Dude! Where's my spoon?

Hi Everyone, so well over a week since my last awful punned filled blog. This last week and a bit we overcome, over done and over worked Baby Led Weaning (BLW) as we are now a month and a half in.

I wanted to focus this weeks blog on the spoon. Not the history of the spoon...

***though for those interested*** 

But the use of the spoon or utensils in general for BLW babies. I've read that from nine months old a BLW little one can take a bread stick, carrot baton etc and dip it into sauce such as humus. That
knowledge of picking something up and dipping in then putting it into your mouth is possible from that point (nine months...we all know that's an average rather than the norm). What about utensils?
Surely the same concept? Apparently not, again averages are that a baby can feed themselves using
utensils from 12-15 months.

This spoon debate came about as I was trying to think of new exciting things for G-R to try out for breakfast. Weetabix, a British family favourite was the first things that came to mind. So regardless of whether G-R could use a spoon or not we gave it a go. Using one Weetabix (other brands are available) and enough Whole Milk to create a thick sludge of cereal.
Now fellow BLW mums and dads may ponder whether next step is true BLW, but at the time I couldn't think of another way to let her try this new food. I took her spoon, put some cereal on it and then handed it to her. With intrigue G-R took the spoon, at its handle and moved it towards her face...amazing I thought she can use a spoon already...the contents then went straight onto her eyebrow before moving down her cheek and then finally into her mouth! Whether G-R knows something we don't and that Weetabix makes a good cleansing face-mask  or she couldn't quite get that coordination. A few spoons filled by me and handed to her she got the idea, however being a BLW baby she also grabbed some by hand and stuffed it into her mouth. A very messy experimental breakfast moment.

So back to fruit, crumpets, toast with Jam for breakfast for a few days. Then G-R's second favourite chef, Chef Daddy stepped in to offer her pancakes and scrambled eggs at the weekend.


After researching I stumbled upon recipes for Porridge Fingers...the idea being your BLW baby can have a oat based breakfast without the need for spoons (until they are ready). As is often my baking way I merged two recipes and gave them a go.

My recipe and method

Ingredients: 3 tbsp of Porridge oats, 3 tbsp of Whole Milk (could use expressed or formula), 1 mushed up banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon,

Method: Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mix. Spoon into two ramekins and flatten around to the edge. Microwave for one minute and then into the oven (around 180 degrees) and bake for around 4mins or until you can see golden brown oats on the top.




I then cut round the edge and like a sandcastle tipped onto a cooling rack to cool down. Cut them in half to be more finger friendly and voila!

All in all about ten minutes...winner all around and G-R tucked in, cinnamon being a new flavour got a few funny faces at first but she really enjoyed them. There are lots of recipe combo's for these porridge fingers so well worth trying them out.

Next week our biggest challenge of BLW yet...we are going abroad. Although looking forward to a nice break just the three of us (sorry G-R four if you count Wallace the Giraffe teddy) and going All inclusive should help things we are still a little unsure of how things will go. I'll update in my next blog!

Happy BLW until next time (I think I need a catch phrase to sign off on...or not that might be a bit too Tess Daly)

Hannah xx