This is an article I have written -

My MCHN recommended it, so it really depends darl.

Introducing Solids ? Baby Led Weaning

The age of introducing solids is a much debated topic amongst mothers and infant health professionals across the globe. The current World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations are that infants should be exclusively breastfed until the age of six months and then complementary foods should be introduced with the continuation of breastfeeding, noting that breastmilk is the ideal food to meet nutritional requirements until this age.

Current Australian recommendations are that infants should be introduced to solids at around the six month mark, however, some babies may be developmentally ready a little earlier (2003 National Health and Medical Research Council Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents). The important thing to remember about early introduction of solids is to keep to the mantra of ?food is fun until I am one?. The early stages of solids are not to offer much nutritional benefit to infants, but are for learning and fun, and both parents and babies should enjoy this time.

The age recommendation for solids introduction has progressed from the mid 20th century, when originally the recommendation was for infants aged three months and onwards, which was later moved to four months and now to six months. However the way we introduce solids is still heavily geared towards the younger infant. Many mothers of young babies, will wean their children onto rice cereals (such as Farex), or single fruit purees, slowly introducing mashed and more lumpy textures after several months.

With that in mind, there is an increasingly popular approach to the way mothers are introducing solids. It is referred to as Baby Led Weaning.

Don?t be confused by the term ?weaning?, it is simply an exclamation of solids being a complementary food; because the introduction of solids is the beginning of customizing the child to the general family diet. The introduction of solids should not be the cessation of breastfeeding (or the use of a breastmilk substitute), and in fact breastmilk should still be the main source of nutrition until your child turns one.

The main signs of developmental readiness for the introduction of solid foods are;
? Loss of the extrusion reflex (tongue thrust) ? so when babies become able to push food to the back of their mouths for swallowing
? Steady head control and the ability to sit, with control when supported
? Teeth are also considered a sign of readiness however it is not always the case. And as for babies that don?t have teeth ? those gums know how to do the job!
Signs that your baby as an individual may be showing in terms of readiness include consistently watching you eat, grabbing for food and/or becoming unsettled around food when the rest of the family is eating. A lot of these signs become evident at around six months.
By the age of six months an infants? hand-eye coordination and dexterity will also be more developed and they are generally able to grasp things in their palms.

Rather than introducing babies to rice cereals and purees, baby led weaning takes the direction of weaning babies straight onto finger foods, and skipping the spoon-feeding stage altogether (until your toddler feeds themselves). Many parents who have taken the baby led approach recommend beginning with foods that are easy to grasp with the palm as babies at that age are yet to develop a pincer grip. Some examples of these foods are broccoli and cauliflower (especially because they have the stalk), carrot sticks, zucchini, banana, toast soldiers. The list is endless and is only as limited as your imagination.

The BLW approach allows infants to make their own discoveries and explorations with food, focussing on infants mimicking the actions of others and thus their desire to experiment with new things. This approach ensures that the transition to solids is out of curiousity rather than hunger ? which is an element often overlooked, even though we are continually reminded that breastmilk should remain the primary nutrition for infants until twelve months. BLW also allows the baby to set the pace of their progress ? just as breastfeeding does; which is why the BLW introduction to solids is the perfect, natural accompaniment to a breastfeeding relationship.

One of the key concepts of BLW is trust. Trusting that your baby knows what they are ready or able to eat, and trusting them to know when they have had enough. It allows your baby to develop a natural sense of appetite awareness, and for this to occur you need to trust in what your baby is capable of.

The first few times that food is offered, an infant is most likely to just play with it, eventually progressing to putting it in his/her mouth. The transition from putting it in the mouth to actually chewing and swallowing may be quick, but is likely to last a couple of weeks. A lot of babies tend to mush the foods with their tongue and spend a lot of time tasting and sucking on the food before spitting it back out.

It is also important to keep offering foods even if they are not eaten, for the purpose of both encouragement and familiarity. In the beginning babies are likely to only choose to eat one food. Eventually they will try more of what you offer and as it becomes more familiar to them they will be able to finish a plateful.

Lastly be prepared for a mess! This is the best part of BLW ? seeing how much enjoyment your little one gets from it. It can be advantageous to buy a plastic mat to put underneath their feeding area to make clean up a little easier on yourself.


Frequently Asked Questions:

But won?t my baby choke?
It is quite a common concern that starting babies on finger foods will cause them to choke. This is simply not true. Observation of babies has shown that if they are able to sit upright and have lost the extrusion reflex, enabling them to push food to the back of their mouths, then the risk of choking is minimal. Babies should never be left unsupervised when eating as a precaution.

Do I need to offer my baby any other drinks?
If the baby is breastfed, then no. Continue to offer the breast as per normal, as breastmilk is a drink as well as food. As a feed continues the fat levels in the milk increase and this is how the baby learns to control his milk intake. If it were simply for a drink you would find that baby would have a short feed and possibly from both breasts, however were it a breastfeed for food he would continue drinking.
Formula fed babies should be offered water after solids to assist with the clearing of their throat and to aid with digestion.

Are there any reasons why I should not take the BLW path?
If your baby was born prematurely, or if your family has a history of food allergies, intolerances or digestive problems it is wise to consult your doctor first. If your baby has special needs (such as chewing skills or fine motor skills that are impaired), BLW may not be suitable for him.