What The Heck Is Baby Led Weaning?!
If you're friends with me on social media I'm sure you have seen my Baby Led Weaning food posts; even if you're not friends with me it seems like our meals have attracted a lot of attention!
So what the heck is baby led weaning (BLW)?
BLW is when you skip the baby purees and go straight to regular food for baby. No extra work making baby food, no spoon feeding baby and everyone gets to eat at the same time! You serve your little one exactly what you're eating and they learn from watching and mimicking what you do. It's been one of the best parenting choices we've made so far. I'm going to go over some common questions and misconceptions that I commonly hear from people.
How do I know they're ready for food?
There are 5 signs that tell you when your baby is ready to start solids. All signs of readiness should be met before you begin offering meals.
1. They must be AT LEAST 6 months old. ( If baby was born premature, they should be 6 months adjusted.)
2. They should be able to sit up unassisted on the floor for at least 1 minute.
3. Their tongue thrust reflex needs to be gone.
4. They should be showing interest in food and joining you at meal time.
5. They should be able to pick up objects and bring them to their mouth.
Won't my baby choke?!
Well, maybe. But your baby could also choke on purees. You could also choke on that cheeseburger you're eating, but you're probably going to keep eating it; aren't you? That's what I thought.
BLW teaches babies that they need to chew their food in order to swallow it, so it actually reduces the risk of choking. When you first begin most babies won't know what to do with the food and it will all fall out of their mouths. This is normal and how they learn. It is important to know the difference between choking and gagging! Gagging is totally normal and the body's defense against choking. Check out this youtube video to see what gagging looks like. I also suggest taking an infant CPR class if it will make your feel more confident in the event of a choking incident.
How can my baby eat without teeth?
Just stick your finger in your child's mouth and feel how hard those gums are! If they needed teeth to eat kids wouldn't be eating food until closer to age 2 since that's when the back teeth used for chewing come in. We started BLW at 6 months and at 11 months Kenneth just got her first teeth a few weeks ago.
How do I serve the food?
It is important to make the food large and long enough so that your baby can easily grab, bite and maneuver the pieces in their mouth. It may seem counterintuitive to give large pieces, but smaller pieces can bypass the gag reflex and actually lead to choking. Smaller pieces of food can be served once your baby has master the pincer grasp and chewing! Kenneth has master both of these skills, but I still like to serve her larger pieces of food because they're easier for her to pick up and manipulate.
Is there anything my baby can't eat?
The only things you should not offer to your baby are obvious choking hazards like nuts, popcorn and round food that isn't properly cut. All meat and eggs need to be cooked through. The AAP recommends no honey before the age of 1 due to the risk of infant botulism, but do your own research on that.
When I was beginning my Baby Led Weaning journey I found the facebook group Baby Led Weaning For Beginners and Beyond incredibly helpful and I also picked up the book Baby-Led Weaning by Gill Rapley.
My favorite bamboo plates are from Avanchy and I like the EzPz mats for out to eat.
So what the heck is baby led weaning (BLW)?
BLW is when you skip the baby purees and go straight to regular food for baby. No extra work making baby food, no spoon feeding baby and everyone gets to eat at the same time! You serve your little one exactly what you're eating and they learn from watching and mimicking what you do. It's been one of the best parenting choices we've made so far. I'm going to go over some common questions and misconceptions that I commonly hear from people.How do I know they're ready for food?
There are 5 signs that tell you when your baby is ready to start solids. All signs of readiness should be met before you begin offering meals.
1. They must be AT LEAST 6 months old. ( If baby was born premature, they should be 6 months adjusted.)
2. They should be able to sit up unassisted on the floor for at least 1 minute.
3. Their tongue thrust reflex needs to be gone.
4. They should be showing interest in food and joining you at meal time.
5. They should be able to pick up objects and bring them to their mouth.
Won't my baby choke?!
Well, maybe. But your baby could also choke on purees. You could also choke on that cheeseburger you're eating, but you're probably going to keep eating it; aren't you? That's what I thought.
BLW teaches babies that they need to chew their food in order to swallow it, so it actually reduces the risk of choking. When you first begin most babies won't know what to do with the food and it will all fall out of their mouths. This is normal and how they learn. It is important to know the difference between choking and gagging! Gagging is totally normal and the body's defense against choking. Check out this youtube video to see what gagging looks like. I also suggest taking an infant CPR class if it will make your feel more confident in the event of a choking incident.
How can my baby eat without teeth?
Just stick your finger in your child's mouth and feel how hard those gums are! If they needed teeth to eat kids wouldn't be eating food until closer to age 2 since that's when the back teeth used for chewing come in. We started BLW at 6 months and at 11 months Kenneth just got her first teeth a few weeks ago.How do I serve the food?
It is important to make the food large and long enough so that your baby can easily grab, bite and maneuver the pieces in their mouth. It may seem counterintuitive to give large pieces, but smaller pieces can bypass the gag reflex and actually lead to choking. Smaller pieces of food can be served once your baby has master the pincer grasp and chewing! Kenneth has master both of these skills, but I still like to serve her larger pieces of food because they're easier for her to pick up and manipulate.Is there anything my baby can't eat?
The only things you should not offer to your baby are obvious choking hazards like nuts, popcorn and round food that isn't properly cut. All meat and eggs need to be cooked through. The AAP recommends no honey before the age of 1 due to the risk of infant botulism, but do your own research on that.
When I was beginning my Baby Led Weaning journey I found the facebook group Baby Led Weaning For Beginners and Beyond incredibly helpful and I also picked up the book Baby-Led Weaning by Gill Rapley.
My favorite bamboo plates are from Avanchy and I like the EzPz mats for out to eat.
Comments
Post a Comment