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Do Doctors Recommend Baby Led Weaning?
do doctors recommend baby led weaning?
Many doctors won’t, and that’s mostly because there just isn’t enough testing and research yet done on baby led weaning for there to be any specific and standardized recommendation about it.
With that said, however, there are many dietitians, occupational therapists, pediatric feeding specialists and PhD researchers, who do recommend it, advocate for it and teach on it.
In this article I will share resources from those who support this feeding method, as well as literature on the more technical science-based findings from the government, so that you will have a variety of information at your disposal to look and read through so you can make your own informed parental decision for your own little bundle of cuddles and farts.
I do want to note, that in my experience as a caregiver who has been feeding all different types of babies for almost a decade now (and working one on one with them through age 3-4yrs old), that THE BEST way to feed your baby – no matter the method/approach you choose – is responsively.
What I mean by responsively is – feeding them when they show signs of hunger, prioritizing mealtime as being an enjoyable and calm experience for everyone, and letting your baby share in control so that meals aren’t just a task to get done/something happening to them.
Why does this matter? It matters because the habits we have now or get into now, with our babies, are most likely ones we will continue through toddlerhood and beyond. Forcing them to eat, forcing them to sit, not letting them have any control over food or utensils or fullness at mealtime…. Our babies are going to turn into independence-craving toddlers using their own minds, listening to their own bodies, desires and wants, exploring in their unique way, and if we allow our capable babies some room to do that from the beginning, we will have a much easier time with our toddlers and we will be honoring who our baby is now as tiny human wired to listen to their body and use it, rather than who we expect them to be or what society says they are…
It matters a lot for shaping whether or not your baby will want to come to the table, be comfortable enough to eat what you provide and build a positive, happy relationship with food in general. I have seen how forcing (pushing babies hand down and putting the spoon into their mouth) can frustrate the baby and make them zip their lips and start to build a negative association toward mealtime and frustration toward the adult not sharing control at mealtime…
Read this next:
Is It Unsafe To Do Purees & Baby Led Weaning?
EVERYTHING You Need To Know About Baby Led Weaning Before You Begin
baby led weaning research
With baby led weaning only being coined and talked about for the past 20ish years, there is lots of room for deeper research and analysis, especially long-term.
In this section, I will include links to technical medical articles and studies that you can scour.
Additionally, I will share some of the medical professionals who support and advocate for the baby led weaning, including dietitians, occupational therapists, pediatric feeding specialists and PhD researchers…
1. For a rolling list of the research and medical studies and discussions to date, the National Library of Medicine is an excellent resource.
2. Katie Ferraro is a Registered Dietitian and mom of 7, specializing in baby led weaning. She’s a college nutrition professor and runs the largest digital community dedicated to baby led weaning @babyledweanteam. She also hosts the top-rated parenting podcast baby led weaning made easy. Through her work online, Katie has helped tens of thousands of families give their babies a safe start to solid foods with baby led weaning.
“Allowing your baby to eat safe, modified versions of the same foods the rest of the family eat is a centuries-old practice. In our modern era, however, the term “baby led weaning” was coined by Gill Rapley, PhD co-author of the Baby-Led Weaning book and a champion of this feeding philosophy. If you’re just starting out with baby-led weaning, I certainly recommend you read Dr. Rapley’s book Baby-Led Weaning The Essential Guide to learn more about the philosophy and ideals behind the baby led weaning movement.” -Katie Ferraro
3. Solid Starts is a website started by a mom who then consulted with numerous feeding therapists, swallowing specialists, pediatricians, an allergist, pediatric dietitians, lactation consultants, and a nutritionist, to create the learning space it is today for new parents. It’s a comprehensive multidisciplinary team in the baby food and feeding space, all advocating for and teaching on baby led weaning. You can see the long list of doctors and the like, on their website who support and educate on baby led weaning, here.
4. Abbie Gacke is a pediatric feeding and swallowing specialist, Speech Pathologist and mom of two. She’s the owner of Childworks Therapy in Iowa and has specialized experience in treating children, adolescents and adults with complex medical diagnoses heavily impacted by feeding & swallowing disorders, speech and language disorders, and orofacial myofunctional disorders. On her Instagram, she educates on many things including safe baby led weaning..
5. Happy Healthy Eaters is a website put together by two Registered Dietitians and boy moms who have combined 20 years of experience. They teach on the benefits of baby led weaning, the pros and cons of baby led weaning and how to safely do baby led weaning and purees, as a ‘combo’ feeding method. You can see what they say about baby led weaning, here.
6. Various Pediatricians in this article on Today.com, discuss the disadvantages of baby led weaning, the benefits of baby led weaning and the pros and cons of baby led weaning.
So, as far as baby led weaning research goes, you have a lot of credible information to search through that hopefully helps put your mind at more ease about however you decide to safely and happily be feeding your baby (baby led weaning, spoon feeding, or combo – but always responsively, yea? 😉
For more formal reading on baby led weaning, you can see the books below as well.
Helpful books about baby led weaning:
So, how are you feeling?
Do you think you’d maybe like to try it out? If so (yay!! I’m a huge advocate for this feeding method because I have seen the benefits of baby led weaning, and the culture and mindset it brings first time families and the outcomes, if done right supported along the way, is truly incredible! And that’s from someone who again, has spent almost a decade feeding babies one-on-one. My perspective is rooted in research, intuition and professional experience) Let’s dive into some starting baby led weaning need-to-knows….
1. Avoid choking hazards
2. Prepare properly for introducing allergens, especially if you have a family history of allergies OR your baby has eczema. In this case, your baby may be predisposed for having a food allergy. Consult your pediatrician about allergens (and starting solids in general).
“In a step forward in food allergy prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated its Dietary Guidelines to include early introduction of food allergens to infants and young children. It’s the first time the USDA addressed food allergies in its dietary guidelines.
The USDA guidelines recommend parents introduce food allergens to a child in the first year of life when other complementary foods are introduced in the diet. Introducing early and often, can help prevent the development of food allergies. “There is no evidence that delaying introduction of allergenic foods, beyond when other complementary foods are introduced, helps to prevent food allergy,” the USDA guidelines say.- Allergy & Asthma Network
3. Iron deficiency is a concern and common in babies, therefore the American Academy of Pediatrics highly encourages focusing on iron-rich or iron-fortified foods when starting solids, like:
- Beef
- Pork
- Dark turkey
- Winter squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Egg yolks
- Beans
- Lentils
- Oatmeal
- Tuna
- Kale
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Fortified products like breakfast cereals with 100% of the daily value needed, white beans, soybeans, tofu
Starting with one of these foods is a great idea! Or, you can start with banana or avocado, if that what makes you most comfortable. Then, as your baby gets more practice in with grabbing, chewing and swallowing, you can make it a point to incorporate these iron-rich foods often.
Note on safety: I always recommend that new parents take a pediatric CPR class or at least get informed about what they can do to help their baby in case choking does happen. It’s really the safest choice, as babies up to 5 years old are at high risk for choking, even on toy parts etc. *Note: baby led weaning studies have shown that this feeding method does NOT pose more of a choking risk than parent-led spoon feeding does, if done safely (avoiding choking hazards, monitoring baby when eating etc).
what are some baby-led weaning starter foods?
Here is a baby led weaning food chart you can save or print. This is a great starter list of foods that also includes the iron-rich foods mentioned above. All of these are great baby led weaning foods 6 months and beyond!
and here are some ways you can prepare the foods, depending on your baby’s abilities and preference. Typically the smaller pieces are served to older toddlers (9 months+) because they are usually pinching foods at that age (pincer grip) rather than using their whole palm to slap and grab them (palmar grasp). You can see more serving ideas, here.
how to prepare foods for baby led weaning?
- Always ensure that fresh fruit is very ripe/very soft so your baby can easily gum at or chew up and swallow safely. Gums are great for mashing soft foods, so baby doesn’t need to have teeth to start.
- For all fruit, a good rule of thumb is to have everything be as soft as a banana.
- For cooked foods, use the same rule – as soft as a banana. Steam, sautee, roast, however you prefer to prepare it.
- How often to serve a new food: the most recent recommendation is one food per day OR per every few days, depending on your comfort level and baby’s abilities. As you see them handle a food well, and as you start to feel more comfortable and confident, you can begin to add another or switch to another.
- Keep salt and sodium-dense products to a minimum, as your baby’s kidneys aren’t quite developed enough to process it properly. The same goes for spicy seasonings – avoid those until baby is more accustom to flavors, and you can decipher what they are able to tolerate.
- Strongly consider taking an infant CPR class. Although studies have found that baby led weaning does not pose a greater choking risk than feeding pureed food does, the likelihood that you have choking fears is high. And, the reality is, choking can be a risk up until age 5-6 years old, so if you actually know what to do in case of a choking emergency, you are likely to feel far more at ease when serving foods.
Read this next:
16 Simple & Sensory Ways To Serve First Foods (Recipes!)
21 Picture Examples Of How To Serve Foods With Baby Led Weaning
Master List! 30+ Starter Baby Led Weaning Foods For 6 Month Old
- Berries can be cut in half and/or squished.
- Things like pasta, ground beef and peas can be placed in front of them a few at a time, so that baby doesn’t use their palmar grasp and overload their mouth with too much food. As I mentioned, their gag reflex is strong at 6 months and will help protect them from choking, by pushing the food forward and out. Gagging can also occur as they are getting used to so much newness – texture, flavor and swallowing pieces of food versus just milk.
- Cottage cheese can be strained and then served, this way they can pick at the curds easier and with less mess.
- Yogurt and oatmeal can be pre-scooped onto a baby-appropriate spoon for them, then either hand the spoon to them or lay it on their tray for them to grab. If you’re looking for the best spoon, these utensils are the easiest ones for 6-9 month olds to actually use correctly.
- Rice can be gently pressed onto a chunk of avocado or sprinkled into scrambled eggs for a less messy meal.
Just getting started with baby led weaning and not sure how to go about it all? Check out my Low Stress Baby Led Weaning eBook & Starter Kit for NERVOUS first time, real and regular moms!
Starter Kit for Low Stress Baby Led Weaning: Mom's Step-By-Step eBook For The First 6 Weeks, First Foods List, What To Expect, Foods To Avoid, Supply List & More!
Baby led weaning feeding schedule
Many moms wonder when to feed their baby once they start solids. You can opt to feed solids before or after their milk, either is fine. Timing their meal around when they currently feed for milk will be the easiest way for you to add this into your existing routine.
For a happy and eager-to-eat baby, let them show you hunger cues before serving them solids. Instead of sticking to any rigid schedule, if you notice hunger cues, that means you have a hungry baby and are less likely to see them refuse or futz around with food you give them (more on what to expect from your baby when they start solids below).
Know that as your baby ages from 6-12months old, they’ll be developing rapidly, so when and how much they eat can fluctuate day to day and month to month.
You can see and save the feeding schedule example below for how many solids feeds babies typically have by age.
what to expect with baby led weaning
Some babies really lean into the learning side of starting solids (they feel, play, lick, rather than just eat them – and that’s completely normal, too). This can leave moms feeling like they are doing something wrong or that their baby can’t do baby led weaning. It’s not true! I want you to know that not all babies just dive into eating. This article goes over 7 other common things babies do when starting solids with baby led weaning (besides eat them!)
If you notice your baby is hesitant to eat and exploring foods more as they do toys, one of the best things you can do is to tweak how you present the food (while still following the necessary safe softness guidelines – soft as a ripe banana is an easy way to remember it) and see if they take to foods more when they are in a specific shape or presentation.
Remember, your baby is just starting to learn how to control their hands and arms – bringing foods to their mouth. Another thing they are learning is how much to put into their mouth. Be sure to keep them as safe as possible by ALWAYS sitting with them to monitor while eating, and serving safe sizes, softness and amounts of foods. Sprinkle more as needed until they have complete control of gripping foods and putting a manageable amount in their mouth.
Check out these helpful starting solids tool
additional feeding tips
Keep in mind at this stage, they might not know what to do with foods yet. Show them what to do by doing yourself, expose them to a variety of colors, shapes and flavors, and make sure they are hungry when you sit down to serve them foods.
That’s it!? One little nibble?! One thing babies do when just starting solids is lick or chew a little tiny bite and that is all. The rest is left on their tray. Normal! Don’t decide just yet if they like or don’t like that food. It’s more about their eating skills and overall eating experience at this point than it is about the foods themselves.
With starting solids, there is so much newness for your baby – self feeding is way different than drinking form a boob or a bottle. All the colors, textures, smells – there is a lot to take in and a lot for them to actively do, unlike when they were just drinking milk.
Don’t stress if your baby is slow to chow. Keep serving new and different things, presenting them in different ways and let your baby get practice in. Try a super soft zucchini stick one day, zoodles another day and garlic smashed zucchini on a spoon another day. Which do they go for more?
Another thing to keep in mind is chewing comfort and teething – certain foods may be uncomfortable for them to chew (ground beef vs a smooth banana) not in a bad way, just different.
As for teething, some babies will eat less when sick and/or teething. So, keeping a helicopter view of what they eat over the course of 3-4 days will keep you from stressing over things if they don’t eat much during one meal.
To help you understand what is NORMAL and COMMON when it comes to starting solids (the stage that I like to actually call ‘learning solids’) you can see this (very reassuring) article: Baby Not Eating Much Solids? 7 Common Things Babies Do With Solids (Besides Eat Them!)
Note: ALWAYS consult your pediatrician for professional guidance on starting solids. There is a lot of educational information, like mine here, on the internet that is never to replace medical advice from a medical professional.
For more content on baby led weaning, you can follow me on Instagram!
Read this next:
EVERYTHING You Need To Know Before Starting Solids With Baby Led Weaning
The Ultimate List! Top-Rated Baby Led Weaning Supplies Other Moms Are Loving
7 Foods To Avoid When Starting Baby Led Weaning
Want a FREE instant download of my Low Stress Baby Led Weaning Starter Guide Cheat Sheet? Drop your name & email below! We never spam.
Everything you need to start solids with more ease and confidence. Includes: what to expect, introducing allergens, how to serve foods, foods to avoid, sample feeding schedule and more!
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