17 great foods for baby led weaning

Posted in Weaning.

Posted on February 12, 2018March 28, 2019 by Lana Hallowes

You don’t have to start your baby’s culinary journey out on purees and mush. Baby led weaning – where bub self feeds is another option that has a lot of support. Proponents of baby led weaning say it develops good eating habits and allows bub to learn not only how to eat, but also how to tell when she’s had enough.

Baby led weaning doesn’t mean you are weaning your baby off breastmilk or formula, but rather adding new foods to her diet. You can only start the process when your baby shows signs she’s ready. These usually happen around the six month mark when your little one can sit up.

If you want to give baby led weaning a go, try to keep food pieces fairly long and thin so your baby can grab it with her hand. First foods should also be cooked until soft, but not so mushy that she can’t grasp it with her fist. Also, avoid giving your baby any obvious choking hazards and beware of your little one’s natural gag reflex when she’s eating (it’s natural to panic when you see this kick in!).

Still unsure if baby led weaning is the way to go for you and your baby? You can always do a mixture of purees and finger foods. There are no set rules! The important thing is that you offer your baby a varied diet and you steer clear of adding salt or sugar to her food.

Here are some of the best baby led weaning foods to try.

14. Brown rice and other grains

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Rice, particularly brown rice, is easy for bub to grab and self feed. Other grains such as quinoa and oats are also highly nutritious. Once you've established your baby doesn't have any food intolerance to grains, wheat can be introduced around the seven to nine month mark.