Baby-Led Weaning: Should You Let Your Baby Feed Themselves?

Has your baby reached the 6 month-mark and is now ready for solids? Or you’re just doing some research for what’s to come? Regardless, if you’re reading this, you might be interested to know more about baby-led weaning. What is it and what makes it so appealing to a lot of parents? Read on and find out if this method is a good fit for your baby and your family.

Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is a method that started in the UK that “lets your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning.” (Weaning here means adding solid foods to complement the baby’s primary diet of breastmilk or formula.)

It entails introducing your baby to solids by your child soft-cooked foods cut or mashed into small pieces and allowing them to “self-feed” instead of spoon-feeding.

According to the Baby-Led Weaning website, most babies reach for food at around six months, when mothers are encouraged to start weaning.

What Is Baby-Led Weaning

Baby Led Weaning is a style of feeding that uses your baby’s instincts to feed themselves food. It’s an approach that lets babies eat when they are hungry and not when they are forced to eat by their parents.

It’s also a way to introduce solid foods that is less stressful for babies and parents. This feeding style allows babies to explore their new world and participate in the family meal without dealing with the stress of being forced to eat something before they’re ready.

Baby Led Weaning helps children develop good eating habits early, setting them up for success later in life as they learn more about food and nutrition.

Baby starting to eat solid food | Image from Pexels

Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning

Here are some reasons why parents adopt baby-led weaning in their households:

• it facilitates the development of baby’s oral motor control
• makes eating a positive and interactive experience
• strengthens self-regulation
• increases exposure to table food
• it helps kids become more adventurous eaters later in life

It’s not for everyone, though. Though it works for some babies, it does not work for all—especially those born prematurely, babies with oral motor delays, or those who aren’t interested in self-feeding.

Baby-Led Weaning in Singapore

In Singapore, BLW is becoming increasingly popular among parents who want to give their children more control over their food choices and ensure that they are getting enough nutrition.

It’s also seen as a way for parents to bond with their children through feeding them, which can help with bonding and attachment issues if you’ve struggled with breastfeeding or formula feeding during infancy.

Baby-Led Weaning Is For Your Family If …

If you’re considering baby-led weaning for your little one, here are some indications that this approach may be a good fit for your family.

1. Your baby is showing signs of readiness for solids.
2. You value self-feeding and independence in your child.
3. You want to expose your baby to a variety of tastes and textures.
4. You enjoy mealtime as a family and want to include your baby from the start.
5. You prefer a less structured approach to introducing solids.
6. You are willing to embrace potential messes during mealtimes.
7. You want to encourage your baby’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
8. You are open to exploring a different feeding method that aligns with your parenting style.

Remember, every family and baby is unique, so it’s important to consider your individual circumstances and consult with your paediatrician for guidance and support when deciding on the best feeding approach for your child.

When to Start Baby-Led Weaning

Here are the signs that may indicate that your baby is ready to try feeding themselves: 

• Sitting Up Unassisted

One of the primary indicators that your baby is ready for solids is their ability to sit up unassisted. This milestone usually occurs around 6 months of age. When babies can maintain a stable sitting position, it indicates better control over their neck and core muscles, enabling them to handle solid foods more safely.

• No More Tongue-Thrust Reflex

Between 4 to 6 months, babies typically lose the tongue-thrust reflex, which is an instinctual response that pushes objects out of the mouth.

If your baby can pick up food from a spoon without gagging but still pushes it out with their tongue, they might not be ready for solids yet. However, if they can manage to hold and explore the food without automatically pushing it out, they may be ready for baby-led weaning.

• Absence of Gag Reflex

Another crucial aspect to consider is the absence of the gag reflex. The gag reflex protects babies from choking by triggering a gagging response when foreign objects touch the back of their throat.

By the time your baby is ready for baby-led weaning, they should have lost the gag reflex or have a significantly diminished response. This means they can handle solid foods without risking choking, although supervision is still necessary.

• They Can Manage Vomiting

An important aspect of readiness for baby-led weaning is the ability to manage vomit. While it’s uncommon for babies to vomit while eating, it’s essential that they have lost the reflex that prevents them from swallowing vomit if it occurs.

If your baby can cough, clear their throat, or spit out food safely, they may be more prepared to handle the occasional vomiting that can happen during the early stages of exploring solid foods.

Gagging vs Choking Baby-Led Weaning

It’s a scary moment when your baby starts to gag or choke while feeding. But what’s the difference? Is one worse than the other?

Gagging is when your baby’s throat muscles contract involuntarily, causing them to make a face like they’re about to vomit. It’s often accompanied by lots of spit-up and crying, which makes it easy to distinguish from choking.

Choking is when something gets stuck in your baby’s windpipe and blocks their breathing ability. This can be scary because, without air, they can die within minutes! To know whether or not your baby is choking, you need to check if they can cry (a sign they still have air) and if they can cough up whatever got stuck (a sign that they still have oxygen).

If your baby is gagging but still breathing normally and making noise, then there’s no need to worry—they’ll be fine! If you’re worried about choking, call your local help hotline immediately so an ambulance can help them.

How to Get Started With Baby-Led Weaning

Parents letting their child try her first solid food | Image from Pexels

Here are some things to remember before you embark on your baby-led weaning journey:

1. Make sure your baby is ready for solids.

Before you give your baby her first solid meal, she should meet the following criteria:

• your baby must be at least six months old
• must be able to stay in a sitting position and hold her head steady
• baby should be able to coordinate their eyes, hands, and mouth

2. Do your research.

Read up on other parents’ experiences with Baby-Led Weaning, so you’ll know what to prepare for and if Baby-Led Weaning is right for you and your baby.

3. Skip “baby food.”

Soft-cooked whole foods should be good for your baby if you’re not adding salt or sugar. Start with a size that would be easy to grip. Most people steam carrots or cut up cucumbers, but you can also serve your baby a pile of spaghetti or mashed potato.

4. No bowls.

It’ll just end up on the floor. Serve the food on the highchair tray, and remember that this is a learning experience for your baby. This leads to the next item…

5. Anticipate mess.

Lots of it.

6. Enjoy it.

Take out your camera and capture these lovely, messy moments. This will be over before you know it, so savour every moment.

What Is the 4-Day Rule for Baby-Led Weaning

The “4-day rule” is a guideline often followed during baby-led weaning to introduce new foods to infants. According to this rule, parents offer a single new food for four consecutive days before introducing another new food. This approach allows parents to monitor their baby’s reaction to each food and identify any potential allergies or sensitivities.

By spacing out the introduction of new foods, parents can observe any adverse reactions and make informed decisions about their baby’s diet. It’s important to note that this rule is a general recommendation, and parents should always consult with their paediatrician for personalised advice and guidance when starting solids with their baby.

Ideal First Food for Baby-Led Weaning

A simple mashed banana is one of the best first foods when doing baby-led weaning.

It’s easy to make and a great source of vitamins and minerals.

It’s also easy to make in different flavours, so you can add some cinnamon or vanilla extract to the mix if you’re feeling adventurous.

Another best first food for baby-led weaning is avocado. It’s soft and squishy, comes in a jar that’s easy to open, and is full of fat, which is important for growing babies.

Eating it can be a little messy, but it’s worth it.

Whether you want to start with avocado or banana, there’s no wrong way to go about it. If your baby doesn’t like what you give them the first time, don’t worry—they might change their mind next time. And if they don’t, that’s okay too!

As long as your baby is enjoying themselves and eating well, they’re doing great.

Parents preparing baby-led weaning recipe | Image from Pexels

ABCs of BLW Foods to Try

When it comes to baby-led weaning, offering a variety of nutritious foods is key to promoting healthy eating habits and exposing your baby to different flavours and textures. Here’s an alphabetical list of baby-friendly foods to consider incorporating into your baby-led weaning journey, along with suggestions on how to prepare them.

A – Avocado (ripe, sliced)
B – Banana (ripe, sliced)
C – Carrot (steamed, cut into sticks)
D – Dates (pitted, chopped)
E – Egg (scrambled or soft-boiled)
F – Fish (cooked and flaked)
G – Grapes (seedless, quartered)
H – Hummus (dip for soft veggies or bread)
I – Iron-rich cereals (mixed with breast milk or formula)
J – Jicama (julienne or cut into sticks)
K – Kiwi (peeled, sliced)
L – Lentils (cooked and mashed)
M – Mango (ripe, diced)
N – Nectarine (ripe, sliced)
O – Oatmeal (cooked to a soft consistency)
P – Peas (steamed or boiled, slightly mashed)
Q – Quinoa (cooked and cooled)
R – Raspberries (mashed or cut into small pieces)
S – Sweet Potato (roasted or steamed, cut into wedges)
T – Tofu (soft and cut into cubes)
U – Udon Noodles (cooked and cut into small pieces)
V – Veggie Burgers (mashed or cut into small patties)
W – Watermelon (seedless, diced)
X – Xigua (Chinese watermelon, seedless, diced)
Y – Yogurt (plain, whole milk)
Z – Zucchini (steamed or roasted, cut into strips)

Always ensure foods are appropriately prepared to match your baby’s developmental stage and avoid potential choking hazards. Introduce one new food at a time and observe your baby for any adverse reactions or allergies.

Baby-led weaning offers a unique and empowering approach to introducing solid foods to your little one. By allowing them to take the lead, explore different tastes and textures, and develop their self-feeding skills, you can foster a positive relationship with food from the very beginning.

Remember, every baby is different, and it’s important to adapt the approach to suit your child’s needs and development. Consulting with your paediatrician and following your baby’s cues will help ensure a safe and enjoyable feeding journey.

Republished with permission from theAsianparent Philippines.

Updates from Pheona Ilagan

Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.