The Banana Test
The test for when babies are ready for solid foods is supposed to be that they can sit up, reach out, take a piece of banana and put it into their mouths. They usually reach this developmental stage by 6 months, which is now the recommended time to begin weaning.
Well, Abigail is only 4 and a half months, but she has been sitting in her chair (not unsupported, admittedly), reaching out and grabbing toys, and putting them straight into her mouth for some time, so I thought there couldn't be any harm in trying the banana test to see what she would do.
The results so far:
Day 1: The experiment started on a whim with a cooked carrot stick. Abigail sat on my lap at the table in the restaurant looking at my plate, so I put a carrot stick within reach. She didn't take it. I tried to encourage the experiment along (OK, cheat) by putting the carrot into her hand, just to give her the idea; she looked at it, then leaned forward and (with extraordinary dexterity, considering that she usually just drops stuff she's not interested in) gently replaced it on the table.
Day 2: This morning at breakfast, I sat Abigail in her swing chair, which is upright and has a tray. I put a large chunk of banana on the tray. She ignored it entirely and instead, watched every mouthful that I put into my own mouth (also a good sign of when to wean) and then imitated me chewing, which was hilarious and very cute. But the banana remained untouched, even when I drew her attention to it by holding it out to her. When I touched her hand with it, she made an attempt to grab it, but mushed her hand right through it and then spread the mush around her clothes and chair. It never went anywhere near her mouth.
Ah well.
Well, Abigail is only 4 and a half months, but she has been sitting in her chair (not unsupported, admittedly), reaching out and grabbing toys, and putting them straight into her mouth for some time, so I thought there couldn't be any harm in trying the banana test to see what she would do.
The results so far:
Day 1: The experiment started on a whim with a cooked carrot stick. Abigail sat on my lap at the table in the restaurant looking at my plate, so I put a carrot stick within reach. She didn't take it. I tried to encourage the experiment along (OK, cheat) by putting the carrot into her hand, just to give her the idea; she looked at it, then leaned forward and (with extraordinary dexterity, considering that she usually just drops stuff she's not interested in) gently replaced it on the table.
Day 2: This morning at breakfast, I sat Abigail in her swing chair, which is upright and has a tray. I put a large chunk of banana on the tray. She ignored it entirely and instead, watched every mouthful that I put into my own mouth (also a good sign of when to wean) and then imitated me chewing, which was hilarious and very cute. But the banana remained untouched, even when I drew her attention to it by holding it out to her. When I touched her hand with it, she made an attempt to grab it, but mushed her hand right through it and then spread the mush around her clothes and chair. It never went anywhere near her mouth.
Ah well.