Baby Led Weaning

I followed Baby Led Weaning (also known as Baby Led Solids) with Maya.  Baby Led Weaning (BLW) commences from six months of age when babies are able to sit up, grab food and feed themselves.  There are no purées and no spoon feeding involved.  Babies use their fingers to begin with and later move on to cutlery.  Though I did use a spoon for foods such as yoghurt or soup but I started by placing food on the spoon and putting the spoon in front of Maya for her to pick up.

Instead of feeding your baby you place food in front of him/her so that he/she can choose what to eat and how much to eat.  I started by offering a variety of foods and allowed Maya to choose what, and if, she wanted to eat.   Sticks of vegetables or fruits, such as carrots, zucchini, cucumber, broccoli, banana and pear are easier for a baby to pick up to begin with.  I steamed harder fruits and vegetables.

Until a baby is one breast milk or formula is still their main source of food and solids are for play and learning.  I found with BLW Maya didn't eat as much as other babies to start with, but that's the point. Until a baby is one food is for exploring.  Over time, however, the difference between Maya's level of independent eating and the range of foods she could eat was obvious over the babies who had been spoon fed.

BLW is a lot messier than spoon feeding.  Maya squashed her food, threw it on the floor, got it all over herself, her chair and the floor.  But Maya's level of independent eating grew quickly and soon I found I was able to serve her a meal and eat a meal at the same time.

Maya is a very good eater.  I get comments all the time from her child care about how much she eats, so I think that shows that she does eat well.  She expertly uses a fork and spoon and eats a wide range of foods.

If interested in BLW I recommend the website Baby-led Weaning and there is also an introductory brochure.

6 months - Maya's first solid food - a piece of apple.

She sucked on that piece of apple for a very long time then bit some off and spat it out.

6 months - almost 7 months - Eating a Cruskit biscuit with avocado and grated carrot.

Already an independent eater.

9 months - Spaghetti Bolognaise.
The happy look on her face says it all. :)