When To Start Baby Led Weaning

It is usual for parents to start giving pureed food to their little ones when they start weaning. However, this is not the only way to wean your baby as there are other alternative methods. In the past, new moms were encouraged to offer exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months. 

In the modern world, babies get introduced to solid foods as early as four months old. Rather than trying different foods that could cause indigestion and other health problems, you can consider baby led weaning five months foods. This is one of the best weaning techniques that allow you to introduce solid foods.

What Does Baby Led Weaning Mean? 

Baby led weaning is a concept that Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett first introduced. The recommendation is to introduce solid foods to the little ones by allowing them to feed themselves. Rather than purees, finger foods are used for the baby to use their bare hands to eat. The baby led weaning five months foods allow the babies to eat the same food as the rest of the family members while eating with them at the same time. Babies have the freedom to eat independently, which allows them to choose how fast and how much they want to eat.

Weaning is a great chance for your little one to explore different textures and tastes of foods. Remember that your baby is still young and needs to continue nursing or get their fair share of bottled milk. As the feeding on solids increases, there will be a decline in the milk intake.

Introducing Your Baby to Led Weaning

A good number of professional experts recommend BLW to start at about six months old. However, some children may start earlier, and others will start later in their life. It is advisable to consult your pediatrician and ensure that you understand the weaning readiness signs before giving them baby led weaning five months foods. At this tender age of five months, it is advisable to stick to soft foods and, in most cases, fruits and veggies. Some of the best BLW foods that you can start with include:

• Avocados
• Banana
• Sweet potatoes
• Soft cooked apples
• Pumpkin
• Green beans without skins
• Egg yolk
• Meat and poultry

Whereas you may want to go all out with the baby led weaning five months foods, you should avoid allergenic foods like peanuts. There are some ready and pre-portioned foods to give your baby if you want to introduce allergens.

So, Should I Led Wean My 5-Month-Old?

As you would imagine, some concerns like choking are associated with baby led weaning at five months. If you are introducing the baby to solid foods, you need to be vigilant, and at no point should you leave the baby alone. You may want to start with purees and then gradually move on to finger foods.