Baby led weaning

Baby led weaning

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_2022" align="alignright" width="150"] baby led weaning[/caption]

This 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 babyled weaning thing at first.

 

I think it is because it is messy and I am a little anal about mess and food.  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. The possibility of getting food places you don’t even know just doesn’t sit right.
Any way,  baby led weaning to my thinking is either way of starting solids. 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 eat, 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 in ernest.
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 whole unprocessed foods of a suitable texture, it doesn’t matter which way you choose.  The choice is yours.

The important points with any eating:   have your little one seated- for safety reasons and to foster healthy eating habits  and so your food can be digested better

Always supervise any time food is involved.

Offer a variety of wholesome foods that the family eats.  Note this is not takeaway, and processed foods.

Happy baby led weaning!!