Adventures in baby led solids

I tried starting my youngest on solids at around 4 mth because our doctor told us she was ready. It didn't go well and because of the extra iron in the rice cereal she got really constipated. I found out later that fortified rice cereal isn't really that great of a first food because of all the extra iron.

When she was around 5 mths, I tried again with some purees that I had made myself and all she did was spit it out. She also seemed to want to be more involved in her eating as she was grabbing at the spoon. Around that time I read about baby led weaning (or baby led solids) and I was intrigued. It makes sense to teach them to feed themselves rather than teach them to be fed and then teach them how to feed themselves later. This way it helps her learn hand-eye coordination as well.

So, I started giving her pieces of food in sizes large enough for her to hold it in her hand and I let her at it. We haven't yet found a food that she doesn't like. She sits there kicking her feet and grunting.

No, I'm not afraid of her choking on food. I'm introducing softer more chewable (or gummable in her case) foods. Yes, she has gagged now and then but that happens with purees as well, even water or a milk can cause baby to gag. She eats supervised so I'm there to help if she needs me, but most of the time, she's in control and she seems to really get a kick out of it.

So far she's tried:
Avocado
Banana (try to limit this one right now because it's mosquito season)
Bread
Chicken
Sweet Potato
Carrot
Rice
Veggie Pasta

I have found this blog quite helpful, recommended to me by a friend, and if you click 'search by week' she breaks it down by the age and shares what the response was. Very helpful for me in choosing what foods Betsy will be ready for.