Spoon Feeding vs. Baby Led Weaning: Can They Coexist?
When it comes to introducing solids to your little one, you have a lot of decisions to make, from what foods to offer them, to how you will introduce those foods.
Among the numerous options available, two of the most popular are baby led weaning and spoon feeding.
But is there a way for these two approaches to coexist peacefully?
Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each option and how they could potentially work together.
Spoon Feeding
The traditional method of introducing solids involves spoon feeding your baby purees or mashed up food.
With this approach, nutritionists recommend that parents wait until their baby is 6 months old before giving them anything other than breast milk or formula.
One benefit of this method is that you can control exactly what your baby eats and regulate portion sizes easily.
The downside is that some babies may not be ready for solid foods at 6 months yet, so it’s important to know your child’s own individual needs before starting this path.
Baby Led Weaning
Baby led weaning (BLW) involves allowing infants as young as 4 months old — as long as they meet certain developmental milestones — to feed themselves finger-sized pieces of soft fruits and vegetables that they can hold in their hands and put directly into their mouths.
BLW has been found to reduce picky eating behaviors later on in childhood by exposing babies to a variety of flavors early on in life.
However, because babies are in control of what they feed themselves, parents don’t always get the same level of assurance with BLW when it comes to nutrition and portion control as with spoon feeding.
Can They Coexist?
The good news is that yes – you can mix spoon-feeding with BLW!
You can start off by offering your baby soft pieces of food and letting them self-feed if they seem interested in doing so but also supplementing with some purees or mashed food if needed for extra calories or nutrients such as iron found in meat or fish purees (which isn’t safe for babies who are self-feeding).
Of course, every child is different so it’s important to talk with your pediatrician about the best approach for you and your family before making any decisions about starting solids!
Conclusion
Introducing solids can be overwhelming–there are so many options out there!
But thankfully there’s no need to choose between only one type of feeding method; mixing spoon-feeding with BLW is a great way for parents who want the best of both worlds!
By working together, these two techniques can help ensure that your little one gets all the nutrition they need while still being able explore independence through self-feeding.
Now more than ever, feeding your little one is a top priority.
If you are looking for the best spoons to safely serve your baby their first delicious meals, then click the button below to see our list of quality BLW spoons on the market.
We compiled this list based on user reviews and ratings, so you can trust that these spoons will give you peace of mind as you prepare your baby’s daily meals.
Check out the list now – happy feeding!