Ultimate Guide for Baby Led Weaning Foods

Baby led weaning is a novel technique to solid food introduction that skips purees and goes straight to finger foods. Here’s why you should think about it and how to get started.

Baby led weaning, which is popular in the United Kingdom and gaining traction in the United States, is a method in which babies aged 6 months or older skip purées and mashed-up foods in favour of finger foods as soon as solids are given.

Because the basis of this method is to let your baby feed herself the healthful foods she wants to eat right from the start (which is why it only works for babies who are at least 6 months old and capable of self-feeding), it’s termed baby led weaning.

Baby led weaning teaches babies to chew (or, more precisely, gum) before swallowing. It also stops parents from forcing food into their children’s mouths because they have control over how much they eat.

BABY LED WEANING FOODS: THE BASICS

• At the start of the process the baby is allowed to reject food, and it may be offered again at a later date.

• The child is allowed to decide how much it wants to eat. No “fill-ups” are to be offered at the end of the meal with a spoon.
• The meals should not be hurried.
• Sips of water are offered with meals.
• Initially, soft fruits and vegetables are given. Harder foods are lightly cooked to make them soft enough to chew on even with bare gums.
• Foods with clear danger, such as peanuts, are not offered.
• Non-finger-foods, such as oatmeal and yogurt, may be offered with a spoon so the baby can learn to self-feed with a spoon.

Baby led weaning basically skips the whole puree stage and gives your baby soft and edible foods. BLW foods should be soft-cooked and mashed into small manageable pieces. Babied can also try eating a hunk of apple, or go the route of soft cooked apple pieces. It is up to the parents discretion to decide what types of foods they want their baby to have.

The foods that are given to your baby are supposed to be eaten without having to be pureed and without having to be spoon fed. You do the cooking, the cutting or mashing and the offering of the foods and your baby does the rest.  It is important to note that your baby should be in control of what he is eating and you should never actually feed him by putting the foods into his mouth!

The effects of baby led weaning are still being studied, but we know there are numerous advantages to allowing your baby to eat himself.

The fundamental goal of baby led weaning is to encourage independence: your baby will learn to eat on their own and have control over what—and how much—they consume. In our experience, babies who are given this level of autonomy over their food early on are less likely to become fussy eaters as they get older. Food is less likely to become a lever for control or power in the child-parent connection with baby-led weaning because the kid is in charge from the moment solids are introduced.

Another advantage of baby led weaning is that it allows your child to practise important motor and oral skills. Self-feeding a range of foods allows your baby to practise tongue movements, jaw strength, and swallowing, as well as the fine motor skills needed to pick up varied sized bits of food with their fingers.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development or ability to start solid foods, always consult your doctor, health care provider, or therapy team.

Frequently asked questions