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Baby Led Weaning - What is Baby Led Weaning & Is Baby Led Weaning Right for Your Baby?
What is Baby Led Weaning and is it the right approach to Introducing Solid Foods?
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the "trend" called Baby Led Weaning. We have received a few emails asking why our website has recipes for purees and why we are promoting baby food in purée format.
Some advocate and prefer a "Baby Led" approach to weaning and introducing solid foods to baby. Many parents choose to offer their babies baby food that is puréed while other prefer to jump straight into "table foods".
It is important for us to note that when it is time for introducing solid foods and weaning a baby onto solid foods, a parent must feel comfortable in the methods and the foods that will make up the introduction to solid foods.
What is Baby Led Weaning?
So what exactly is Baby Led Weaning as relates to solid food introduction? In short, Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is skipping thin and runny purées and not feeding your baby with a spoon.
Baby Led Weaning means offering your baby (age appropriate) foods that are soft-cooked and cut or mashed into small easily manageable pieces. These foods are then given to your baby to eat. You do the cooking, the dicing or mashing and the offering of the foods and your baby does the rest.
As with breastfeeding on demand, Baby Led Weaning is a method of introducing solid foods that leaves it up to your baby to decide when and how much to eat. While not necessarily a "hands off" approach, Baby Led Weaning does advocate allowing your baby to make all food choices for him or herself.
Do I just give my baby the food and then "walk-away"?
Many who have researched BLW have the misunderstanding that the "hands off" approach means that there should never be any intervention by the parent. This is a common misconception and one we feel is in need of clarifying. I have had many parents ask "how can I just give my baby food and then not help her eat it or feed her the food?".
While Baby Led Weaning does encourage the infant to lead the way, parents must realize that they need to help guide and direct their babies through the weaning process. It might be easier to think of Baby Led Weaning as paying strict attention to your baby's cues rather than trying to establish set feeding schedules and set portion sizes. Watch your baby as she experiments with the food and if need be, show her how to guide the food to her mouth. You will not be spoon-feeding your baby, rather your baby will be feeding (or smooshing and squishing and tossing) herself.
As we noted in our How Much Should My Baby Eat? page, "following your baby's cues during feeding time will ensure that your baby is eating the proper amounts of food for him or her." You see, the majority of healthy babies will eat just the right amount of foods that they need.
Offering your baby a well balanced diet of solid foods will help ensure that your baby is eating the right amount of the right foods. It is important to pay close attention to your baby's cues as your baby's feeding patterns will change daily and may be affected by the goings-on around him. You do not want to accidentally override your baby's ability to self-regulate his or her feeding by continuing to try and feed your baby." The Baby Led Weaning approach is much the same as we noted above.
Is it dangerous to skip purées and begin with "table foods"?
The answer to the above question is both yes and no. If you are delaying solid foods until after the age of 6 months old, then your baby may readily accept textures and "table foods". You should ensure that these foods are offered in a manner so as not to pose a choking hazard. On the other hand, if you are beginning solid foods between the age of 4 and 6 months old, it is highly unlikely that baby would be able to handle "table foods".
Please keep in mind that all babies are different and will eat textures, bits and chunks of foods at their own pace. For more information about solid food and weaning, read our Ready for Solids page.
Is Baby Led Weaning right for your baby?
Visit these links to learn more:
Baby Led Weaning - "The Bible" that help start this approach(1)
La Leche League Discussion of BLW
Please be sure to visit our Baby Food Articles Library for more great information about solid foods.
4 to 6 month old Solid Food Chart
The current recommendations indicate that breast milk or formula should be baby’s main source of nutrition until at least 6 months of age. We have included this 4 - 6 month age range as many parents still begin solid foods at 4 months of age.
6 to 8 month old Solid Food Chart
8 to 10 month old Solid Food Chart
10 to 12 month old Solid Food Chart
What's this "trend" called Baby Led Weaning? This page devoted to Baby Led Weaning will explain just how easy it is to let your baby be the guide.
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Baby Cubes from OneStepAhead - Always BPA Free.
Solid Foods for Baby
Useful articles and charts to help you with the fun and folly of introducing baby to solid foods.
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Baby Food Cubes May Be Safely Kept in the Freezer for 3 Months.
It is preferable, not an absolute must, to use the cubes within 1 month however.
Visit our Baby's Thanksgiving Baby Food Recipes & Ideas page for yummy Thanksgiving inspired recipes your baby will love.
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MORE HOMEMADE BABY FOOD RECIPES & RECIPE TOPICS
View these pages for more tips & topics on baby feeding & cooking baby foods.
- Freezing Homemade Baby Foods
- Vitamins & Minerals in Baby's Foods
- Baby Food Myths - Archived
- Baby Food Recipes Downloads
- Freebies for Baby
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