Baby-led weaning (BLW) involves offering finger foods to a baby so he/she can explore textures and flavours for himself/herself. BLW should be started when baby can sit unaided and can handle food safely.
The cues are the same as in traditional weaning – a baby attempts grabbing food from parents’ plates, he/she mimicks chewing and will observe parents and siblings closely when they are having a meal.
Suitable Finger Foods for Baby-Led Weaning
Easy and healthy finger foods include:
- Dairy and carbs: pasteurised hard cheeses cut into chunks; pasta with sauce; full-fat yogurt and fromage frais; eggs (cooked well to avoid risk of salmonella).
- Fruit: half a banana or pieces of soft pear; baked apple chunks; peeled and grated apple; melon cubes or slices of melon with skin still on; sliced kiwi fruit; oranges, quartered and with skin on; grapes (at first cut in half, then given whole); blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, given whole; mango in chip-shaped slices with or without skin; pineapple in chunks.
- Vegetables: chunks of cooked sweet potato; cooked asparagus; cut up green beans; cooked broad beans, kidney beans or butter beans; florets of broccoli/cauliflower, steamed; cooked carrots, chip shaped; pieces of avocado; cooked peas.
- Snacks: lightly toasted bread or bagels; pea-sized pieces of cooked chicken; small sandwiches, filled with soft cheese or houmous; fingers of toast; rice cakes.
Foods to Avoid
Wheat, dairy, eggs, citrus, strawberries and kiwis should be introduced when the baby is older if there is a history of allergies in the family.
Nuts are a no-no as there is a risk of chocking. No honey should be given till the baby is one year old as it sometimes contains a spore of the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, which can be very harmful to young babies.
Is Baby Eating Enough?
At six months, most nutrition is still provided by breastmilk or formula. Each baby takes to solids in his/her own way and baby-led weaning can often be a messy job as babies explore textures by mashing foods with their hands, throwing it on the floor and squashing it all over the highchair’s tray. As they get confident, more food gets inside them than it’s spread around.
Advantages of Baby-Led Weaning and Risk of Chocking
BLW can prevent fussy behaviour and feeding tantrums as baby is in control of the meals. Parents are often worried about chocking risks, but if the baby is sat upright and his/her meals are supervised, it’s actually safer than spooning food into her/his mouths. This is because if a baby is sitting upright, food that he/she is not yet able to swallow will fall forward out of his/her mouth.
Seeking Advice Before Starting Baby-Led Weaning
In doubt, parents should consult a health visitor or other health professional, especially if the baby was premature and if he/she is not confidently handling food. Parents who bottlefeed should also seek advice. The same applies if there is a family history of food intolerance, allergy or digestive problems.
Further Reading
Parents can visit Rapleyweaning.com to find out the do's and don'ts of baby-led weaning. Gill Rapley is an expert who specialises in baby-led weaning and has written several articles and books. If you'd like to find out about traditional weaning, click here (there is also a handy list of foods suitable for each stage).
