The Truth About Baby-Led Weaning: Is It Really Good for Babies?

Previously, as soon as the children finished exclusive breastfeedingabout 6 months, went straight to the appointment crushed products, for example, porridge or baby food. Logically, this led to the adult having to feed them and, in a sense, decide when to stop. However today Baby-led weaning (BLW)method extra food in which it is the child who holds the food and sets the pace of eating.

The term was coined in 2003 by Dr. Jill Rapley, although she has already spoken about this way of eating. since 2001. Gradually, more and more mothers and fathers tried this method of feeding their children, but there were also detractors who pointed out the possible harm of child-led weaning.

Some blame this method for increasing the likelihood out of breathothers consider him poorer nutritious speaking, and there are even those who believe that it can slow down the growth of babies. Luckily, there have been numerous scientific studies done on this over time, and while the answers could be even more conclusive, there is enough information to suggest that overall there are many benefits to baby-led weaning.

What is baby-led weaning?

Before talking about the benefits and harms of child weaning, it is important to clearly understand what it consists of.

Its literal translation is “baby-led weaning,” and that’s exactly what it is. World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age. You may consider introducing other foods at this stage, but continue to breastfeed on demand. up to two years. Of course, the baby may stop demanding it much earlier. But during this time it will still be profitable as long as it is not exclusive.

But the fact is that from six months children already have Power Requirements for whom milk, both breast milk and formula, is not enough. This is where purees always come into play, but baby-led weaning is completely different.

This consists of gradually introducing new foods to babies, taking into account various factors. Firstly, they need to be given in large pieces, the size of your fistso that they can manipulate them themselves. This is usually done during a family dinner. That is, the baby sits with the rest of the family and tries the foods that the other members eat, There is no special lunch prepared for him.

Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning

All of this can have many benefits. On the one hand, the baby trains his motor skills by interacting with food. You don’t just open your mouth and wait for the spoon to come. Except, flavors don’t mix, as in cereals and purees, to make it easier for you to learn to identify them and form your own tastes. This is also beneficial for parents who do not need to organize separate meals.

There are many foods that can be administered this way. broccoli and cauliflower, for example, are very useful because they can be cut into small trees that a child can easily manipulate. Other vegetables, e.g. zucchini, pumpkin or carrots They can be cut into sticks, are comfortable to hold, and have a very pleasant taste. Same for potatoes and sweet potatoes. As for fruits, children like them best strawberry, banana and watermelon. Him too avocado It is ideal because of its high calorie content. And it’s not all vegetables. strips of boiled salmon or chicken They, like an omelet, can be a great start for them to experiment with egg.

It may be dangerous?

A review was published in 2018 that analyzed several studies on child-led weaning. possible damage what his detractors are talking about.

To begin with, the focus was on the possibility that this could lead to even more suffocation in children. Thus, it was clear that in general There is usually no difference in the frequency of suffocation. in children with traditional weaning and child-led weaning. In some studies, a small increase in choking rates was observed among children receiving BLW. However, it should be taken into account that the data was provided by their own parents and that they sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between choking and suffocation. nausea this may cause the child to dislike food.

Now, in this aspect, it must be taken into account that there is no right time uniquely, starting with baby-led weaning. Recommended from 6 months. However, some children at this age may not yet be ready to eat solid foods. You must also have already lost extrusion reflex. This is a reflex that helps babies avoid choking, which prevents food from passing through the tongue into the throat. In order for this type of feeding to take place, they must already have lost the reflex. But they should also be able to swallow correctly and handle food well. Therefore, when in doubt, it is always better to ask your pediatrician if they are ready.

What about nutrients?

Some opponents of baby-led weaning note that it involves less intake iron, among other nutrients. And also, as a result, babies may experience energy deficiency and growth retardation. All this was also analyzed in the 2018 review, where very heterogeneous data.

It is true that there have been studies that have shown that children who were fed BLW had less weight than children who were spoon fed. However, it was also noted that methods for measuring children’s weight were not uniform and that in some studies parents who chose the traditional method were asked to include very energetic food.

Therefore, it will be necessary to better design studies to test whether there really is any effect in this aspect.

Parents’ paper

In any case, both the authors of this study and other experts in the field believe that nutritional quality during child-led weaning It depends more on the parents’ diet. It has been observed that if parents tend to eat less healthy food, they will, for example, give their children less fruits and vegetables. And more products with refined sugars.

Therefore, this should not be seen as criticism, but as an opportunity to even improve parental nutrition. They can eat better to set an example for their children and have more healthy food at home. Just like with adult nutrition, there’s no need to get hung up on yourself if you eat a bag of worms. But you should know what it is the most nutritious foods and try Prioritize them as best you can.

Despite all this, weaning is a feeding method that seems to be beneficial for children. And it’s even good for parents, as they enjoy seeing their kids eat and worry less about putting all the weight on their backs, planning meals, and so on. It’s all about trying and, as we’ve already seen, always consult a professional first.