What is baby-lead weaning?
July 22, 2020
The baby-led weaning trend is continuing to grow in the United States. It’s a way to offer natural and family-friendly way of serving solid foods – and skipping the purees all together. Here is what you need to know about baby-led weaning to see if it’s right for you and your baby.
In a nutshell, baby-led weaning typically starts at about 6 months of age and teaching kids to feed themselves. It’s one of the first steps towards your little one learning how to be independent and develop their hand-eye coordination, chewing skills, and healthy eating habits.
Benefits of baby-led weaning:
- Allows baby to get familiar with different textures and flavors
- Self-regulation: baby is in control of the amount of food they eat
- Teaches them how to chew
- Develops hand-eye coordination
- Encourages family bonding by allowing them to dine with you
- Saves parents time – no blending, freezing and defrosting homemade purees
Downsides to baby-led weaning:
- It is very messy since it’s up to them to get the food into their mouths
- Baby may gag or choke on foods since they are just developing their oral skills
- They might not get enough iron since those foods are harder to chew on – ask your pediatrician about a supplement
First baby-led weaning foods:
- Start with single-ingredient foods so you know if any cause food allergies
- Soft foods: bananas and apples
- Steamed vegetables & fruits: zucchini, broccoli, apples
- Moist and shredded meats
- Small pieces or poached fish and pastas
- Food should be soft and easy to smash
The Bazzle Baby GoBib is perfect for easy clean-up after a messy baby-fed meal. It folds into itself to contain all the mess in a ball and can be easily wiped cleaned or washed. This is a time to enjoy watching your baby learn, so do what you can to make cleaning a little easier!
- Folds into itself for easy clean-up
- Clips or hangs on stroller, diaper bag or lunchbox
- Soak-proof & easy to wipe clean
- Large pocket to catch mess
- Machine Washable
Baby-led weaning safety tips:
- Never leave baby alone with food
- Baby should always be sitting up while eating
- Avoid hard foods like nuts, whole grapes, and cherries
- Stay calm and allow them to navigate eating without added pressures
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