Throwing the spoon out of the weaning process

Baby-led weaning may not appeal to parents averse to mess, but it may make mealtimes easier as babies are encouraged to feed themselves

‘Here comes the choo-choo train . . . open wide”, that traditional parental ploy while thrusting a spoonful of food towards a baby’s face, is fast becoming redundant as baby-led weaning takes over.

Forget the purées and the baby rice, advocates say. Don’t start to introduce solids until six months and then you can leave it all in the hands of your baby – literally. None of this shoving spoons at them; it’s a matter of laying bits of food out in front of them and letting them take their pick – and their time – while, ideally, you eat much the same alongside them.

It’s not a style of weaning that will appeal to parents averse to mess, nor to those paranoid about choking. However, the mess is short-lived and it is argued that babies are probably at less risk of choking if they are in control of what goes into their mouths.

The approach capitalises on a baby’s natural desire to explore and experiment, as well as mimic what other people are doing. The array of textures, colours, sizes and shapes in the different foodstuffs are more stimulating and educational than a bowl of mush.

Curiosity rather than hunger would appear to be what motivates babies to start the transition from milk to solids, says Gill Rapley, a UK health visitor who is credited with coining the term, “baby-led weaning”. She didn’t invent the process, she points out. It is something that time-pressed parents with three or more children tended to do anyway.

“I just took it out of the closet really,” says Rapley, who, with co-author Tracey Murkett, wrote the definitive book, Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food, which was published in 2008 and has since been translated into seven languages. She reports a recent surge of interest in the subject, particularly in the US.

Not starting until six months, when your child is developed enough to be able to start self-feeding, is key – sitting up and reaching out are signs to look out for.

In the case of premature babies or those with developmental delays, medical advice is recommended if considering baby-led weaning.

No need for purées

Parents used to be encouraged to start weaning earlier – from three or four months – but now the recommendation is about six months. However it is considered “safe” to do so from 17 weeks onwards, as outlined in Best Practice for Infant Feeding in Ireland published last November by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.