A quick note: This guide is here to make getting started with baby-led weaning a little easier, but it is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice. Every baby is different, so always consider your baby’s individual development and talk with your pediatrician or certified dietician if you have questions.
Baby led weaning is the process of beginning a baby's feeding journey without the common first step of pureeing their food (or buying pre-made purees), and instead allowing the baby to explore, taste, discover texture, and follow their own self-guided process of learning to eat on their own.
This process can be intimidating to the first time parent, or even to the experienced parent, who is weary of choking, messes, and exploring the unknown. However, baby led weaning, or self feeding, is actually a fantastic first step in the biological process of a baby discovering their own internal cues.
This blog post will serve as a guide to parents beginning their baby-led weaning journey and will explore the obvious pain points of starting baby-led weaning by providing context, information, and resources to make the process easier.
When Does Baby Led Weaning Begin?
Baby led weaning can begin when the baby is showing all signs of readiness. This chart is a great reference for parents who may be unsure if their baby is ready to begin self-feeding solids.
Generally, this begins at around six months old, with some room for variation depending on each baby’s specific developmental milestones and circumstances. Speaking with a certified dietician that specializes in baby led weaning is advised.
Once it is determined that a baby is ready, baby-led weaning can begin!
Can I Still Feed Purees When Baby Led Weaning?
The short answer? Of course! Part of baby led weaning is allowing your baby to discover textures and tastes on their own, and purees are included in this discovery. What sets baby-led weaning apart is expanding beyond the traditional puree while still including it in the baby’s diet.
What Are Some Good First Foods for Baby Led Weaning
Truely, there is no right or wrong answer for what foods to begin baby-led weaning with. There are hundreds of charts online that give good feeding advice for baby-led weaning, but one of the easiest ways to begin is to follow dietician-supported advice on how to modify what you are already eating.
For example, if you are having eggs and sausage for breakfast, these are both foods that can be modified for whatever age range your baby is in. One of our favorite resources for knowing how to modify solid foods is the Solid Starts App.
This chart is an example of what modification can look like from the start of the baby-led weaning journey to the end:
Final Thoughts
If you find yourself thinking, “what did people feed their babies before purees were popular?” or considering alternative ways to approach your baby’s feeding journey, then baby-led weaning may be for you.
Baby-led weaning can make mealtime a fun opportunity for your baby to explore new foods, textures, and flavors through full-sensory play while developing important feeding skills. Of course, it can also be messy, but that’s part of the process! Having a few practical tools on hand can make cleanup a little easier, whether that means keeping a damp cloth nearby, protecting the floor under the high chair, or choosing a full coverage bib.
If you’re ready to begin your baby-led weaning journey, keep an eye on our blog for more guides, tips, and information!