What Baby Led Solids IS and ISN'T

   I noticed people talking lately about Baby Led Solids/Weaning. And can't help but to notice that some people are kind of confused or maybe misinterpreting the philosophy behind the process. Baby Led Solids/Weaning is exactly as it is called...BABY LED.  Now, if you are spoon feeding purees to your baby..that is NOT Baby Led. Here are the basic guidelines straight from Gill Rapley:

     http://www.rapleyweaning.com/assets/blw_guidelines.pdf

     Here is another post on BLW...
   
     http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/babyledweaning.htm


     The idea behind BLW is that you don't use purees and that BABY controls what and how much goes into it's mouth. Never you. Breastfeeding is primary and first and foremost nutrition until after one. And is exclusive until after 6 months at the very least. Solids are just that, solids. They are given in chunks that are soft enough to eat, but, still able to be picked up by little hands. The child chooses whether to eat or not and how much it wants to eat.

     I also have noticed that people are confused by the name "weaning". In the US, weaning typically means stopping nursing or formula or bottle. In other parts of the world, like the UK, weaning means onto solids as a supplement to BM or formula. In the case of BLW, it is meant as onto solids.

     Some of the best foods to start of with in BLW are Avocados, Bananas and Baked Sweet Potatoes. Healthy and easy to chunk up for little ones.  And Avocados and Bananas make excellent travel foods as they both come in travel containers provided by nature and are easy to feed.

This video CLEARLY personifies BLW. In it, the child does choke/gag a little and quickly spits it out as she realizes she can't handle it.

   

Here is another well done video explaining the concept.

     Just wanted to explain the whole thing as I was seeing MANY that weren't quite "getting" it. I really like BLW...because it starts only after very clear indication that your child is physically ready for solids. The whole laying back and sucking liquid food off of a spoon just doesn't sit right with me. This to me is the way it should be. I would also like to add...this is based on MY opinion. Although I know a lot of you also share it with me.