Gone are the days when mums were encouraged to purée everything that passed their baby’s lips. Now, some parents choose to forego the purées and weaning spoons altogether, and simply let their babies feed themselves with a variety of tastes and textures. “It’s not as messy as it sounds,” says UK-based paediatric dietician Melissa Little. “To begin with, start children off on easy-to-hold finger foods rather than baby mush, so there’s no spoon to throw and anything that does fall on the floor isn’t too sloppy,” she says.
WHAT IS IT?
Baby-led weaning means children are encouraged to self-feed on solid foods from six months (the age the World Health Organisation recommends all babies start weaning), rather than being spoon-fed purées, moved onto mashed food and eventually solids.
HOW DO YOU START?
Offer your child a variety of finger foods and let her take her pick. She may ignore some things in favour of others, but that’s fine. “Children follow their instincts and will always eat what’s right for them at this age,” says Sarah OckwellSmith, founder of babycalm.co.uk. Expect mess, but also a look of complete satisfaction as your gastro baby tucks into her lunch all by herself.
CAN YOU DO A BIT OF BOTH?
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