When your baby is old enough, you need to think about baby-led weaning. Perhaps, the main issue for the young mothers concerns the terms of its introduction. When to begin the complementary feeding? What to begin baby-led weaning with?
Persistent pieces of advice from grandmothers, who fed the children with cream of wheat practically from the 2nd month of life, aren’t always appropriate. Naturally, only the experienced pediatrician can tell young mothers about the led-weaning first adult foods for their baby. The pediatricians will tell you when it is necessary to begin the complementary feeding in general, and also will advise the terms of its introduction specifically for your child.
Persistent pieces of advice from grandmothers, who fed the children with cream of wheat practically from the 2nd month of life, aren’t always appropriate. Naturally, only the experienced pediatrician can tell young mothers about the led-weaning first adult foods for their baby. The pediatricians will tell you when it is necessary to begin the complementary feeding in general, and also will advise the terms of its introduction specifically for your child.
As for the led weaning first foods – it depends on the stage of the led weaning and the age of the baby. The thing is that not all that we eat as adults is well digested by the intestines of the 4-month baby. You surely won’t give spicy foods to your baby, but you’d better know what to start with:
First foods for the BLW should be selected not only by the origin but also by consistency. This led weaning specialists to suggest that you start with a smooth, almost liquid puree of fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, that contain a lower amount of acid and are adapted for the baby of a certain age. Make sure that the food doesn’t contain sugars and preservative components.
Baby Led Weaning First Foods General List
*Suitable for the led weaning at the age of 4-6 month
| Fruit | Cereal and Grains | Veggies | Diary |
| Banana Pear Avocado Plum Apple Peach Nectarine | White rice Brown rice | Sweet potatoes White potatoes Carrots Butternut squash Pumpkin Swede/Rutabaga Parsnip | Yougurt, fromage frais (suggested to introduce after the 6th month) |
When to Start Baby Led Weaning?
Due to the individual features of each baby, any hour restrictions concerning the baby-led weaning first foods are senseless, and moreover can be harmful to the baby. It is possible to begin led-weaning with the first foods when the baby is ready for it. Usually, such readiness comes by 5-6 months of life (sometimes it is later), after the maturation of children’s nervous system, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. It can be seen, if:
- the baby shows an active interest in food on your plate;
- from the moment of birth its weight has increased twice;
- the baby can sit independently or with the minimal support;
- the baby is able or tries to hold a spoon in hand, can take food from a spoon;
- the baby can show the refusal of food (turns its head away);
- its tongue-thrust reflex of solid food faded;
- the child’s need for food increases – feeding frequency is changing, either you breastfeed or give formula;
- its first tooth grew up (unnecessary condition).
Complementary feeding is introduced earlier to the children on formula, than to those, fed by the breast. But not all of them.
So, when it is possible to start the weaning process? If the baby is healthy and develops according to the schedule, the introduction of adult food can be started from the 5th month of life. But some mothers give a taste of foods to the child much earlier and some pediatricians do not mind at all – thus you may prepare the child for the adult tastes with no harm.
Some of them the baby may recognize and appreciate later. But in this case try to avoid foods, that are considered to be allergens. Some mothers, however, practice the no exclusion food introduction. Healthy foods only, but various tastes. Thus, Masaru Ibuka suggests that give your baby as many tasty things to try, as possible. It will create a wider picture of the world.
Introducing the Vegetables
It’s better to start complementary feeding with vegetables or milky-cereal porridge (only if the baby is not gaining weight). Most often pediatricians recommend choosing mono-composed mashed vegetables and certain types of fruit. Don’t worry if the first attempt to give new food to the child will not succeed. At first, the children are reluctant to eat such new unusual food. In some cases, it is necessary even to delay the complementary feeding for 2-4 weeks.
So, when to enter the vegetable complementary feeding? Vegetable dishes are recommended to be introduced into the baby’s diet as the baby turns 5-6 months old.
Fruit Complementary Feeding
Some years ago pediatricians said that some drops of juice should be given to the baby for 4 months of its life, gradually bringing quantity to the necessary volumes. Today physicians claim that the concentrated juice is contraindicated to children under one-year-old, because of its negative impact on the children’s gastrointestinal tract. Until that time, it is better to give the children different fruit compotes. The pediatricians recommend giving the children fruit puree from the 6th month of life, after the introduction of vegetable complementary feeding.
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.
