. We'll let him play with food again before long, probably avocado again, maybe zucchini.
This is a technique called Baby-Led Weaning. The name is a bit misleading, since we are definitely NOT weaning from the breast. The plan is to nurse at least two years, so no, weaning itself has not entered our vocabulary at this point. Baby-Led Weaning is a method of starting solids, which consists of offering REAL food, not cereals and purees, because when a baby is ready to digest food, he will be able to eat real foods. Avocado is the most common first food, because it is soft, non-allergenic, and most babies like the taste. Banana slices are another common first food. I am also rather partial to zucchini. Anything soft will work. The idea is that the baby can gum the food, and get used to different tastes and textures right from the start, and also not be forced to eat more solids than they are really ready for. It makes a lot of sense. So there you have it. This is a pretty standard "I'm starting solids!" picture for someone who does Baby-Led Weaning.
Oh, and you know you love his Gators shirt!
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