What does LED mean in baby-led weaning?
Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method for starting your baby on solids. Instead of spoon-feeding them mushy cereals and purees, you put large chunks of soft food directly on the highchair tray or table, and let your baby grab the food and feed themself.
Is led baby feeding safe?
The bottom line? Baby-led weaning is safe for little ones, as long as you present food safely and stick with a few common sense feeding guidelines. Remember to: Avoid serving any foods that are choking hazards.
How do I start baby-led weaning?
When first starting baby led weaning, begin with steamed and sliced food so the infant can easily chew and swallow the items. Give soft fruits and vegetables initially. Then introduce lightly cooked harder foods that can be easily chewed with bare gums.
What age can you start baby-led weaning?
six months
When can I start baby-led weaning? The recommended age to start baby-led weaning is from six months onwards (NHS, 2019). This is the same age as the alternative – spoon-feeding (NHS, 2019).
Do doctors support baby-led weaning?
Children who are allowed to choose their own food are also believed to grow to not become fussy eaters, as they would easily consume fruit and vegetables. According to Lucia, however, doctors do not recommend the method, because the benefits of BLW have not been studied on a large scale.
What are the pros and cons of baby-led weaning?
Here are the pros and cons of Baby Led Weaning (henceforth known as BLW) in my experience:
- Con: Babies don’t have teeth.
- Con: It’s a waste of food and money.
- Con: It doesn’t save time.
- Con: Choking.
- Pro: It utilizes babies’ tendency to explore things with their mouths.
- Pro: It promotes active engagement from parents.
Can you mix purees and baby led weaning?
A combined approach that includes both finger foods for self-feeding and the spoon-feeding of purees is fine when babies are fed responsively, and there is no evidence that a combined approach is detrimental. A misconception about BLW is that purees should be avoided.
What are the pros and cons of baby led weaning?
Can you spoon feed and BLW?
Spoon-feeding and baby-led weaning can be combined. The World Health Organisation and the UK Department of Health recommend that you introduce finger foods when you introduce solids in general. This means that you can offer your baby pureed foods on a spoon as well as finger foods in a more baby-led weaning approach.
Is it OK to give babies water?
Your little one — if under 6 months old — should be receiving both nutrition and hydration from breast milk or formula, not water. You probably know this, but you might not know why. It’s because babies’ bodies aren’t suited for water until several months after birth.
What’s better puree or BLW?
Combining puree feeding with baby-led weaning makes it easier to introduce a wider variety of foods, simply because there are more food options available to you.
Is baby-led weaning really necessary?
While baby-led weaning may be a popular choice these days, doctors want parents to know that it’s definitely not a requirement.
Is Baby led weaning (BLW) messy?
Finally, BLW can be very messy. Use bibs, towels, mats, and rags to catch food and help reduce waste (Rapley & Murkett, 2010). Baby-led weaning is a great approach to introducing solid foods to a baby’s diet. BLW promotes autonomy and encourages healthy eating habits that will continue as a child grows.
What does baby-led mean?
Baby-led weaning is an increasingly popular way of introducing your baby to their first foods without relying on commercial baby foods, purées, or spoon feeding.
What is the best age to start baby led weaning?
When to start baby-led weaning Experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), now say the best time to start solid foods is around 6 months. By that age, most babies are able to sit up by themselves and grab and hold onto objects.
Is Baby-led weaning a good fit for Your Baby?
Some research shows that baby-led weaning can result in a lower overall calorie intake and iron intake in an infants’ diets (Pesch, 2019; Townsend & Pitchford, 2012).