Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is an approach to introducing solid foods to your baby without spoons or purées. BLW is about offering your baby age appropriate, manageable foods so they may learn to feed themselves and explore tastes and textures of food. There’s no need to wait until your baby has teeth to give them table food, there are so many foods they can eat without teeth. You’ll be surprised what they can handle, and they will really enjoy it too! There are so many options to choose from so have fun with it.
You can give your baby a slice of apple large enough for them to hold, to gnaw on (again, this is doable even with no teeth), or try a soft steamed vegetable (carrot sticks or broccoli for example), it’s all up to you. Keep in mind, though, that you should still be weary of certain foods like nuts and honey before the age of one year, especially if there is a history of certain allergies in your family.
Your baby should be at least 6 months old, sitting unassisted, have lost their tongue thrust reflex, and have ability to grasp onto food before introducing any solids. Some parents feel rushed into introducing solids when a baby doesn’t need, nor can they properly digest solids until this age. It can also be dangerous if you chose to use BLW when they’re not yet ready. Read (http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/starting-solids/6-reasons-delay-introducing-solid-food) to find out more about why this is so important.
Another important aspect of BLW is to skip the spoon. Place the food you have prepared for your baby in front of them and let them go for it. They will learn and figure out it is for eating (although it’s fun to play with too and that’s ok!). Don’t stress about if they are eating enough. Even if it looks like they haven’t eaten anything, you will be surprised at how much they do consume. Their diaper the next day will tell you just how much ;) Offer a variety of foods to create a balanced diet and offer breast milk or formula before their meal. Remember that their stomachs are still rather small so they don’t need to eat as much as you might think and breast milk or formula will continue to be the main source of nutrition until at least their first birthday.
The most common fear parents have about choosing Baby Led Weaning over purées is the risk of choking. However, it’s very important to know the difference between gagging and choking. As scary as it may be, your baby will gag while they learn to chew and swallow solids. Gagging is a natural, lifelong reflex to help remove whatever is in the mouth that is too much to handle or more than they are used to. Gagging simply prevents choking. If your baby is choking, they will be unable to breathe or cough out whatever the obstruction is. You should always supervise your baby while they are eating to prevent choking accidents. A basic knowledge of infant CPR is also recommended in case of emergency (http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240175_Pediatric_ready_reference.pdf).
At 6 months old, your baby’s gag reflex is very sensitive and high in their mouth (in fact it’s at about the middle of their tongue) and as they grow older, it will slowly move down into their throat. It’s nature’s way of keeping them from choking while they learn to eat. So, does it make more sense to introduce table foods while a baby’s gag reflex is so high or wait until they are older and have higher risk of choking because their reflex won’t react in time? Talk to your family doctor or pediatrician to find out if Baby Led Weaning is right for you and your baby.
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