Chew on This!

Disclosure: I am a Nuby Mom Blogger.  I receive Nuby product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Nugget has two teeth on the bottom so far.  This past weekend we noticed a definite change in his demeanor and knew his top two are about to pop through.  He wouldn't sleep, he was very cranky and since we have been through this with the bottom, I was able to know exactly what was going on.  The Chewbies Teether by Nuby is made for front teeth teething so this is perfect teether for this time frame.  Say that last sentence ten times fast.

This little teether packs the punch with three different surfaces to chew on: either "handle" and the flower part around.  It is very light weight and flexible making it perfect for the 3 month and older crowd.  Nuby even includes a great little carrying case as well so you can store your Chewbies while on the go.  Dr. Grace Yum - founder of Yummy Dental and Orthodontics for Kids in chicago, Illinois endorses this BPA Free teether.  We love it here as well!

Want to pick up your own Chewbies?  They are sold at your local Walmart.

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Scrub-a-dub-dub...Fighting the Battle against Bottles

Disclosure: I am a Nuby Mommy Blogger.  I receive Nuby products in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

Raise your hand if you hate to wash bottles.  I should see everyone's hand flying off their mouse...well unless you are luxury to the convenience of a dishwasher.  I obviously do not possess one of these magical machines.  Due to the lack off upscale appliance within my kitchen, I must hand wash bottle after bottle after bottle.  

How does one little being use so many bottles?  This is how:  Every morning I pump at 8am, that requires 2 bottles and flanges.  Every day I pump at work 3 times.  This mean that I need at least four bottles, with lids.  I then have two flanges that I use with my machine.  The flange breaks down into three separate pieces.  When I come home I have to prepare the milk to be fed to Nugget for the next day.  I take those three bottles and prepare 5 - 2.5oz bottles and cap them all off with a lid.  The  milk is then transferred into a bottle that Nugget prefers to eat out of.  Let's say he goes through 3 bottles because Dufda doesn't feel like washing the bottle between feedings.  Lost yet?  It is a lot of bottles.

 With all that washing, you go through a ton of soap and lots of your time is just wasted.  The real solution to this would be for Dufda to go buy and install a dishwasher into our kitchen(hint, hint Hubs...our anniversary is next month.)  Since I won't be holding my breath for that to happen, I went a little easier route and got the Easy Clean™ Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base. 

This brush stores your favorite soap in the handle and will dispense just the right amount while washing your bottles.  It has the suction base, which I love, so that it doesn't lay in your sink or by your sink and get all wet and gross.  The brush head fits perfect in both my standard opening bottles and my wide mouth bottles.  The brush has a texture handle for a comfortable grip and, of course, is BPA free.

My bottle cleaning routine before was to line up all bottles and squirt soap in each then wash.  With the Easy Clean™ Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base I just grap the bottle, wash and rinse while saving myself time and soap.  Would you like to pick up a Easy Clean™ Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base? 

It is available at these retailers:

• www.buybabydirect.com
• Sam’s Club

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Disclosure: I have received the Easy Clean™ Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush  through the Nuby Mommy Blogger Program in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

Every Drop Counts - Preemie Awareness

 Did you know?:

• One in nine babies in the U.S is born prematurely - more than in most developed countries.
• Premature birth is the number one contributor to infant mortality
• Human milk acts much like medicine to preemie who are vulnerable to potentially fatal diseases.

We all know that breast milk is borderline magical.  It cures a slew of issues that arise in newborns and babies, as well as establishes a great digestive system for your little one.  Breast milk is even more important for those babies that are born premature.

Medela recognizes the importance of raising awareness of the importance of breast milk and preemie health.  They are asking NICUs to submit their success stories in supporting human milk consumption.  Winners will be chosen and announced in November, National Prematurity Awareness Month.  The first place winner will receive $10,000 in Medela products, with the runner up receiving $5,000.  So please encourage your NICU to enter.

The deadline for submissions for Medela's NICU Awareness Program is October 18th.  For more information on how to enter, please visit www.Medelapreemieawareness.com.

This post was inspired by Medela.

Ice, Ice, Nuby!

Disclosure: I have received the Icy Bit Animal Teether through the Nuby Mommy Blogger Program in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

CHEW ALL THINGS! This is Nugget's motto right now.

The Icy Bite is one of Nuby's newest teethers and will soon hit stores for you to buy for your babe.  I think they got it right with this one.  None of my other teethers that go in the fridge have a cover.  Without the cover, Nugget's hands get cold and wet and with the temperature dropping I really do not need that.

With or without the cover the teether has multiple teething surfaces to soothe your little ones gums.  It is small which make it good for anyone over 3 months old.  The teether is filled with purIce gel for cooling relief and, as always, it is BPA Free.

Nugget's favorite part of this teether?  He loves to chew on the ears or just shove the whole thing in his mouth and chomp down and stay there.  Look out for the Icy Bite Animal Teether online and stores near you!

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Disclosure: I have received the Icy Bit Animal Teether through the Nuby Mommy Blogger Program in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

Little Monster Diaper Review and Giveaway

Disclosure: I have receive this product in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

When it comes to my baby there are two things that I have an obsession over:  Cloth Diapers and Monsters.  If you haven't checked out Nugget's nursery, then go here for proof.

When I found out there was a cloth diaper company called Little Monster Diapers I just knew that I had to give them a try.  Little Monster Diaper had popped up a couple of times on Zulily which also was enticing and if I see them there again I will snatch them all up.  Well, the diaper came in the mail and we could not wait to throw it on the bum.  We actually put it on right out of the package, but it is suggested that you wash them three times to get more absorbency.  Everyone knows the law of a brand new cloth diaper, right?  The moment it goes on the bum, your baby must take a giant poo in it....this diaper was no different.  The one thing that was different though, there was no leak.  Nugget poops about once a week so for a diaper to contain the mess is pretty impressive.

Now about the diaper:  Little Monster Diapers are pocket diapers.  You get one microfiber insert with the diaper at purchase.  If you aren't familiar with a pocket diaper, these diapers have an opening in the back.  That opening is where you stuff the insert that absorbs the pee and poo.  Pocket diapers are great because you can double or triple stuff them for absorbency or change out the insert to something that you may prefer more.  The insert that was provided is nice and soft and we have no had any leaks yet.

The fabric that touches the babies skin is definitely one of the softest that I have felt.  It has stayed that way through several washes as well (this diaper is worn just about once a day).  This is important to me because I like cloth due to me thinking it has to be more comfortable than a disposable.

Little Monster diapers are a one size fits most diaper.  As you may know, one size diapers are usually not ideal for newborns.  These start at 9 pounds, but it always depends on the build of your baby.  What is a little different...Little Monster gives three rows of adjust-ability versus the typical two.  This allows for the diaper to get a better fit.  It has cross over tabs as well.

The best part, and the reason why so many of us get sucked into cloth, Little Monster diapers are super cute.  You can buy solid ones if you like, but you can also get the diapers with characters on the back.  They have anything from a cupcake to a koi fish.  Nugget is sporting the Owl for this review. 

Check out Little Monster Diaper on Facebook and Twitter!



With the fit and the comfort of this diaper it has definitely became one of my favorites.  Little Monster Diapers retail between $20-$23.  You can buy them here....or you can enter to win one!

Which one would you choose?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Caption this...

My Jordanian Nugget will send a small prize (obviously baby related) to the person who leaves the best caption before September 23, 2013 at midnight! 

What makes your baby happy?

Disclosure: I am a Nuby Mommy Blogger. I receive Nuby products in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

What is that one thing that you know that you can do that will always make your baby smile?  Mine is totally random and has worked since birth.  I sing tunes from The Little Mermaid to him.  Boys can like The Little Mermaid right?  For bed, I always up for with a nice rendition of Part of this World.

When we are having fun, though, Under the Sea is the ideal choice.  This must have been my favorite movie as a child because I know every word to every song.

What does this have to do with the teether that I am reviewing...well nothing, but who doesn't love some Little Mermaid? Actually it does have something to do with it, this brand new teether from Nuby is the Under the Sea Teether.   This fun little guy has yet to hit stores but I am going to have you waiting to buy him.

How fun, right?!  It is bright, easy to hold and has lots of different textures for teething.  My guys favorite is the tags...actually he has an obession with all things tags, string or similar so I knew he would love this the moment I received it in the mail. 

This little guy is perfect for out 3+ monthers and great for little baby hands.  I would say it is unique to other teethers because, look at your stash, do you have an octopus teether yet?  I didn't think so.  Of course, as with all Nuby teethers, it is BPA free because only the best for Nugget.  So what do you think?  Are you excited about the Under the Sea Teether?

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Disclosure: I am a Nuby Mommy Blogger. I receive Nuby products in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

The Affrodable Care Act and Breastfeeding

So changes are coming to health care in the U.S, but what are those changes and do they make a different to us.  If you are a new mother, the answer is probably yes.

So what does my insurance company cover?
There isn't just one answer obviously because we all have different providers.  Your insurance company is most likely still trying to solidify its policy on breast pump coverage.  Speak up!  Tell them what you want.  If enough mothers are talking, I am sure we can make a different.  The Affordable Care Act does not require a co-payment for a breast pump currently.  If you get into the situation where you baby must be admitted into the NICU, most insurance companies will cover the hospital grade pump that you will need.

Make sure that you are asking your insurance company if you are required to obtain a prescription for your pump.  This is simple if they require it.  My midwife just simply wrote that I need a double electric pump on a prescription pad, I took a picture of the prescription and uploaded to the website where I obtained my pump from.

When you do find out what your insurance covers, there will most likely be a couple options for pumps.  You are usually unable to obtain this pump until after birth.  I know I was only able to apply after my baby was born.  That has now changed to 60 days prior to your due date for my health insurance (Aetna).  This gives you time to talk to other moms and research the best pump for you.  So the pump that you really want isn't covered by insurance   Don't hesitate to ask if you are able to make up the difference in cost to obtain the pump of your dreams.  You will be spending a lot of time with that device, get the one you want.

A breast pump isn't the only thing that is needed for a breastfeeding mother.  We need support as well and the Affordable Care Act has acknowledged that.  Nearly all plans cover lactation counseling without a co-pay.  This will no doubt lead to more successful breastfeeding relationships.  I know my plan covered 6 visits to a lactation consultant, as well as one who called me each week till I was 6 weeks post partum.  This service was invaluable to me and my breastfeeding journey.  I was able to have all questions and concerns addressed.

What questions do you have about the new law?  Let's try to get them all answered.

Don't you just love a cute Debit Card?!

Disclosure: I have been compensated to write to this review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Seriously, there is nothing in the world that I like more than an awesome debit card.  I don't mean awesome in no fees or a great point structure, I mean awesome in that it looks awesome.  My current card has an adorable cat and dog on it and I love when people tell me that it is the cutest debit card they ever saw.  When approached to review Card.com, the first thing that I noticed was the abundance of different cards that I can choose from.  There are literally 1000's.  I got to page 4 though and found a camel one that ended the search for me.  Dufda and I have this one going joke about camels.  Yes, they are in Jordan, but no, they are not common as I may make them seem to everyone else.  Anyway, I had to get the camel.  

 So I pick my card and then you wait for it in the mail.  Pretty simple right?  The card probably took about a week to come in which is comparable to if you order a debit card from your bank.  You must activate it just like you would a regular debit card, but the process was not difficult.

The card that you get from Card.com is a debit card, like the one from your bank, and you can use it everywhere that Visa is accepted.

• It is Free to order, activate and load
• Free app and check deposits from your smartphone
• Free direct deposit
• Free card-to-card transfers, any time, anywhere
• No overdraft fees
• Safer than cash
• No debt, no interest
• 22,000 in-network ATMS
• Thousands of cool and unique card designs.

Just a heads up.  This card is not a gift card, so you cannot give or receive the card.  The downfall and I consider this a pretty big one:  The card is only free for 30 days and then a $5.95 monthly fee is charged.  This will be waived if your have a direct deposit over $800 in the previous 30 days.  Many banks have free checking now, so to pay for a card seems silly to me.  I would use this card to split up my money into spending and bills, but my spending wouldn't reach $800 in a month so I would be faced with the fee.

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Disclosure: I have been compensated to write to this review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Oh, Canada!

I hear all the time how having a baby takes away the spontaneity in your life.  I feel like it does the complete opposite.  How the heck are you suppose to plan, when this little being cannot discuss his plan with you.  I see it as, oh the baby is happy today, what can we do?

This is just how I approached last weekend.  Dufda and I were getting pretty bored with our routine.  I got to work on Friday and shot him a message to see if he would like to take a trip to Canada.  I have been wanting to show him the Falls and we had no plans for the weekend.  He said sure and I booked the trip.   When I got home and we were talking about the trip this conversation happened:

"Babe are we staying on the American side?"
"No, Dufda we are staying on the Canadian side.  I already check and you won't get deported."
"You mean we are going to Canada tomorrow?"
"Yes, we are going to Canada tomorrow."
"Like as in a different country?"
"Yes, it is a different country."
"Hopefully we can eat some Canadian food."

 We left at 5:30 am the next day.  I promised I wouldn't stress.  Stress is something I do all the time when I travel.  My new motto is, "If I forget it, I can buy it, these places have stores."  I manged to get all of our belongings into a carry on size bag and we were good to go.

Nugget's favorite time of the day is like 4 am.  I shutter at the thought of his running around in the morning when he starts to walk.  Anyway, this goes in our favor when you are planning a road trip.  We wanted to leave bright and early and Nugget cooperated completely.  Niagara Falls is about 4 hours away according to Map Quest, add in a 6 month old and a husband that pees just as frequently, it took us about 6 hours.

When we got there it started to look like it was going to rain.  Rain would sure ruin my trip since we were only going to be there a total of like 30 hours.  Our hotel wasn't ready yet, so we got a parking spot and head to the Falls.  Good thing we brought the rain cover for the stroller, because rain it did.  When Dufda saw the falls, his reaction, "Why are they so small?"  He sure knows how to take the excitement out of anything.  He rescinded his statement when he saw the bigger falls.  Nugget was so excited about the falls...he fell asleep.  We had lunch at Outback Steakhouse since I never want to drive the 30 minutes to the one that is closest to us.  It was a pretty big disappointment so now I know we aren't missing anything.  We then had to wait there until 3 pm since we had no hotel and it was now monsooning outside.

We stayed at the Baymont Inn and Suite at the Falls.  The location was great, maybe ten minute walk to the Falls, less than that to Clifton Hill.  Our hotel room was surprising large for a low end room.  We got in, changed our clothes and head out.  I wasn't going to let a little rain ruin my sightseeing.  Dufda, on the other hand, think vampires to sun and you get Dufda to rain.  He has three umbrellas in our car...you know in case the first two break, you wouldn't want to get wet.  He doesn't even have hair that it would matter if he got caught in the rain.  Anyway, in my effort to conserve space I brought all of one outfit for me to wear.  Motherhood had greatly lowered my need to look spectacular and has made packing way easier.  That one outfit got wet in a hurry.  

We headed out to the Falls and enjoyed watching people.  We stopped at Tim Horton's and got some snacks.  I would have really liked to show Dufda the Falls at night, but Nugget goes to be at 7:30 so we did miss that.  Oh well, they aren't going anywhere.  We stopped and got Falafel sandwiches on the way to our room for dinner.  Dufda kept saying he wanted to eat something Canadian, I still don't know what this would be, but we had steak and middle eastern food, same stuff we would have eaten if we were here.  We were both exhausted and were in bed by 8:40 pm.

Cock-a-doodle-dooo.  We woke up bright and early so we could get a different prospective of the Falls.  And so Dufda can use all of his lenses on his camera....There were close to no people out and it made it great to walk with our huge hunkin stroller.  The weather was chilly but wonderful since it was egg frying status at home.  I was so excited to dress Nugget up in all of his new falls clothes I just bought...then I realized they were already to small....awesome. 

But really, the morning made up for the crappy weather the day before.  We got in a nice 4 hour stroll and headed back to our room to pack.  We were on road by 11am.  Another six hours later and we were home relaxing.  It was just what we needed really.

Have you taken any spontaneous trips lately?

Boba 3G Review

Disclosure: I am have received the Boba 3G in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

If you follow my blog, you know I am in the camp of -You can only hold your babies for so long-.  To facilitate this, being that I have an 18 pound baby, I babywear and I babywear frequently.  Need to do the dishes...babywear.  Need to fold laundry...babywear.  Dufda says he couldn't get anything done...Why didn't you put the baby in his carrier?  It is the solution to many issues and the savior to any hope my house will be clean again.  I think 95.% of new moms have said, "My baby only wants to be held, I can't get anything done, what should I do?"  Put that baby in a carrier and get on with your life.  Now that I have stepped off my babywearing soap box...Which carrier should you get?  The options are endless: wrap, woven, ring sling, mei tei, soft structure carrier.  Believe we have tried them all.

The one that we are reviewing today is the Boba Carrier 3G.  This is a soft structured carrier (SSC), which means there is no wrapping involved and will use buckles to secure the baby to your body.  At first look you may think that this is similar to other SSC, but there are definitely some upgrades that makes the Boba stand out from the crowd.

The Boba is versatile:  Most SSC's require an infant insert to carry a smaller baby, the Boba does not require that.  If your newborn is over 7 pounds, you are able to carry them in the Boba. 

 Since we touched on one end of the spectrum, what about older babies?  The Boba has removable foot straps to keep their legs in a comfortable position.  The straps will also maintain the correct seat to ensure no additional stress is put on the hips or spine.  The body of the Boba is also a little higher than most carriers.  This provides support to taller babies and keeps your center of gravity closer to your body.

Front Carry:



Back Carry:

The Boba is easy to use:  One of the biggest complaints I have with SSC's is that I can't get the back strap done with a front carry.  Boba has a back strap with an adjustable height.  I am able to let out the straps completely, put Nugget in the carrier and comfortably buckle and tighten the back strap.  Boba has a complete list on instructions for all carries available.  Since the Boba is easy to use....

The Boba is Daddy Friendly:  I have been trying to get Dufda to babywear to make his life easier from the beginning.  The problem is that most of my carriers are feminine.  When I was choosing the color for the Boba, I went with solid black because you can't go wrong with black.  He also agreed that he would have worn the gray as well if I would have went in that direction.  Dufda was able to put Nugget up in the carrier and go grocery shopping all by himself.  The other day I came home from work and he greeted me at the door...baby in the Boba...Dinner on the table.

The Boba is perfect for an on the go mom:  This carrier has a front pocket that will easily hold your phone.  It also has shoulder straps that will secure a purse or diaper bag and keep them from falling down.  The look is sleek because it hugs your child.  This makes it less bulky than other carriers.  You are able to do a front or back carry with the Boba.  Back is my favorite because it allows for more freedom while going about my day.  Front is great if you would need to nurse while on the go.  You can loosen the arm straps to drop your baby down and give him access to the breast.  The Boba has a removable hood as well, for naps or to provide some extra coverage while nursing.

The Boba is made for just about everyone:  The Boba is extremely adjustable.  The waistband can range from 25"-58" and is made for people who are between 5'0 - 6'3.  The fit was an issue for me at the beginning.  I have narrow shoulders and felt like the straps were going to keep slipping.  After using it more, I was able to fix this issue with the back strap positioning.  I was also able to put it on and off by myself by using the sliding back strap.

I have started to like the Boba so much that I have rarely used my wraps since I received this carrier.  It definitely has a small learning curve, but after you get the fit right, it is very comfortable and looks great on.  My one small complaint...it collects everything.  We have a big white dog and the Boba is now covered in dog hair.

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Disclosure: I am have received the Boba 3G in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

The Solution to Bottle Feeding a Breast fed Baby -Calma by Medela

Disclosure: I have received the Calma bottle in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

I remember reading some study that suggested babies be breastfed until they are one year old and 6 months for working mothers.  This made my stomach sink.  I know that the odds are against me and my breastfeeding relationship with my baby.  The CDC recently put out the Breastfeeding report card and in the my state of Pennsylvania, only 14.1% of mothers are exclusively breastfeeding their 6 month old.   That number is closer to 40% at 3 months and I can't help but think the reason for the drop is that in America most of us are required to go back to work after 12 weeks of maternity leave.

When I returned to work I felt like I armed myself with lots of tools to sustain my breastfeeding relationship.  I had an awesome pump, I stocked up on mother's milk tea and Fenugreek and I read Kellymom.com everyday preparing myself, as well as my husband, to properly bottle feed a breastfed baby.

Not even one month in, I came home and Nugget was crying because he was hungry and had gotten use to the bottle and wasn't willing to wait for a let down.  This obviously caused me to cry to...was this the end?  Would I need to finish out the year I hoped to breastfeed, exclusively pumping?  I turned to Kellymom.com once again and scoured Amazon for what I could buy to remedy this situation.  The suggestions included a cup, a sippy or a syringe.  None of these seemed feasible at the time.  Then I found Calma by Medela.

Calma is different than all those other bottles that say they are close to breast.  If they are similar in form, they do not even come close to being similar in function.  While feeding at the breast, Nugget has to work for his food.  A suction must be created in order to draw out the milk.  My breast is also not a constant flow, so unlike most bottles, Calma does not drip.  The flow is created entirely by vacuum.  Since this nipple mimics that natural way of sucking that your baby learns, the transition from breast to bottle is without tears.

Calma has saved Nugget and I's breastfeeding relationship.  There are so many other hurdles you must face as a breastfeeding working mother, don't let your selection of bottle be the downfall.  One simple change can  make the separation from your baby worlds easier.

Medela is a great resource for everything that you will need during your breastfeeding years.  Would you like to purchase a Calma bottle?  They are available at several stores.

- Keep up with Medela -

iBreastfeeding App - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest

Disclosure: I have received the Calma bottle in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

Duds for Little Dude

I feel like this is my life:

When I found out I was having a boy, I envisioned him dressed in fancy polos and destroyed denim.  Really, who has time for that when everything you put on them gets messed up?  I still want him to look stylin' but it is so hard to find little boys clothes.  If you do find a selection, I bet it is full of baseball, footballs and all sorts of sports related clothing items.  Don't get me wrong...I am not totally against character clothing.  I love a good monster/ dinosaur/ truck outfit just as much as the next boy mom.  There are just times that I would like to find some trendier/ fancier clothes.  So where do you find these?  I have created a list of what I have come across:

Daper Lad:

Haddon&Co make the cutest cardigan sets.  You can basically pick what ever colors you want and even add suspenders and Fedoras!

Preppy Fellow:

You can't go wrong with a classic outfit from Chaps.  They start at 12 months and are excellent quality

Sophisticated Dude:

If I want Nugget to be a little more put together, Ralph Lauren Polo is a great choice.  Their baby clothes start at newborn, too!

Playful Sprout:

This ensemble is actually from Carter's.  Carter's is always tricky.  You may only be able to find monkey's or you may be able to find some normal clothes.  They have great coupons as well as sales all the time.

Some others that we haven't tried yet, but are going to soon:

H&M - They just recently started online shopping and their little boys clothes are so freakin' cute!  They are very reasonably priced as well.

Sozo - Now they have some characters and cartoony items but I think over all their clothes are very cute!

Baby Gap - We love shopping the sale racks of Baby Gap.  Am I going to spend $24.95 on a pair of baby jeans?  Probably not, but they are really cute!

The list is short because I am still trying to figure out where to get him cute outfits from.  Do you have any suggestions?

Baby Led Weaning

We are approaching that 6 month mark and solids are the talk of the town.  I'm not going to lie, I am kind of sad.  I love that I provide what my baby needs.  Solids mean he is growing up and becoming a little boy.  Just as there is debate about formula fed versus breastfed, there is also a debate regarding when to start feeding your baby solids and how to go about it.

We have chosen to introduce solids through baby-led weaning.  Most have never heard of this concept and are only familiar with traditional weaning where you would feed pureed food to the baby.  So what is baby-led weaning?  Really it is just letting you baby feed themselves.  If you wait till the 6 month mark, which is now suggested, you baby can handle digesting table food.  They are also more than capable of feeding themselves. So here is my break down of baby led weaning:

Weaning is a loose term:  Although you are preparing your baby to be off of breast milk or formula, this should still remain as their main source of nutrients until they are at least a year old.  Babies do not know yet that table food will make them full or satisfy their hunger, this is a learned concept.  It is best to make sure that you nurse your baby prior to offering table food to ensure they are getting all the nutrients that are needed and will not get frustrated while learning to feed themselves.  Weaning will take time, so this isn't an instant change.

What do I feed my baby?: You feed them just what you eat would be the simple answer.  Do you eat Mcdonalds everyday?  Maybe baby led weaning isn't for you then.  You need to introduce clean and healthy foods that are nutritious for your baby.  There is no need to leave off the spices or cook anything fancy.  The key is to make sure your food is in easy grab-able pieces.  I never add extra salt to anything I am giving Nugget either.  When most babies are eating peas and sweat potatoes and have a very bland diet, baby led weaning allows for a variety of food.  We did not introduce food separately because neither Dufda or I do not have any food allergies.  Nugget has been eating for a couple of weeks now and has had:

• hummus
• yogurt
• carrots
• broccoli
• pears
• apple
• banana
• broccoli and cheese casserole
• roast
• poatoes
• corn on the cob 

So they feed themselves...What is the mess like?:  As you can imagine we are not teaching table manors to a six months old....or are you?  I would keep the elbows off the table for a later date, but we are teaching that food is fun, food is good and food is social.  The fun part does play into the mess.  You baby will throw food.  He will cover himself in whatever you give him.  You may suck hummus out of their nose on occasion.  This is all part of the learning experience.  Have OCD about cleaning...maybe this isn't for you.  I bought two cheap black table cloths that I put under the high chair to catch all the food.  Two, one for the wash and one for the floor, black so they at least kind of match my house.  Best solution for the mess, get one of these:

How much is my baby eating?:  I am very lax on quantity and frequency of food and feedings.  If my baby is gaining weight and happy I don't care how much he eats.  At first, your baby will consume very little, if anything at all.  Once they get better at feeding themselves, they will eat more and more.  You will become ever fascinated by the contents of your child's diaper as they start to digest solid food.

Won't my baby choke?:  This is the most common questions I get asked.  At 6 month's old, your baby's gag reflex is closer to the front of their mouth than that of ours.  This means that yes, your baby will gag.  Gagging is different than choking.  Gagging is an important survival reflex that is needed to be learned by babies.  Nugget has not choked once but I don't doubt that it could happen.  Babies also choke on purees, so this isn't a real reason to not introduce food in this manor.

What makes Baby led weaning different?:  With purees, the baby is sucking the food past his taste buds and swallowing immediately.  He is not really tasting the food or learning how to manipulate it with his mouth.  A BLW baby is learning to first chew then swallow his food.  This process gets them use to all different kinds of textures of food.  It is also believed that babies know best.  Specially breastfed babies, they choose when they are hungry and pull off when they are finished.  This concept translates into BLW.  Babies will eat what they need and stop when they are full.  No more forcing your child to eat or spoon feeding.  There is also a chance that you baby is able to know that a food will cause an allergy or adverse reaction and will not choose that food when placed in front of them.

What do I need to get started?:  There are no Baby Bullets or ice cube trays needed in order to baby led wean.

•  I would get a super easy to clean high chair.  We love ours because everything can be thrown in the washer.  The top part of the tray pops off to make cleaning easier and anything to assist with the mess is greatly appreciated.  
• We use bibs, but really I just strip Nugget down and put him in the bathtub right after so I don't feel like I need to invest in a lot of bibs.  
• Two table cloths to catch the mess.
• Fun dishware to learn basic skills.  We found these spoons and they are great.  If it falls on the ground it flips upward so the spoon part doesn't touch the ground.  The ball makes it easy for little hands to hold as well.

Have you tried baby led weaning?  What is your babies favorite food?