Baby led weaning??? - Baby's First Year | Forums | What to Expect (2024)

FAQs

What do pediatricians say about baby-led weaning? ›

Pediatric experts now recommend starting solid foods at 6 months. Most 6-month-old infants can grasp food, bring it to their mouth, chew and swallow. These skills mean babies can more independently feed themselves while weaning from human milk or formula nutrition.

Let your child self-feed 100%. This means picking up the food and bringing it to their own mouth. Offer large pieces of food that your baby can easily pick up and hold on to. Once your baby's pincer grasp develops, decrease the size of the food to smaller pieces.

Emerging evidence suggests that baby-led weaning may result in more gagging as babies get used to swallowing but no increased likelihood of choking . Baby-led weaning can be messier than spoon-feeding.

A great way to check that your baby is getting enough of what they need is simply by checking their nappies. If they are having plenty of wet nappies, plus regular soiled ones, they are on the right track. Your baby's poop will also tell a story that you might not be aware of.

BLW has some obvious downsides. The infant may not get enough energy, iron, zinc, vitamins, and other nutrients, or too much protein, saturated fat, salt, or sugar. The risk of choking, which must be distinguished from the physiological gagging reflex, has not been ruled out by scientific studies.

Baby-led weaning safety

There is no increased choking risk associated with baby-led weaning when compared to traditional spoon feeding. However, a CPR class can empower parents to act in case of an emergency. Parents should also learn the difference between gagging and choking.

The greatest concerns from health care providers surrounding BLW include the risk of choking and potential inadequate calorie/energy intake and inadequate nutrients mostly focusing on iron.

Introducing solids too soon may increase the risk of asthma, eczema, digestive problems, allergies and obesity in later life. Every baby is different but there are three clear signs that together show your baby is ready for some solid foods alongside breastmilk or infant formula: 1.

Studies have found that families practicing baby-led weaning tend to eat more often together. They also find mealtimes calmer and less stressful.

The results found that 13.6% of infants (or 155 babies out of the group of 1151) had choked. No significant association was found between the style of starting and choking or the frequency of spoon or puree feeding and choking.

Do you skip purées with BLW? ›

Baby-led weaning (BLW) involves skipping the spoon-fed purées and letting babies feed themselves finger foods when starting solids.

The “4 Day Wait Rule” is a really simple way to check for possible reactions to new foods such as food sensitivities or food allergies. Remember that in addition to possible allergic reactions, foods can also cause digestive troubles like tummy pains, painful gas or even poop troubles.

Myth: All six-month-old babies are ready for baby-led weaning. Truth: While many babies are developmentally ready for baby-led weaning around six months of age, it's essential to assess your baby's individual readiness.

In contrast to the traditional model, the British nurse Gill Rapley developed a new approach to food introduction in 2008. This method is called Baby-Led Weaning (BLW), considered an alternative that encourages self-feeding after the sixth month of life.

Despite the heated debate about BLW vs purees, the good news is that you don't actually have to choose between the two. In general, I find that a combination of purées/spoon-feeding and finger foods (from 6 months) works really well for most babies and parents and allows them to have the benefits of both options.

Spoon-feeding provides an opportunity for infants to develop oral skills necessary for safe management of solids and may facilitate intake of iron-rich foods at weaning, whilst baby-led weaning promotes greater participation in family meals and exposure to family foods.