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BABY LED

WEANING

B Y A N D R E W R I C H A R D S

Most of us have been introduced to the “spoon
aeroplane” but with the “baby led weaning” trend now in
full flight, it seems like parents are no longer in the pilot
seat.

Baby led weaning puts your little one at the centre of
meal times, allowing them to feed themselves from the
get-go. Suitable from around 6 months, baby led
weaning is a fun and easy way to introduce your child to
solid foods letting them choose what and how much they
eat.

Introducing your child to baby led weaning… "Every Child is Different and
At around 6 months your child will start to develop their
ability to grasp whole pieces of food and bring them to their Weaning Journey is
their mouth. Start by sitting your baby upright at the
table in a supportive chair preferably with a tray. Make Unique to Them"
sure they are steady and have the ability to use their
hands and arms freely. Introduce your baby to soft
foods, cut into finger sized slices. Foods such as broccoli, The benefits of baby led weaning:
avocado and banana are ideal in the early stages (more ·
recipes can be found at http://www.nannyash.co.uk) Promote healthy eating habits: your child
will be introduced to a range of flavours
Encourage your baby to eat by placing the food in front and textures at an early stage and will
of them. By eating alongside your baby, you will start to have more independence around their
develop the habit of family meal times whilst food chices and portions. Some research
encouraging your baby to mimic good eating habits. suggests that will help them to control
their eating habits later in life and hence
Final Thoughts… reduce the risk of obesity
As a parent how you choose to wean your children is a Improve their fine motor skills: your child
personal choice. Every child is different and their will be encouraged to pincer grip their
weaning journey is unique to them. At first your child food and will improve their hand eye co-
may just play with their food and explore the various ordination in the eating process.
textures so it’s important to continue milk feeds around Save time in food preparation: by allowing
meal times. Every day is different and you must embrace your little one to join in meal times from a
the weaning journey – try not to over analyse your young age, you will be able to cook one
child’s eating habits and trust your baby’s appetite. If meal for the whole family. Not only will
your baby has finished try not to force them to finish this save you time but the lack of purees
their food and remember, like adults, some foods will be will certainly free up space in your
more tasty to your little one than others! fridge/freezer!

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