Baby-led Weaning and autonomy in learning to eat
Technically, the Spanish translation of Baby-led Weaning is alimentacion complementaria a demanda (complementary feeding on demand). It's one of the ways you can support your baby's weaning or the introduction of soft solid foods to complement breastfeeding, as you wish or are able.
It is considered a method that respects the feeding times of babies ( it is essential to start when babies show interest in the foods that the rest of the family eats), and it stimulates psychomotor skills in the process of growth and development of autonomy of babies.
Basically, it involves offering babies soft solid foods in pieces, instead of pureed, as is more common. The idea is for babies to use their hands to choose the piece they want and put it in their mouths themselves, deciding what and how much they want to eat. It's an invitation to enjoy meals as a family, promoting healthy eating for everyone at home.
Some believe that breastfeeding is a form of feeding where children play more than they eat… but what we can say is that babies and children actually discover the world through play. Through play, they acquire skills, experiment, and learn.
Advantages and tips of Baby-led Weaning
Advantages
When we talk about the advantages of practicing Baby-led Weaning, we mean that both you and your baby will have many benefits.
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It reduces food aversion. Training your baby to eat different textures and choosing what they want to eat decreases the chances of them rejecting food.
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Learn to self-regulate your baby's appetite. When your baby eats independently, they have more autonomy to decide whether they are full or not.
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It promotes the development of their motor skills. This practice improves their hand-eye coordination, chewing, and encourages healthy eating habits.
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You save time. Think about it: you have less work to do preparing their food, because there's no need to puree or mash anything.
Tips
In this section we want to give you some tips to keep in mind when practicing Baby-led Weaning.
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Try planning a food calendar. It will help you organize a balanced diet.
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Each time you introduce a new food , repeat the process for 3 to 5 days before adding another. This way you can check if any of them cause an allergic reaction.
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Delay the intake of potentially allergenic foods (kiwi, melon, egg, strawberries, gluten, for example).
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Although it may seem like he "plays more than he eats," you'll notice significant changes in his diaper. Don't worry.
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It makes it easier to grip pieces of food. It's advisable, for example, to cut chicken and carrots into strips, or broccoli into small florets.
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It is recommended to cook the vegetables by steaming.
What foods are best to start Baby-led Weaning?
Although we know that breast milk or formula is the main source of nutrients until the first year of life, below is a list of easy-to-chew foods, a fundamental priority for practicing good oral hygiene. baby-led weaning.
Let's start with fruit. It's recommended that sugar intake be in its natural form, that is, the sucrose found in fruit. It's best if the fruit is ripe and easy to cut into small pieces or strips, making it easier to chew.
At this stage, chewing is done with the front of the jaws. In most cases, there are no teeth yet. We recommend varying the foods: banana, watermelon, and mango. Apples, pears, and peaches are best cooked a little beforehand because they pose a greater choking risk.
As for vegetables, broccoli is a classic. You can also include potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or zucchini, for example, cut into sticks or pieces smaller than the size of your fist.
Among the meats, chicken or turkey fillets cut into strips are important sources of protein. You can also include beef in the form of hamburgers or meatballs. You can also add rice and pasta.
So now you know, you have a wide variety of healthy foods to offer your baby. Check out our catalog. some items to store your food anywhere, and share the wonderful experience of starting complementary feeding with your baby.
