First, whoever popularized this baby feeding philosophy was a genius (it was Gill Rapley FYI and you can order an intro book here.) But, there is one major flaw, the name. “Baby led weaning” might be the worst baby philosophy moniker, to date. I have heard so many parents say a version of “I’ve heard about that, sounds way too intense.” So, let’s start here. It is NOT intense in any way. BLW is just a fancy way of saying, let your baby self-feed and set his or her own pace.
Baby’s were born to eat. They literally come out of the womb ready to latch and feed. That does not change as they progress to solids. Moving from milk to solids is a sensory explosion for babies. A whole new world of taste, texture, smell and color is thrown at them. Instead of the traditional force feed by spoon, this route lets a baby set their own pace, choose which foods to explore, and ultimately grown into an adventurous and healthy eater.
Have I sold you yet? I could talk about this philosophy for days. I am that obsessed and we have had that great a success with this method. So, I am starting a baby led weaning series. This is Part I and today I am simply going to sell you on it. More to come… Whenever I am researching a new parenting topic, I scour books and the internet for pros, cons, and research to back-up whatever new craze is being pushed. So, here is what lead our family to BLW.
To start, I should mention that I couldn’t breastfeed. I will share more about this at a later time, but breastfeeding was just not in the cards for me. I tried, failed, and was heart-broken. I actually still cannot talk about it without tearing up. The mom guilt from my breastfeeding fail is so strong. So, I knew that whatever form of solids we went with for BB was going to be the most nutrient rich, healthy way to feed a child in existence. I was determined to make up for not being able to breastfeed her. And that’s how I found BLW. So, let’s start here…
WHAT IS BLW?
Here are the basics. BLW is a method of feeding which bypasses spoon feeding, cereals, and purees and goes directly to solid food at 6 months of age. According to the World Health Organization, and most other baby health authorities around the world, a child does not need food outside breastmilk (or formula) until 6 months of age. With BLW, you take advantage of a child’s natural progression, nutritional needs, and development. To start out, present your child with a varied palate of nutrient rich and age-appropriate foods. Sit back and watch with wonder as your child does what they do best, eat. If you want to dive deeper, and you should! See here. Getting started with BLW, coming to the blog soon. For now, here and pros and cons.
PROS
Babies learn to chew then swallow: Allowing your baby to bring the food to her own mouth allows her to guide the experience. She chooses what she wants and she chooses how much. Along with this, comes allowing your baby to learn to eat in the natural order: chew then swallow. Learning to chew and learning to swallow are like discovering the moon for a baby. It does not come easily. The first couple tries will inevitably result in timid licks, which progresses to pieces actually ending up in the mouth, then spit back out again, and so on. Watching the process has been amazing.
Motor development: By learning to grasp food and move it to their mouth, BLW strengthens hand-eye coordination, the pincher grasp, and major and fine motor development. I meet one-year-old babies who still cannot use a sippy cup. BB has been using a sippy cup successfully since 6.5 months. We are working on spoons now; it has been a challenge, to say the least. I will do everything in my power to not have a two-year-old who still eats with her hands.
Healthy eating habits: Studies show that BLW not only leads to adventurous eaters but also helps instill healthy eating habits at a young age. They learn to self-regulate and develop an affinity for healthy foods. More about this, here.
Family dinners are not disrupted: I love sitting down as a family and enjoying a family meal. BLW has allowed us to continue this. We sit down together, BB gets her meal and Blake and I get ours and we all eat at the same time. Now that we have progressed to almost a full food palate for BB, she gets a slightly modified version of our meal. Babies learn by observation. So eating the same foods, at the same time, at the same table, is the perfect way to lead by example and demonstrate healthy eating habits. It also introduces family meal time at a young age. Babies love consistency.
Encourage a diverse palate: You know those babies who will only eat hot dogs and pizza? That’s my basic nightmare. I love food, I love healthy food, and BB will too (and already does). BB loves when her plate looks like ours. Olives, brussel sprouts, salmon, broccoli, tuna, black beans, tomatoes, you name it. She will eat it. The only rejection, thus far, has been plain, whole greek yogurt. And BB, I don’t blame you, that stuff is disgusting. A foundation of BLW is allowing your baby to decide what they want to eat. Do not force food. If a food is rejected, try it again a couple weeks later. If it is still rejected, move on and give it a couple months before you try again. I will share more of her meals in a later BLW entry.
Baby knows best: BLW makes the baby the master of their mealtime. This boosts self-esteem and self-confidence at a young age. Don’t bully your baby into eating. Trust that they know what they need and how much, so you can forever retire the airplane spoon.
CONS
Gagging happens: This is not to be confused with choking. Gagging and choking are two different things. Gagging is a human instinct that helps PREVENT choking. When a baby is 6 months, their gag reflex is actually further forward on their tongue. It begins to move further back as they get older. 6 months is the ideal time to introduce solids when they have the best natural instincts to prevent them from swallowing pieces that are too big. For peace of mind, whether introducing solids or purees, learn infant CPR.
Mess happens: The mess is real with this feeding method. As I mentioned above, eating is a sensual activity for babies. Mushing food between their fingers, feeling it on their face and in their hair is all part of learning to love food. Recommendation: get a dog, a real-life vacuum cleaner.
The judgment is real: Grandma, I am talking about you. “Why can’t we just feed her the way you were fed?” was the key phrase during the introduction of this feeding method. Haters will hate. Get over it, you know what is best for your baby.
I could talk about baby led weaning for days, can you tell? I am actually obsessed and I am determined to spread the word to every willing ear (even the unwilling). How to get started with BLW, coming soon! In the meantime, how cute is this little foodie?
