Methods of Introducing Solids

This approach involves skipping purées and spoon-feeding entirely to let babies self-feed with their fingers from the first bite. Baby-led weaning is gaining international recognition. At a high level, here are some pros and cons of baby-led weaning:

Pros:

• Independence: Baby learns to eat independently and is in total control.

• Development: Baby practices critical gross, fine, and oral motor skills.

• Appetite Control: Baby is in charge of how much to eat and learns to stop when full, communicating this to the caregiver.

• Ease: Baby (mostly) eats what you eat. Fewer special meals!

• Variety: Baby eats a variety of textures and flavors, which may reduce picky eating later on.⁴

• Less Expensive: Baby eats real food. No pricey jars, pouches, or blenders required.

• Family Meals: Baby is part of your family meal, eating with you.

• Dining Out: It's easier to eat in restaurants as baby can eat whole food.

• Success: Babies are more likely to eat what you eat.

• Fun! Babies enjoy touching, inspecting, and tasting different flavors and textures.

Cons:

• Mess: When babies self-feed, it's monumentally messy!

• Food Waste: Half-chewed broccoli that lands on the floor is not likely to be saved.

• Gagging: Babies are likely to gag when transitioning to finger foods, and sometimes gag and vomit. The literature shows that babies gag the most when first starting solids, and less later on.⁵

• Initial Consumption: Baby’s actual intake of food may be less in the first weeks to month of baby-led weaning as baby learns and develops.

The traditional approach to feeding babies, where the parent is in total control (the parent holds the spoon and brings it to baby's mouth). Foods served are typically puréed or mashed. Babies who are spoon-fed should be given the opportunity to eat on their own, with their fingers, by 9 months old (at which point you can transition away from spoon-feeding).^{6 7 8}

Pros:

• Clean and Tidy: You are in control of feeding and the mess is minimal.

• Less Time-Consuming: You don't need to cook or buy a lot of ingredients.

• Less Waste: Most puréed food ends up in baby's mouth or saved in the jar.

• Consumption: More food gets in baby's belly right away.