The highs and lows of weaning can be very stressful. I don't know whether it was because I'm an older Mum this time round but I started to worry about not doing it right. I got upset about hearing my friends saying their baby was doing just fine, way ahead of anything I would dream of feeding my baby and even feeding themselves, while I panicked everytime my baby put anything, however small, in his mouth!
My advice here is, trust your instincts. Don't stress about how or what your little one is eating. Its a wonderful time of food exploration for your baby and an amazing time for you to witness, everyday, the new tastes and textures your baby discovers.
If a friend's baby is more advanced, congratulate them but don't copy them. Babies develop at different rates and mothers do too! It didn't feel right to give my baby breadsticks or soft carrot sticks in the early stages of weaning, even though my health visitor said, 'go for it'. I didn't and the more I trusted my instincts, the more I became less stressed and the happier my baby was.