Source: Flickr User Lars Plougmann
Weaning is a topic constantly open to debate. Which way is best? What method is the safest? When is the best time to start weaning? The questions are endless. The truth is, as long the method you practice is safe, then truly there is no correct method and you have to do what works best for you and your baby. However, today we will discuss the two main methods of weaning, Baby Led Weaning (BLW) and Spoon Led Weaning (SLW). We will discuss what each of these methods entail, how safe each method is and when is the best time to start implementing it, so that you can make a decision as to which is most suitable to your individual family.
When To Start Weaning
The advised age to start weaning is approximately 6 months of age. This is due to several reasons:
Prior to this your baby will be getting all the nutrients needed from formula or breastmilk
Babies need to be able to sit with support and hold their heads steady to ensure they can swallow food safely
The teeth under your babies gums allow for the squashing of soft lumps, so it is not necessary to wait until your baby has teeth to begin weaning.
After 6 months your baby's initial iron supply will have depleted, so it is important that they get the recommended amount of iron from solids.
Tongue and jaw co-ordination will have developed by this point allowing them to start experimenting with swallowing food.
Spoon Lead Weaning (SLW)
Perhaps the most traditional method of weaning is Spoon Led Weaning. This method is based around introducing babies to solid food through the use of smooth purees on a spoon, slowly building up to firmer textures as they age, eventually progressing onto finger foods at around 7-8 months old. Whilst the baby market is inundated with various brands of purees and mashes, this can be quite expensive, and many parents find themselves making their own mashes and purees at home which can then be frozen for use at a later date. This allows parents to experiment with a range of different textures and flavours, that they can then tailor to suit their baby's individual taste. The main benefits of this method are that you know exactly how much they have eaten, as well as being able to ensure that they receive a balanced and varied diet. In addition to this, there are claims that this method is less messy than BLW, however, having fed our daughter purees I can assure you the mess is just as great (See our Instagram for evidence of this!). However, the jars and pouches used within SLW are much easier to take out and about, making feeding on the go a lot less hassle than having to find suitable areas for your baby to eat. The only negatives to this approach is that it can require significantly more preparation if you choose to make your own baby purees, and it can be hard if you plan to eat around the same time; although this can be overcome by feeding your baby first.
In terms of safety, as long as you start with soft purees in small amounts then there is a decreased risk of choking as you are allowing your baby to get accustomed to new firmer textures in their own time. Always ensure when offering finger foods such as grapes, that they are cut in half and all pips/stones are removed to reduce risk of possible choking.
Baby Led Weaning (BLW)
In contrast to SLW, Baby Led Weaning is based on your baby taking the lead on how quickly they progress onto more solid food, also, rather than starting out on smooth purees, babies are introduced to soft solids instead, such as cooked vegetables and pasta shapes. The thought process behind this method is to allow the baby to get accustomed to having solids in their mouths, the various textures and how to grasp food. BLW can be a great option for those babies who are already trying to explore solid foods at family meal times and they are more able to chose what foods they would like to explore themselves, rather than having parents dictating what food they get at each meal. Furthermore, it has been claimed that babies exposed to finger foods earlier are less likely to struggle to deal with 'lumpy foods' than those brought up on smoother purees. It is also certainly less work for the parents, as you do not need to spend time creating purees and can simply allow your baby to choose suitable soft solid foods during family meal time, allowing the whole family to eat at once. However, whilst BLW offers many positives, there are some drawbacks. Many parents argue that BLW is messier than SLW as they can throw foods onto the floor and just about anywhere they can reach, however as stated earlier, our experience with SLW argues a very different story! Also it can be hard to tell just how much food your baby has consumed during a meal, meaning they can still be hungry afterwards, and finding suitable foods when out can be challenging.
In terms of safety, there is a slight increased risk of choking if foods are not prepared properly, but this can be overcome through ensuring all foods are relatively soft, and cut into small pieces with pips/stones removed. Many parents also argue that due to BLW babies becoming accustomed to solid foods and lumps earlier, they are less prone to choking, however there is not a substantial amount of evidence behind this.
Combination Feeding
If you cant decide which method you prefer for your baby, you can of course use a combination of both BLW and SLW. Not only does this method allow your baby to grow accustomed to handling solid foods, but it also allows them to gain skills using cutlery for later in childhood. You can reap the benefits from both methods whilst going at your baby's individual pace, whilst exploring lots of different tastes and textures.
What matters the most is that you choose the method and pace that is correct for your family. Whilst there is a lot of debate around which method is the best, the answer is neither! Every baby is different and every family has a unique situation. We have been mainly using SLW, giving Aria a lunch of purees and mashes each day, but we also incorporate BLW if she expresses an interest in a suitable food at meal time. It seems to work very well for her! We aren't worried about her choking she feels involved at meal times. Its a win win. As stated before, both methods seem equally as messy to us! Even when feeding Aria purees it looks as though she has taken a bath in it, we allow her to explore the foods with her hands to get used to textures, and that quite often results in everything from eyebrows to the cats getting a thorough coating!
What method do you use for weaning? I would love to hear your individual experiences below!