Baby-Led Weaning

I don't use the conventional 'spoon feed' your baby at 6 mo. approach. 
With my first 4 I did.  Couldn't wait to put them on cereal and purees!  Then along came Matthew boy...
A fat, healthy, thriving on breast milk alone- baby till 10 mo!  I went to  a natural mothering group and they weren't feeding their babies solids till 12 mo.- with studies to back it up . 
Even when I worked perdiem in the Pediatric ED I would pump or Mike would bring him to me on my lunch break and Id nurse him.  He was just as fat as he could be!
With the next baby, Rachael, I attempted to spoon feed her at 6 mo...have no idea why... and she cried the whole time I tried!  So we stopped that and I did the same thing with her.  Table foods around 10 mo.  This year I read a neat book Baby-Led Weaning by Gil Rapley.  I was able to incorporate some of things I have done in the past with new ideas.  The basic premise of the book is that its best for baby to learn to feed themselves.  If they control the food and feeding they wont overeat, as a baby can being spoon fed.  So around 6- 8 mo when a baby is able to sit upright and gasp objects, he can start. You will notice your baby taking interest in the foods you eat, and wanting to grab your plate. Just because they show an interest in your food, doesnt mean they want or need you to start spoon feeding them.  He simply needs to experiment and learn how to feed himself.  No need to supplement with foods when breastmilk is all he needs. The first few months are experimenting with textures, grasping, and learning not to gag.

There is a difference between choking and gagging.  Its ok for a baby to gag as he is learning to control his eating.  After a while baby gets adept at choosing foods they need. 

To do baby led weaning you breastfeed (or bottle feed) first, then sit baby down with the family for a meal.  Either on your lap (be prepared for a mess) or chair- never reclined.  Put soft, not mushy foods near so he can grab which ones he chooses.  Meats are good in 2 in strips as baby suck nutrients out as the meat softens. Toast is better than bread, as it wont get mushy like bread.  Pita or toast with hummus is one of Elissah's faves!  You may be wondering about starting foods one at a time...but that really is related to babies under 6 mo. whose digestive system isn't ready for foods. Or if there is a family history of food allergies.  Gill's book covers those topics.  Peanut butter is one you would wait on, and honey till after a year.  At 8 1/2 mo. Elissah has tried carrots, beans, pasta, steak, chicken, pita, hummus, eggs, potatoes, french fry, chicken nugget, sweet potatoe fry, cauloflower, broccoli, brown rice, toast, rolls, strawberries, tomatoes, apples, bananas, cheese stick, and organic spinach puffs. Not in any particular order and all without teeth.  She is having a great time experimenting with her food choices and in a few months will actually eat for nutrition not for fun!