Baby led weaning

Baby led weaning

Baby led weaning is always a popular topic. I have to confess that I was taught the spooning foods way to start solids and couldn’t get my head around this at first.

I think it is because it is messy and I can be a little anal about mess and food at times.  Don’t get me wrong- I love getting dirty in the yard or doing some little DIY jobs at home. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Baby led weaning to my thinking is the goal whether you decide to spoon feed or let our baby explore pieces of food for themself.

Whether you start with a spoon or let your baby grab family foods for him or herself it should always be baby led.  We should always take  the cue from our baby so even with spooning foods this is the rule. 

Never force food at any stage or age and never withhold food. We want to foster a healthy relationship with food. 

Your job is to offer, your baby’s job is to  accept and eat or to say no thanks I’m not hungry, has long been my mantra.

So what is all the hoo ha about? 

For those of you who are unsure it simply means offering your baby a variety of foods that he or she can grab for them self no spoons involved.

It really is your choice how you do it.  It just depends on what suits you and your baby.  "Baby led weaning has been around for a long time now- I would guess about 10 years commercially in ernest, however practically since forever.

It is not going away.  From what I see most families use a combination of babyled weaning and spooned foods.  As long as the goal is to offer mostly whole unprocessed foods of a suitable texture, it doesn’t matter which way you choose.

For more ideas about introducing foods or progressing solids once you have started our

"Real Foods for Healthy Babies" ebook has lots more for you.

Get it here http://www.insyncwithinfants.com/solids.html