In the first year of your child’s life, they will go from a completely milk based diet (be it breast or formula) to a primarily solids based diet. The process of how they shift to this should be mostly fun and enjoyable for both you and your nugget. Yes, it will be messy, and of course there will be a hard learning curve, but meals should be mostly pleasant.
I have a blog about feeding baby solids in general, which you can find here. It goes over things like signs of readiness that I am not going to cover again in this blog. this is specifically to talk about Baby Led Weaning, and how to feel confident using this method to feed your child solids.
Baby Led Weaning
Baby Led Weaning is the process of skipping the mushy foods stage and going straight into small finger foods. The idea is that you serve your child the same foods you would eat, but in bite sized pieces. They get to practice their pincer grasp and feeding themselves from day one. I preferred this approach because I like to do things the easy way and for me, baby led weaning is easier than the mushy food route.
I think one thing about Baby Led Weaning that doesn’t get talked about as much but is something that I really love, is the family or community aspect of meals. Your child is sitting down with you, enjoying this meal at the same time as you enjoy yours. You get to talk, enjoy your own meal, and generally be together as a family. That is one of my favorite aspects.
Baby Led
- Everyday foods
- Small, bite sized pieces
- Baby feeds themselves
- Messy
- The same food as you are eating
- GREAT for children who have a strong aversion to mushy foods
Mushy
- Store bought or home made
- Very soft
- Fed to child by an adult using a spoon
- Messy, but arguably less so than Baby Led
- GREAT for children who choke really easily
Supplies
To be successful at Baby Led Weaning, you’re going to need a few supplies. Things like plates, silverware, bibs, and high chairs all contribute to this success. You want to be able to offer food easily, and then clean up easily when you are done as well. Below are some of my suggestions.
Your little one is learning a new skill. So they are going to make a mess. We want to make space for that mess and let them be a baby. So, you may need some supplies to clean up.
I personally use cloth bibs, which I prefer for their ease in washing. My kids’ dad prefers those silicone ones that catch food, although it seems more useful now that Rainbow is older. Whichever you prefer, make sure to get yourself some bibs.
You are also going to need rags to wipe up messes, both on the table and on your baby. I really like these little rags because they are lightweight, easy to store, easy to use, and easy to wash.
How To
Baby Led Weaning is actually pretty easy overall. The idea is that you are feeding your child the same food as you are eating. So make your meals, and then cut the pieces up into small, easy bites for your child. They get to see you eating the same food, which makes the meal more enticing to them.
Be prepared for this to be a mess. You can always offer silverware, though do not expect it to be used. There really is no right or wrong way for your child to start eating with you. If you are worried about allergies, you can still introduce new foods one by one and monitor for any reactions.
It's Just Practice
Any type of eating in the first year of life is really mostly just about practice. Your child is still getting the majority of their nutrients through milk. So don’t feel like you have to worry about how much food they are eating, or if it is going well. This stage of eating is really about practice still. Food has so many textures and experiences, it’s important for us to let our children experiment with it. So if they are playing, they are learning!
Water Free
Although your child may be seated at the table with you, we still really don’t need to give them water. Your child’s stomach is tiny still. The last thing we want is for them to fill up on water which, while hydrating, holds no nutritional value. Your milk is plenty hydrating for them. If you want to offer them a drink at the table, make it small, and ideally make it milk. We used to give Monster a shot glass of breast milk and they loved it! This way they also got to practice drinking from open faced cups.
No Pressure!
The whole point of eating at this age really is learning. So try to take the pressure off, both of you and of your child. Make mistakes, get messy, explore the food. As long as they are still nursing or getting formula, they are still getting all the nutrients they need to be fed and healthy. So don’t push them to try one more bite, or bribe them with dessert in order to get them to eat their whole plates (all of which aren’t ideal even when food is your child’s primary on only source of nutrition). Just offer it, let them explore it, and they will try it or they won’t.
Find Your Balance
Now I really do love baby led weaning, and I also believe in finding the balance that is right for you. I think with Monster we did some baby led and some home made jar foods. This was a balance that worked for us. By the time I had Rainbow Sprinkle, it was all Baby Led, but applesauce is still a delicious food. Just know that when it comes to introducing food to you child, there are different methods, but none of them are any more right or wrong than others. Find the balance that is right for your family.
