Our journey into Baby-Led Weaning

Why we chose Baby-Led Weaning (BLW)?

I knew I wanted to start solids as soon as the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead. The only issue was, I had no idea how to start. There was such little information out there on starting solids. One afternoon, I was scrolling through TikTok and I noticed this video of a mom talking about, BLW. After seeing this I had to do more research. When incorporating Baby-Led Weaning, is proven to make less fussy eaters, babies enjoy their meals and lastly, it puts less pressure on meal time. This one point right here was all I needed to start our Journey into Baby-Led Weaning!

HOW DID WE PREPARE OURSELVES FOR BLW?

When my son Waylon was around the 4-month mark there was so much pressure from his pediatrician and family/friends to start him on rice cereal. Not going to lie, as a first-time mom I listened to the doctor and started Waylon on rice cereal right at the 4-month mark. Recent research I have seen is that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics are saying that giving any type of food other than breast milk or formula is not recommended before 6 months nowadays. After hours of non-stop reading of articles, and blogs on BLW, I then started to prepare for our Baby-Led-Weaning Journey ahead! Here are some tips/tricks geared toward BLW that helped me a ton.

Tip #1 - Let your child self-feed 100%.

This means picking up the food and bringing it to their mouth.

Tip #2 - Encourage the mess!

Let your baby make a mess! Mess is inevitable with self-feeding and may help prevent picky eating later on. "By babies being able to grasp food with their bare hands they have the ability to experience different sensory feelings." -Rachel Coley

Tip #3 - Don't stress if your baby does not like the food you chose.

Say you give your baby Avacado for the first time, and they end up not liking it and spitting it right back out. This does not mean they will have that reaction every time. Most of the time this just means it's a new texture they need to get used to. For example, my son hated eggs for a month. Once I waited some time and cooked them a different way he loved them!

Tip #4 - NO DISTRACTIONS!

A mistake I made, in the beginning, was having a show on in the background while Waylon was eating. This teaches kids that it's ok to not have full attention on the food in front of them. It also teaches them to depend on there to be entertainment at the table when it should be family time.

Tip #5 - Suction dishes are a must!

There are so many amazing different suction plates out there. The ones I recommend are UpwardBaby Suction Plates & bowls for babies. This one also comes with two spoons. It will be linked at the end of the post.

Tip #6 - More things that are a must-have!

Any Bib with a pocket, a good one though is: https://www.walmart.com/ip/866636643

UpwardBaby Suction Plates: https://www.walmart.com/ip/UpwardBaby-Suction-Plates-Bowls-for-Baby-Toddler-Essentials-Silicone-Baby-Plate-Bowl-with-2-Baby-Spoons/1767263668

SKIP HOP Highchair: https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/skip-hop-sit-to-step-convertible-high-chair-in-grey-white/5398308

When did we start BLW?

Readiness Signs?

We started full-on BLW at around the beginning of 6 months. Waylon was sitting up with support, we were able to remove the newborn insert at around 4 and half months when he was only doing rice cereal, which if I knew most people weren't doing anymore at 4 months I would not have done it. His neck hold was strong, he showed great interest in food, tongue thrust was longer there. These are all very good signs to start introducing food to them and maybe do BLW!

How many meals a day did I start to offer with BLW?

When Waylon was showing readiness signs he was nearly 6 months old, we started with small amounts at a time. By the time we got past the 'gagging stage' he would have a full meal, and what I mean by full meal would be a couple of pieces of broccoli and maybe chicken. Waylon is now 8 months old and eats two meals a day which usually contains a main protein, a veggie, and a fruit with some water to drink.

What to expect in the first month of BLW?

There was A LOT of gagging!!! A bunch of messes! And lots of playing with food, and not much eating the actual food at all!!

Why did I want to share our BLW experience and Journey with other people?

Waylon is now 8 months old (June 2022) and I didn't only want to but, had to share our experience with other moms, fathers, grandparents, caregivers, etc. I remember how confusing BLW was during the first few months and how little help/information there was. Of course, there are worries when it comes to BLW but trust your baby and trust the process. In the long run, you will be so glad you did Baby-Led-Weaning!