BABY-LED WEANING: first tastes

I've been thinking a lot about control. I like to be in control of my finances, our kitchen cupboards and of course, my bodily functions. We're not talking freakishly controlling, just enthusiatically organsied. So the core principle of baby-led weaning could be challenging for me - your baby is in control of what she eats, when and how much, and you sit on your hands.

A common weaning question is 'when should I start weaning my baby?'. But there ain't no 'I' in the BLW. You simply watch baby watching you eat. When they look very interested and try and grab the food out of your hand, that's the cue to introduce solids.

Gracie is an observer. People often comment on how alert she is so my every action is quietly noted, from drying my hair to peeling carrots. And to start with eating was just another spectator sport until the sandwich incident at five and half months.

While I was eating a supermarket cheese and pickle sarnie (I'd prefer not to reveal which supermarket, we had to do a smash and grab while on the road), she lunged forward and clamped down on the malted granary bread, sucking eagerly on the mild cheddar. A few days later, she excitedly nibbled on a bread roll and then on a park outing, attacked my ham and cheese baguette.

The baby has given the nod. Give me food and make it snappy. And who am I to argue.