I think this is going to be the last in our series of baby led weaning updates. I haven’t had to worry about pureeing or preparing Arlo’s food in any special way for a good while. With the exception of his dietary requirements (no dairy, egg or soya), he eats proper adult meals just like his parents, and has been for a couple of months now.
Between eight and nine months, Arlo rejected finger food altogether and would only be spoon fed (there were a lot of purees made during this time!). Then, at eleven months, he perfected his pincer grip and was really keen to use this skill. I could get him to eat anything (including veg!) provided it was all chopped up into teeny shapes.
Around the same time, Arlo became a pro at eating from a preloaded spoon, handling it by himself. He can’t yet load the spoon himself, but he’s more than happy to hand me back the spoon when he’s done so I can load him up another spoonful.
Arlo is very interested in what Sam and I are eating, and often reaches out to try some. He likes to grab food off my plate, which can get a bit tricky if I’m eating something that he isn’t able to share due to his allergies. I either go dairy, egg and soya free at lunchtimes, or I wait until Arlo is down for his nap before I eat my lunch. It doesn’t feel right to deny him food that I am eating. He must get confused with the mixed messages, as I’m sometimes encouraging him to eat and other times I’m putting food out of his reach.
It’s so nice to be seeing an end to baby food and specially prepared meals. He’s even developed a taste for a little spice, and we are very proud to say that Arlo is a fan of a good curry – a requirement in this family!
You can catch up on the rest of our baby led weaning posts below:
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