Since Eva is getting older and part of weaning involves the ability to develop the pincer grasp (and then learning how to chew), I thought I’d pump up our feeding sessions by trying out some old-fashioned baby-led feeding. Proponents of baby-led weaning argue that 1) it is based on what baby wants to do, 2) it encourages more participation, independence and exploration, all of which are important in development and 3) it allows baby to develop gross and fine motor skills like the pincer grasp (taking objects with the forefinger and thumb) as well as chewing.

So I started the session with some thick porridge (I used commercial cereal and mixed it with some puree I had made and froze only to thaw out in the fridge the night before) placed in a plastic lightweight container so that she could pick up the container if she liked. The thick consistency is so that it’s easier for her to handle. In our feeding sessions before, she has started to become more pro-active, reaching out to grab the bowl so she could see what was inside, taking my finger and waving it around before trying to reach out for the spoon and so forth. Plus she also enjoy picking up finger foods from the tray, my hand or a container.

And here are the results – I took shutter pictures but decided to feature only three and describe what actually happened.

She starts off by fondling the cereal in a corner – just raking her fingers through them and quite gently too.

After a few seconds of raking, she takes out her hands in this fashion – meaning that she finds it strange and probably a little scary too.

She tries taking some with her fingers and wonders why it’s ultra sticky and just feels the way it feels. In the end, the cereal never made it into her mouth. She attempted to lick the container instead! Hai.

Still, I like how she explored the container by lifting it around, touching the cereal, mashing it in between her fingers and if it looked right, smelling it too! But no, she didn’t taste it at all. It’s alright – I’d rather she take it slow and easy yet have fun!

A few days ago, I bought some organic barley and red brown rice. We got a pack of instant organic baby oats, which I felt would have been a waste if it were left unopen plus I didn’t know who to give it to. After digging out, I found the miller that comes along with the blender we have in the apartment so over a period of three days, I spent some time grinding barley, red brown rice and baby oats into powder. Or rather, the finest I could get it to be without breaking my miller.

Milled grains have to be stored in the fridge otherwise they’ll go rancid faster in the warm Singapore heat – as I used whole grain rice and pearl barley. Even the baby oats which are already processed are stored in the fridge. In fact, ALL her cereals are stored in air tight jars and left in the fridge the moment they are opened. You could say that I’m taking no chances with Eva’s food. There is a downside to it though – one shelf is just packed with Eva’s foods, yoghurt and space for her frozen purees to thaw.

Anyway, I decided to try my hand at making some porridge since the milled grains have been sitting in the fridge for a week or so plus my mum came back the other day with a slow cooker. Using Super Baby Food as a guide, I poured 1/4 cup of milled barley together with some tablespoons of millet and red brown rice into the slow cooker and added 2 cups of water to the mixture before setting it on a timer for two hours to cook. By the end of the two hours, I got pretty thick porridge that was quite fragrant but at that time, I felt it was too thick so I added a little bit more water only to have it become too watery when I checked on it in the morning. Hai. I should have listened to my gut instinct and not bother adding in more water. To compensate, I had to add in about three heaped tablespoons of oatmeal and finally got it to the right consistency and thickness.

The timer I bought was just perfect for making the porridge as I could leave it cooking while we sleep and then turn it on at certain interval to make sure it stays warm, making it just right for both lunch and dinner. I mixed in today’s porridge with some pear, banana and apricot puree for lunch and later, with some yoghurt and apricots for dinner. She enjoy the lunch serving rather well but not so much the dinner serving. Chances are she was just full or grumpy from teething. Yes, I should mention that two of her teeth are popping and since they started cutting through, she’s been eating less than her usual amount.

But yes, as it turns out, making porridge is awfully fun…the combinations are endless! Am thinking of making some again soon – need to finish those commercial cereals first though. XD

Date
NA

Item
Apricot

Category
Fruit

Brand (if applicable)
Heinz and homemade

Cooking & serving method
I soak organic apricots (without any preservatives – note that those with preservatives are typically orange in colour) in hot water for about 20 minutes and then puree them in the BEABA before freezing them. When thawed, they are served with cereal, other fruits/veg or tofu.

Reaction
Positive especially with cereal and tofu.

Other notes
None.

Date
NA

Item
Tofu

Category
Protein

Brand (if applicable)
Organic tofu made with non-GMO soybeans

Cooking & serving method
Served fresh (mashed) and kept in the refrigerator. Just need to change the water daily.

Reaction
Positive no matter what it’s served with because of its lack of real flavour. Excellent as a dessert too.

Other notes
Extra water is needed because of the introduction of protein.

The second edition and this time, Eva @ 7 months 1 week plus old AND Mum @ 30 years old.