The Darkside of Babyled Weaning...

Let me start by saying, I love Babyled Weaning.

It's definitely one of the best parenting decisions I've made. (Ooh, that was a scary sentence to type - check me out all grown up. yikes.)


We've been super lucky in that The Little Dude took to it like the proverbial duck to water - happily chowing down on anything he could get his hands on. (And if that happened to be whatever mummy & daddy were trying to eat, all the better. We can get round to teaching table manners and decorum at a later date... right?)

Now, we're at a point where he basically has mini portions of whatever we're having, which is great as it encourages Mummy & Daddy to eat lots of veggies & generally err on the side of healthy and nutritious (honestly couldn't tell you the last time we had Chinese takeaway!), but it also presents a little problem.
As you more experienced mummys will know, babies need a healthy diet, but they also need lots of calories.
Which means: full. fat. everything.

Just to quantify that, I have diligently bought reduced fat healthy options of everything other than chocolate & cake (if you're gonna do it, do it right.) for as long as I can remember. Now, my fridge is choc-full of full fat cheese, full fat houmous, WHOLE milk...


And I know, I know - I could abstain, keep buying the healthy versions too, but seriously - Have you tasted full fat Philadelphia? I always thought the skinny version was pretty great, but there is absolutely no comparison.
It's lucky really that the full fat revolution coincides with The Little Dude mobilising and therefore my spending much of everyday running interference between him & impending doom, otherwise, I would surely be the size of a house.

And that, friends, is the darkside of Babyled Weaning.  And possibly the real culprit behind the curse of the mummy tummy.  Maybe.

What do you think? What did you/are you secretly indulging in under the guise that you 'buy it for the baby'? - own up! (I won't tell, promise.)

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I weally weally wanna wean!

So the little dude is now 15 weeks old - still two weeks away from what 'they' (the all knowing, all powerful, super health professionals!), say is the absolute earliest a baby should start having solid food. (not that baby rice strikes me as all that solid, but whatever.)

The signs 'they' tell you to watch for, include:

~Attempting to put things in his or her mouth - has been attempting to get his whole fist in his mouth since day one - is now also trying my fingers, any and all available toys, muslin squares, his feet, and occasionally, the dog.
~Making chewing motions - again, since birth!
~Doubling their birth weight - check.
~Holding his or her head up and controlling head movements ~Sitting well when supported - yep & yep.
~Displaying curiosity about what you are eating. - And then some! I was having lunch with a friend yesterday, LD was sat on my lap, dropped his squeaky giraffe, as I leaned over to retrieve it, he launched himself at my sandwich!! Don't try & tell me that wasn't planned - the little monster is smarter than he lets on!!

So my question, is this:
Am I being an irresponsible mummy if I go for it at 17 weeks, rather than waiting for the more widely recommended 6 months?
Mummies whose monsters are already munching (loving the alliteration today aren't I?), when did you start?
And also, what do I need?

I'm very aware of not wanting to feed the little dude jars of processed mush - I'd much rather he had home cooked mush. So is it as simple as just blending tiny portions of whatever we're having? Or do I need to make separate cuisine for mushing up?

I know, I am the picture of cluelessness!!
All I am good at so far, is gazing lovingly at all the tommee tippy spoons, and bowls, and dinky little pots for putting stuffs in (I don't know what stuffs though), and some more cute little bowls... and maybe a sippy cup... oh, and those bibs that are like overalls! God I love baby shopping :D

Need help please!

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The Curse of the Mummy (tummy)

Disclaimer: I adore my little man. He is without a doubt the very best thing I've ever done, and he might only be 11 weeks old, but I really can't imagaine life without him.
He's Brilliant.

However, I hate what having him has done to my body!

Now to be fair, I was never destined for super model-ness. To be honest, up until I was about 16, I'd have considered myself chunky. But, I put in the effort, discovered healthy eating (okay, selective healthy eating), gentle exercise, and ended up with a reasonably toned, curvy size 14 figure.

And I was happy with that! I never really wanted to be super skinny - I like food too much for a start!

And of course I knew that having a baby would take it's toll - I was prepared for the stretch marks & the swollen ankles, but 11 weeks on, I naively thought I might atleast be back in my pre-preggo jeans.

Guess again Leslieanne!

I can get into my back-up-fat-day jeans - just. (As in, I can button them up, but sitting down is painful & potentially embarassing), but that's it.
And I'm a girl who loves her jeans. I have 10 diferent pairs! (and no, I don't think it's excessive!!)

It's not been so bad the last couple of weeks - summer = dresses = yay :) (though all my cute little tea dresses are out on account of the huge new boobs!) - but today it's ben chucking down raining, and the mummy tummy has made me cross.

My maternity jeans are falling to pieces having been worn to death, and I'm bored sick of leggings.

So, action is needed!!
I'm setting myself a goal - to be back in my favourite jeans by the end of the month.
It might be a little over-zealous, but I need the goal, the motivation, so there it is. Gauntlet thrown down!
I know I can't 'diet' (hate that word anyway :P) as I'm still breastfeeding, so i'm just going to be strict - no more naughties (or very few, anyway), healthy snacks, loads of veggies, all that stuff.
And sit ups. I HATE situps, they are evil. But they're also the only sure-fire way I know of flattening le tummy.
(top tip - I usually do them in the bath - tis easier!!)

Wish me luck :)

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