Obviously, different things work for different parents and babies, but thought I'd add a voice from a thus far successful experience with exclusive BLW. I started BLW with my baby at 5 1/2 months after he started grabbing food out of my hand and sticking it in his mouth and it's worked a treat for us. It's not always perfect - he sometimes gets frustrated if something keeps slipping from his hand, but he's now 7 months and I'm amazed at how his dexterity has improved and he can get just about any food he wants in his mouth. He does gag sometimes, but has never choked. He gags much less now than in the beginning and only really gags with something new. In terms of the amount he's eating, he still breastfeeds quite a lot, but he's obviously getting a decent amount of food based on what I find in his nappies! That said, I think the book is not very well written and lacks practical guidance. I pretty much just "winged" it based on my instincts. If anyone wants to talk to me about it, feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to give my phone number for a chat. -A