Hey, mama! So, you’re thinking about baby led weaning and wondering if it’s the right approach for your family. You’re not alone! As a first time mom, it’s totally normal to feel a little unsure about how to navigate introducing solids to your baby.
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While traditional purees are a popular starting point, baby led weaning is a growing trend that’s gaining a lot of attention. But what is it exactly? And is it safe? Don’t worry! I’m here to break it all down for you with this complete guide!
What is Baby Led Weaning (BLW)?
Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is an approach to introducing solids where your baby skips the pureed foods and instead feeds themselves with whole, finger-friendly foods right from the start.
This means offering your baby soft, bite-sized pieces of real food, allowing them to explore textures, flavors, and self-feeding.
The idea is that babies are naturally able to handle finger foods and eat with their hands as long as they are developmentally ready.
Moreover, BLW encourages babies to self-regulate their eating, building fine motor skills, and fostering independence while learning to enjoy family meals.
When Is My Baby Ready for Baby Led Weaning?
In general, BLW is recommended for babies who are at least 6 months old and are developmentally ready to handle solids. The signs that your baby might be ready include:
- Sitting up unassisted Your baby should be able to sit with minimal support, which helps with safety during mealtime.
- Good head and neck control Your baby needs to be able to support their head and neck independently to safely chew and swallow food.
- Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex At 6 months, babies naturally begin to lose the reflex that pushes food out of their mouths, allowing them to swallow more easily.
- Curiosity about food If your baby is reaching for your food or watching you intently during mealtime, they might be ready to start exploring solids.
As always, it’s a good idea to check in with your pediatrician to make sure BLW is a good fit for your baby’s developmental stage.
What Are The Benefits of BLW?
Why are so many parents choosing baby led weaning? Here are some of the potential benefits:
- Encourages Independence By allowing your baby to feed themselves, you’re promoting a sense of autonomy from the start. Babies love to explore, and BLW lets them take the lead in their feeding journey.
- Supports Motor Skills Development Grasping food, bringing it to their mouths, and chewing are all important skills that help your baby develop hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and oral motor skills.
- Fosters Healthy Eating Habits BLW encourages babies to explore a variety of textures, flavors, and food groups. This can lead to a more positive relationship with food as they grow.
- Family Mealtime Integration One of the best parts of BLW is that your baby can eat the same meals as the rest of the family. No separate meals, no extra work—just a natural part of the family’s eating routine.
- Prevents Picky Eating By exposing your baby to different tastes and textures early on, BLW may help reduce the chances of picky eating later in life.
How to Start Baby Led Weaning?
Ready to dive into baby led weaning? Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Choose Appropriate Foods
The first foods you introduce should be soft, easy-to-grip, and cut into manageable pieces. For example:
- Soft fruit: Pears, bananas, or avocados sliced into strips or small chunks.
- Steamed veggies: Carrot sticks, sweet potato wedges, or broccoli florets.
- Toast or waffles: Whole wheat toast or soft waffles cut into strips or chunks.
- Soft proteins: Shredded chicken, scrambled eggs, or cooked fish.
- Pasta: Soft, small pasta shapes like fusilli or penne (cut into small pieces)
Keep It Simple
Start with just one or two foods and see how your baby reacts. There’s no need for complicated recipes at first—just soft, safe options that your baby can easily grasp and explore.
Offer Foods at Mealtime
Once you start offering solids, aim for family mealtimes. Your baby can join in and try to grab the food on their plate.
Moreover, let them experiment with different textures and flavors, but be patient—this is more about exploration than actual eating in the beginning!
Watch for Choking Hazards
BLW emphasizes safety, so you’ll need to be cautious of choking hazards.
For example, foods should be cut into long strips or small pieces (about the size of a finger). Avoid foods that are round, hard, or slippery (like whole grapes, nuts, or whole cherries).
Avoid Salt, Sugar, and Honey
As with any introduction of solids, avoid foods with added salt, sugar, or honey. Stick to natural flavors as much as possible.
Let Them Get Messy
BLW can be very messy! It’s all part of the process, so don’t stress about the mess.
For example, get a wipeable baby highchair, a few coverall bibs, and a towel ready for cleanup, and let your baby enjoy the sensory experience. I also recommend to get Num Num self feeding spoons.
Key Tips for Success with Baby Led Weaning
- Breast Milk or Formula Is Still the Primary Nutrition Keep in mind that your baby’s main source of nutrition should still be breast milk or formula until they are around 12 months old. Solids are more about introducing new textures, tastes, and practicing self-feeding.
- Start Slow Your baby might not eat much at first, and that’s perfectly okay. The goal is more about exploration and learning about food, not necessarily eating a full meal right away.
- Be Prepared for Gagging (Not Choking) Gagging is a natural reflex that helps babies learn how to move food to the back of their mouth and swallow safely. It’s different from choking, which is a medical emergency. As your baby learns to chew and swallow, gagging will decrease.
- Stay Present Always supervise your baby during mealtime, especially in the early stages. You want to be there to help if they need it, but also to give them space to explore and feed themselves.
- Be Patient Some babies take a while to warm up to baby-led weaning, while others dive right in. Either way, it’s all about their comfort level. Take your time and trust the process.
What If Baby Led Weaning Isn’t Right for You?
BLW isn’t for everyone, and that’s totally okay! If you’re nervous about skipping purees or if your baby has a harder time with the textures, there’s no shame in using a traditional method like spoon-feeding.
Some parents (like myself) even choose a combination of both approaches—offering purees alongside finger foods.
The most important thing is that your baby is eating nutritious foods, developing healthy habits, and enjoying the experience, whether that’s with BLW or another approach.
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Final Thoughts on BLW
Baby led weaning is an exciting, flexible, and natural way to introduce solids to your little one.
By giving them the freedom to explore different foods and textures at their own pace, you’re helping them develop important skills while fostering a positive relationship with food.
However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to feeding your baby, and the best choice is the one that works for you and your family.
Happy feeding, mama!
Are you ready to start your baby led weaning journey? Or maybe you’ve already begun? I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences in the comments below!
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