What is baby-led weaning?
BLW is an approach to introducing solid foods that centers the baby’s interests and needs, allowing them to choose what to eat.
Instead of spoonfeeding them purees, parents and caregivers give babies age-appropriate versions of the food that the rest of the family is eating, so they can eat with their hands. These foods often include finger foods such as bananas or small carrots.
This allows babies to begin participating in family meal times and reduces time pressure on parents and caregivers. As they eat, so can their baby.
British nurse Gill Rapley introduced the idea of BLW in the early 2000sTrusted Source.
She argued that BLW fosters independence and adventurous, nutritious eating.
The nonprofit Ellyn Satter Institute also encourages a similar approach. It recommends that parents and caregivers are responsible for what, when, and how a child eats. However, the child should always be able to decide whether they want to eat a specific food, and if so, how much of it.
Do doctors recommend BLW?
Major health organizations tend not to recommend specific feeding plans or approaches when it comes to introducing solid foods.
For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source offer general recommendations on introducing new foods slowly, starting with single-ingredient foods to make it easier to identify allergies.
Other doctors also have varied opinions on BLW. Some may worry about the risk of choking, especially when babies consume certain finger foods, such as apple pieces, that require more chewing. However, research so far suggests that BLW is not dangerous.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source followed 1,151 parents with babies ages 4–12 months old, comparing those who followed BLW with babies who did not. The researchers found no significant association between weaning style and choking episodes.
However, babies whose caregivers used a traditional weaning approach were more likely to choke on finger foods and lumpy purees later on in the weaning process.
This suggests BLW has a slight advantage in terms of safety, although more research is necessary to confirm this.
When can BLW start?
The CDC recommends starting solids when a baby is around 6 months oldTrusted Source. However, for this to be safe, they must be able to:
sit up alone and without support
control their head and neck
swallow food rather than push it out of the mouth
bring their hands to their mouth
grasp small objects
A parent or caregiver should not give a baby solid foods if they cannot do the above or are younger than 4 months. They will be more likely to choke.
