Ditto the book charlie recommended. Baby Led Weaning by Gill Rapley
It explains why you don't need to start off with purees at 6 months as baby is around this developmentally ready to chew and is able to start off holding finger foods and chewing the right kinds of food. Also the gag reflex is able to kick in and its good that baby can learn for him/herself where that is by controlling what they put in their mouths.
We have followed the BLW route and the only purees Galen has eaten is stewed apple and erm
stewed apple
Although I do mash up some fruits to go in his yogurt sometimes is all. But not purees as a meal all mixed in etc.
TBH its more about letting your baby explore and try things themselves rather than you controlling what they eat and how from a spoon. Yes its messy but we found that the really messy stage passed pretty quickly and now after about 2.5 months he eats far more efficiently and is able to pick food from in front of himself and decide what he wants to eat of it. Also he will try everything and anything food wise as he chooses. If he isn't keen on something he leaves it and we try it again a week later or so. Often his palete has changed and he'll then eat it.
Also you can start off on the softer finger foods it you are worried about things. Also there is far less pressure on you as a Mum working to prepare food in BLW as your LO pretty much eats what you eat. So no cooking and making purees, just give baby a bit of what you have really. Also as its 'real' food LO won't experience the purees in jars either so won't have any association with overly sweetened foods etc.
We add no sugar to anything for Galen, we sweeten Weetabix with a bit of banana sometimes. He has plain natural yogurt (sometimes with fruit mixed in) so he has learnt that is his pudding food and eats things like porridge or toast for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit for lunch and anything from roast veggies and fish to cottage pie, chicken and veggies and spag bol. He has also tried all kinds of egg foods and rice meals. And other things that I forget now. Also when we go out he eats a bit of what we eat
More than happy.
I'd really recommended having a read of the BLW book and the BLW blog thread here started by beanie iirc. Its maybe on page 2 or 3 of feeding section now.
