What is Baby Led Weaning?

Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a method of introducing solid foods where the baby feeds themselves from the start.

Understanding Baby Led Weaning (BLW)

Based on the reference, Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a way of introducing solids that allows babies to self-feed. This approach shifts the focus from spoon-feeding purees to offering soft, age-appropriate finger foods that babies can pick up and eat themselves.

Key Principles of BLW

The reference highlights several core aspects:

• Self-Feeding Focus: The fundamental idea is that the baby is in control. They decide what to eat, how much to eat, and how quickly to eat.
• Baby Puts Food in Mouth: In its most true form only the baby puts food in his or her mouth. This emphasizes the baby's autonomy in the feeding process.
• Developmental Readiness: A baby's ability to self-feed is seen as an indicator of readiness for solids. A baby who is able to do this is developmentally ready for solids.
• Family Food Integration: BLW typically involves offering your baby food from your family meals cut up into finger sized foods. This encourages babies to eat similar foods to the rest of the family, fostering healthy eating habits.

How it Works in Practice

Instead of preparing separate baby food purees, parents offer pieces of food that are soft enough to mash with the gums and are cut into shapes that a baby can easily grasp with their fist (often called 'finger foods'). As the baby develops the pincer grasp, smaller pieces can be offered.

Here are some common features:

• Babies sit with the family during meals.
• A variety of foods are offered to expose the baby to different tastes and textures.
• Parents trust the baby's innate ability to regulate their own intake.

BLW encourages exploration, helps develop fine motor skills and coordination, and allows babies to learn about food at their own pace.