subject: Baby Led Weaning Dos and Don'ts [print this page] Baby Led Weaning Dos and Don'ts
Baby led weaning can be a rewarding and easy way to help your child establish solids on their own. Baby led weaning is all about taking cues fro your baby and letting them go at their own pace in regards to moving on to solids from breast milk.
This way of introducing solids is very straight forwards but there are some things you should consider when taking this approach. Below are some guidelines to help you ensure this way of working with your child is safe.
Baby Led Weaning Dos
Let your baby have the opportunity to participate whenever someone is eating. As soon as your child shows an interest, eating around them and letting them be a part of it is a great way to encourage feeding and to le them choose when they want to participate. I remember my son at 7 months grabbing my banana out my hand and chomping on it.
While your baby is experimenting with food, make sure that he or she is upright. Ost parents sit their baby on their lap facing the table as this is the easiest way to eat at the same time.
Offer a variety of foods to give them different experiences and let them decide on the flavours and textures they like. If your child rejects some flavours, you should still try them at a later date because they may change their mind. My son changed his mind on quite a few things once we got around to trying them out again.
You can also offer water from a cup too but this isn't a necessity especially if your child is breastfed as this is enough fluid wise and may be relied on for a long time to come.
Allow your child to continue to breastfeed whenever they want to. Weaning is a gradual process and can be very gradual for some children. Many children rely on breastmilk fairly predominantly well into their second and third year. His or her breastfeeding pattern will change, however, as more and more solids are eaten and introduced.
Baby Led Weaning DON'Ts
Don't try to hurry your baby. Let him choose the pace and direct you. Try to avoid helping him as well and just let him get on with it. He knows best. Weaning is a very gradual process, so just go with the flow and don't worry if your child is disinterested for a long while or has days when they are and days or weeks when they aren't.
Your child may get through a quarter of a banana or piece of fruit and then not want anymore. Don't expect them to finish what they have started!
Try to avoid foods that could be potentially dangerous particular foods that are associated with allergies like nuts. These can be given to babies when they are a lot older and are able to communicate if something is wrong.
Don't offer processed foods. Try to stick with whole foods at first.
Regardless of any of the dos and don't, make sure that you enjoy the process. It can be hard to relax and trust your child because the world around us seems to do the opposite. However it is extremely rewarding for both you and your baby and will show you how easy it is to let a child get on with it without their parents complicating the issue.
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