Dear Mom, 

Thank you for stopping by. 

You are a new mother and willing to start an amazing process of baby-led weaning with your child. Let me ask you a question before we move ahead with reading this valuable post. 

Why you are willing to introduce baby-led weaning to your baby. 

Because a friend told you about it without knowing a zero thing about it? OR

You have  a deep desire to raise an independent healthy and happy eater from day one. 

If you are the one who wants her baby to be an healthy, happy baby foodie, I can assure you, you will learn loads of valuable thigs here which you can actually implement it with ease and confidence. 

Let’s dig in straight away!

Lots of parents wean their babies by giving spoon fed purees, but a different approach called baby-led weaning is growing evermore popular. 

This method is much more than purees and spoon-led feeding. 

The ethos behind this method is that it gives a baby the chance to explore a variety of foods, tastes and textures for himself. 

Let’s explore How it works? 

In baby led weaning a range of finger foods are offered to give the baby an element of choice, as well as soft food that the baby can spoon feed himself. Its normal for a baby to play with the food rather than eat it, but this is a all part their development. they will soon progress to sucking, chewing , and swallowing. 

What are it’s Superb Benefits:

1. It is believed that baby led weaning helps a baby to develop healthy eating habits for lifetime
2. Babies can explore a variety of foods, tastes, and textures for themselves, at their own pace. 
3. Babies can stop eating when they are full. 
4. Babies learn to manage different food shapes and textures from the start., so they become skilled at handling a wide range of foods. This also helps improve eye-hand coordination
5. This can simplify the mealtimes as you give your baby foods from your plates & it encourages healthier eating for the whole family. 
6. Being seated at the table for meals with the rest of the family encourages social skills too. 

Are there any drawbacks ?

Yes, that’s why we are expanding our wisdom here so that we can offer the best feeding approach to our babies. 

• In baby-led weaning, babies can sometimes eat less than those who are spoon fed and so are at a greater risk of receiving insufficient critical nutrients which are required in the first 12 months. Insufficient iron, zinc and vitamins are a worry. This is where some food pureeing and mashing of nutrient-rich food becomes significant. 
• Not all babies are developmentally ready for successfully ready for self feeding, so it may be better to spoon feed along side giving soft finger foods. Some babies simply don’t cope up as well as others with starting solids and need a more gradual transition. 
• A baby who was born prematurely is unlikely to be developmentally ready for baby-led weaning. If your baby was premature, seek advice from your GP or health visitor. 

What are the safety guidelines?

1. Never leave your baby alone with eating, ensure he is supported in an upright position. 
2. Be Careful about the textures you offer as some will be difficult to manage. At the start of weaning finger foods should be able to be squashed between the finger and thumb. 
3. Avoid finger foods that your baby could into large chunks, such as raw carrot, and small round foods, such as cherry tomatoes, grapes, or giant strawberries. Halve or even quarter, them.

Can I combine spoon-feeding with the principles of baby-led weaning ? 

The answer is YES, dear mom. Some parents feel a need to choose one method, but you don’t need to. At around six months you have the freedom to combine an element of baby-led weaning along side spoon-feeding if you feel that’s right for you and your baby. Some babies thrive on purees, others on finger foods and yet some on both. 

Instead of committing to a certain feeding method, it’s okay to be flexible and to follow your intuition and your baby’s developmental signs. Offering a mix of pureed foods as well as soft finger foods at the beginning is also advocated by the Department of Health & the NHS & the British Nutrition Foundation. Both baby-led weaning & spoon -led feeding allow your baby to explore a variety of different tastes, flavors & textures. 

However you decide to wean your baby, the important thing is to provide a variety of foods(particularly much- loved family foods)and allow your baby to go at his own pace. 

I am sure, you are now sure about how to balance the spoon-led feeding baby-led weaning. And if you are still not confident enough, I am lending you a hand gently. You can have all the access to baby-led feeding and beyond along with balanced structured varied baby plans to kick start -off your baby’s first foods journey. Yes, I am talking about Raise a Baby Foodie six weeks gentle engagement with you. Not matter whatever stage your baby is between 6 months to 12 months, baby -led weaning and spoon-led feeding both can be a superbly memorable experience for you and for your baby. 

I wish all the best in your first joyful feeding journey. I would love to have your comments, thoughts, ideas, concerns in comment box. I encourage you to implement the tools and guidance provided here about Baby-Led Weaning and also share the same with those new mamas who need to know all about Baby-Led Weaning. 

Be Nourished. Happy Baby-Led Weaning !

Love, Deepti