Baby led weaning, or BLW, simply means independent eating. From 6 months, you can offer your infant charges finger foods they can grip hold of and simply let them suck and chew away! This gives the child a chance to explore the texture and flavour of the food, be it a pork chop, spaghetti bolognaise or mango slices. BLW means mealtimes are a puree-free zone: no more mush! This is music to many nannies’ ears, as steaming and pureeing food can be a laborious task, especially when it is refused. It has been reported that BLW is easier, quicker and cheaper than spoon feeding – and it certainly looks more fun!
BLW can help babies hit their developmental milestones, too. From birth, grabbing is an instinct - this manual skill becomes honed the older she gets, so by 6 months a baby can easily use their whole hand to grasp large chunks of food. Between 9-12 months, their pincer grip develops so picking up small objects of food like peas and raisins between their thumb and forefinger becomes, well, child’s play!
To get started, we recommend using a high chair with a large tray, giving the infant ample room to practice picking up their food. Our favourite finger foods, given from 6 months could include:
- Avocado on toast cut into soldiers
- Slices of ripe pear and mango (skin peeled)
- Rice cakes with hummus
- Carrot and potato rosti
- Broccoli and cheese muffins
- Beef patties, cut in half
- Tortellini, ravioli or any filled pasta
- Apricot flapjack, sweetened with apple sauce (no sugar)
- Steamed sweet potato batons
- Chicken breast strips with pesto
One thing you will soon learn after trying BLW for the first time is that it’s messy. Very, very messy! This can be off-putting for some parents and nannies, but if you are keen on the benefits on BLW, you must embrace the mess and figure out a way to work around it. We recommend using a coverall bib which protects babies’ clothing, and for warmer months, simply strip baby down to his nappy and let them get as mucky as they like - just make sure you’re armed with wet wipes and a warm flannel. Choose a dining area with a wipe-clean floor, or invest in an oil cloth tablecloth which can be placed under the highchair. Time meals appropriately; spaghetti can be served as dinner, conveniently before bath time while crudités with dip is a better choice for lunch.
When baby has got the hang of feeding themselves, bearing in mind all babies develop at a different pace, the idea is that they eat what you eat, as a family. If the food is easy to pick up, the baby should have no problems devouring meals as easily as their older siblings.
Have you tried baby led weaning? If so, please share your favourite recipes with us on Facebook, we’d love to hear from you!