Do’s and Don’ts of Baby-Led Weaning When it comes to self-feeding whole solid foods, safety is paramount. 'Iron is important for your baby's brain development, especially from six months when the iron inherited from a baby's mother runs out,' explains Karmel. We know that the healthy fats contained in fish encourage growth as well as the development of your baby's brain, nervous system and vision. 'Offering lots of different family meals and finger foods encourages babies to adopt good eating habits from the very start as they get to experience a more varied range of tastes and textures than they might on a spoon-fed diet,' says Karmel. All contents copyright © BabyCenter, L.L.C. Just as babies develop fast, so too do their eating habits. Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash are also very popular first foods as they have a naturally sweet flavour. Myth #1: Baby-Led Weaning Induces Choking When it comes to baby-led weaning, the most common concern among mommas (myself included!) The most important thing to consider before you start baby-led weaning is whether your baby is ready. ', 'It's all about providing a variety of healthy foods with different texture and flavour that in combination provide a good balance of nutrients. High risk foods to avoid in babies under 12 months include: How much sugar is recommended for children? This means that by around the nine-month milestone, you should be looking to increase the variety of fruits and vegetables you are feeding your baby and introducing dairy produce, meat, poultry and fish. 'If you are going down the baby-led weaning route then pieces of fruit cut into wedges or batons are easy to prepare and will provide your baby with all-important nutrients – apple, pear, banana and avocado are a good place to start. Parents ofen say that babies who choose what to feed themselves have wider food tastes. 'First foods should be easy to digest and unlikely to provoke an allergic reaction,' says Karmel. ⚠️ Baby-led weaning safety tips No matter how adept your baby becomes at feeding themselves, they should never be left alone while eating, and must always be … You can lightly steam these and then puree or mash to the desired consistency if spoon feeding.'. 'The idea behind baby-led weaning is that you skip the puree step altogether and let your baby feed themselves from around six months, or whenever they are able to pick up food and bring it to their mouth,' says Karmel. When your baby first starts weaning, they will still require regular breast of formula milk feeds – around 500-600ml a day for the first six months to a year. There's a window of opportunity when your baby is aged between six months and one year, when they will be pretty good at trying all kinds of foods and when they are willing to eat lots of different foods, it's easier to make sure they are getting the essential nutrients and vitamins.'. Just ensure the nuts are finely grounded. What equipment do I need for baby-led weaning? However, one recent study (3) showed that babies who feed themselves solid foods tend to choke as often as spoon-fed infants, proving that both methods are equally safe. 'However, I am all about the flexible approach and there is no reason why you can't mash or puree certain family meals if they're not quite ready for baby-led weaning. Your baby will get the chance to explore different foods and textures from the start. The good news is, it's completely up to you and what you and your baby feel comfortable with.'. images of loving parents spooning various pureed foods into their baby's open mouth. How much food should I give my baby with BLW? Weaning can certainly get messy at times, but it’s all part of the learning process for your baby. Is it OK to mix spoon-feeding with baby-led weaning? 1997-2020 All rights reserved. Shark, swordfish or marlin (due to high mercury levels). Breastfeeding: the trick to a comfy latch. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cola. For baby: Pasta shells with salmon and veggies. Discover the signs your baby is ready for baby-led weaning. NetDoctor, part of the Hearst UK wellbeing network. We use your health information to make our site even more helpful. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us. For most people, the term 'weaning' will conjure many 'here comes the aeroplane!' Unhealthy and processed foods such as battered foods, sugary breakfast cereals, chips and other foods that contain sugar. To give you the best experience, BabyCentre’s website and emails use cookies and similar tracking systems to personalise the content and ads we provide to you. Once you start introducing foods, though, here's what to remember: Keep things simple at first. El baby-led weaning es un método de introducción de la alimentación complementaria en el que el propio niño se autorregula en la introducción de alimentos sólidos, sin darle triturados ni purés con cuchara, sino probándolos el solito, tal cual. Annabel Karmel – expert and bestselling author on baby food and nutrition – explains the ins and outs of this popular parenting method: Baby-led weaning means allowing your baby to eat 'proper' food, rather than purees or jars of baby-food. Netdoctor participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Can I do baby-led weaning if my baby was premature. Recomendaciones sobre baby-led weaning Según el doctor José Manuel Moreno Villares, coordinador del Comité de Nutrición de la Asociación, “se trata de una técnica cada vez más utilizada mediante la que los padres deciden la alimentación que dan al bebé, permitiéndole escoger por sí mismo la comida y la cantidad que desea”. Karmel recommends simply offering your child a mini portion of what you're having (leaving out added salt) – you'd be surprised at how much they'll be open to trying. 'Fish in your baby's diet is also so important. Will my baby’s poo be different with baby-led weaning? High choking-risk foods like whole grapes and whole / chopped nuts (although nut butters can be given at six months). Whole cow's milk (or goat's / sheep's milk) as a main drink. What foods should I avoid with baby-led weaning? However, it seems the tides may slowly be turning in the weaning world, with more and more families sidestepping the infamous 'baby mush' stage and instead allowing children to essentially feed themselves – a practice known as 'baby-led weaning' (BLW). is choking. Although baby-led weaning (BLW) is just as safe as spoon feeding, there are certain safety precautions it’s a good idea to consider before starting any type of solids. ', Whether you're practising BLW or sticking to spoon-fed purees, Karmel's mantra is to 'always experiment with a wide variety of healthy foods, flavours and textures early on in their weaning journey. Leading expert in child nutrition Annabel Karmel explores the benefits of letting your baby feed itself. There are a number of benefits of baby-led weaning, including: Your baby will have the opportunity to choose, pick up and explore foods for themselves, gaining independence. What equipment do I need to get started with BLW? 'It can take some getting used to as your baby is the one taking the lead and deciding for themselves what they like and don't like along with how much and how quickly to eat.'. No matter how adept your baby becomes at feeding themselves, they should never be left alone while eating, and must always be supported in an upright position. My baby’s weight has dropped after starting baby-led weaning, should I be worried? If you're raising your baby on a meat-free diet, they will need two or three portions of vegetable protein or nuts every day to ensure that they are getting enough protein and iron. Whole grapes and whole / chopped nuts ( although nut butters can given! 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