Baby-led weaning (BLW) allows your baby to choose what, how much, and how quickly they eat. However, research on the benefits of BLW is inconsistent.

Baby-led weaningTrusted Source (BLW) encourages introducing foods through self-feeding, starting around 6 months of age. Instead of gradually shifting from parent-fed purées toward family foods as the baby ages, BLW encouragesTrusted Source parents to offer baby-sized pieces of regular foods from the start.

Parents pick what foods to offer, when, and in which form to offer them so their babies can feed themselves. In turn, the child can pick what, how much, and how quickly to eat.

However, many healthcare professionals highlight its drawbacks, such as potential nutrient deficiencies.

BLW is touted to offer various benefits, from healthier eating behaviors to better long-term health outcomes for children.

However, it is important to keep in mind that not all of these benefits are backed by robust research.

May promote good eating behaviors

BLW allows your baby choose what and how much to eat, making them active participants in the feeding process rather than passive recipients. Thus, BLW is often claimed to promote healthier eating behaviors later in life.

One 2021 studyTrusted Source found that BLW in 10- to 14-month-old children was associated with:

  • higher satiety responsiveness score
  • slower eating pace
  • slightly higher grasping skill score and fine motor quotient

A faster eating pace is associated with an increased risk of childhood overweight and obesity.

However, minimal studies have tracked the long-term eating behaviors of BLW babies. More research is needed to come to a definitive conclusion.

May protect against excess weight gain

Numerous studies show that BLW babies are more likely to have a weight in the normal range than babies weaned using more traditional weaning approaches.

In a 2021 review of studies, some studies found that BLW babies may gain less weight than their spoon-fed peers, while others noted no difference between the two groups.

However, it is important to note that the risk of bias in the included studies ranged from moderate to high.

Additionally, a higher prevalence of both underweight and overweight were reported in BLW babies compared to parent-led peers.

May reduce fussiness around food

BLW is often claimed to reduce picky eating behaviors and fussiness around food.

However, research is mixed, and more high quality research is needed.

One study noted that while BLW babies were exposed to a wider variety of foods at an earlier age, their food preferences did not differ greatly from those of their spoon-fed peers. Further, fruit and vegetable intake was the only food group with increased variety by two years of age.

Some foods are more suitable for BLW than others. Starting with foods of appropriate sizes and textures and avoiding potentially problematic foods can make it easier for your baby to eat and reduce safety concerns, such as choking.

While weaning your baby, breastfeeding or infant formula will continue to provide most of the calories your baby needs. Their intake of breast milk or formula should gradually reduce as their intake of solids increases.

Talk with your baby’s doctor

It is important to talk with your baby’s doctor before you start baby-led weaning. They will be able to advise you on whether or not it is appropriate for your child.

Your baby needs to be developmentally ready for BLW, which means being able to eat solids without choking. Signs of readiness include:

  • the absence of a tongue thrust (a baby’s natural reflex of pushing out foods with their tongues)
  • grasping items with more hand control and bringing them to the mouth

Babies should also be able to sit up unsupported and demonstrate an interest in the foods you eat.

Starter foods

Here are some BLW-appropriate starter foods:

  • avocado
  • baked, skinless potatoes or sweet potatoes
  • banana
  • beans or peas, slightly mashed
  • de-segmented orange without inner skins
  • ground meat
  • ground nuts and seeds
  • hard-boiled egg
  • lentils
  • oatmeal
  • salmon
  • soft-boiled green beans
  • steamed or shredded carrots
  • steamed broccoli
  • thawed or slightly mashed berries
  • unsweetened yogurt

It is best to cut foods into slices that your baby can easily pick up and hold and to offer foods your baby’s gums can easily mash.

Once you’ve prepared BLW-appropriate foods, place a small amount in front of your baby and allow them to grab and bring pieces to their mouths themselves.

Incorporate iron-rich foods

It is especially important to offer your baby iron-rich foods, as iron is important for their growth, and BLW may increase the risk of deficiency in this nutrient.

Good examples of iron-rich foods include:

  • meat
  • eggs
  • fish
  • beans
  • leafy greens

Foods to avoid

Some foods should be avoided when introducing foods to your child, regardless of your chosen weaning method:

In addition, when using BLW, you should avoid offering foods that babies can break off in large chunks using their gums but cannot chew, as well as foods naturally in a shape that can obstruct your baby’s airway. Examples include:

  • Certain raw foods: raw apples, carrots, celery, broccoli stems, etc.
  • Round or coin-shaped foods: whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, hot dogs, hard candy, etc.
  • Hard or crumbly foods: popcorn, very hard-crusted bread, whole nuts, etc.
  • Sticky foods: thick nut butters, marshmallows, etc.

Reducing the risk of choking

The risk of choking is often brought up on the topic of BLW. Parents can take the following steps to minimize the risk of choking during weaning:

  1. Ensure that your baby sits up straight when eating, ideally at 90 degrees while facing you.
  2. Never leave your baby alone when eating.
  3. Allow your baby to bring foods to their mouths themselves so they can control the amount of food in their mouths, as well as their eating pace.
  4. Ensure that the foods you serve can be easily mashed between your fingers or when pressed between your lips.
  5. Cut foods in a lengthy shape that your baby can easily grasp and pick up.
  6. Avoid offering foods that have round or coin-like shapes, are overly sticky, or can easily break off into pieces or crumbs.

Baby-led weaning is an alternative approach to introducing solids that involves offering baby-sized pieces of regular foods, instead of purées, starting at around 6 months of age.

While there are many purported benefits, more robust research is needed to back up these claims.

Ultimately, what works for your child may not work for another. It is important to talk with your doctor before starting BLW. They can advise you on whether or not it is appropriate.