Baby Led Weaning - A Quick Recap
What is Baby Led Weaning?
Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a method by which infants self-feed solid foods. You start BLW around 6 months of age. Essentially, with BLW, babies skip the puree food stage and you don't have to feed your baby with a spoon. Babies who are ready for BLW will demonstrate the following skills:
1. Able to sit up unassisted
2. Tongue thrust reflex has gone away
3. Able to grab and hold on to food
4. Can successfully take food/objects to their mouth
Benefits of BLW:
1. Babies are introduced to different textures, smells, and colors.
2. Babies are given a variety of finger foods to choose from. This allows the baby to have more control over which foods they decide to eat and at their own pace.
3. BLW supports fine motor skills (hand-eye coordination and chewing).
4. You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen steaming AND pureeing food!
Check out these Kutsie Babies nailing Baby Led Weaning!
Did we mention it's a little MESSY?!
A great way to serve bananas with BLW!
One major concern that caretakers have with BLW is choking. When your baby is gagging with BLW, this is their gag reflex doing its job. Choking is silent. As with other food methods, you must be present when your baby is eating and monitor them carefully. BLW is not for everyone and you need to decide which method suits you best.
