Baby-led Weaning: Your Guide on How to Wean a Baby
For every mother and their child, weaning will look a little different. Broadly speaking, weaning is the process of introducing solids into a baby’s diet, with the goal of eventually stopping breastfeeding. There are a few ways you can introduce solids to your little one, and it’s important to find the way that best suits the two of you. In this article, we explain what weaning can look like, how to find out what your baby needs, and how to wean a baby onto solids.
Weaning depends almost totally on what you and your baby are comfortable with. A traditional approach to weaning:
- Starts on solids at four months;
- Different foods are introduced on different weeks, with no meat until six months;
- Start with food pureed at a silky smooth consistency, before you slowly move to lumpier textures with time.
If standing at the bench and pureeing for hours doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry – baby led weaning (BLW) could be more up your alley.
What is Baby Led Weaning?
Baby led weaning (BLW) is a weaning method which has grown in popularity in recent years. With BLW:
- First foods are introduced at six months;
- You can offer soft finger foods that are easy to hold (eg. chopped avocado or sliced banana);
- Your child chooses which foods they would like to eat, based on what you offer them.
Most foods can be introduced from six months – but check with your GP or child health nurse to find out which foods your baby shouldn’t eat in the first year.
Traditional Weaning vs BLW: Which is Better?
Traditional weaning or BLW – which is better? There’s no easy answer. The method you choose is up to you and your child. Trust your gut, knowing both approaches result in healthy, happy eaters who can enjoy a wide range of foods. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages:
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Traditional Weaning |
Baby Led Weaning (BLW) |
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Advantages |
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Disadvantages |
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What Foods Does My Child Need?
As your child’s palate progresses, you can continue serving foods from previous months. Every baby is different, so don’t worry if your child is older. The role of breast milk is key up until the age of 12 months, and should be kept alongside whichever method of weaning you choose.
How Old is Your Child? |
Baby Led Weaning – First Foods (From 6 Months)
If you’re wondering when to start weaning, six months is generally a great time to start. At this age, your baby is starting to need more nutrients and energy than what breast milk or infant formula alone can provide.
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They’re Ready If… |
Foods for Around 6 Months – Traditional Weaning |
Foods for 6 Months – BLW |
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*cut to finger-size or larger
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For more tips and tricks, you can read our guide to feeding at 6 months.
Baby Led Weaning Foods From 7-9 Months
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They’re Ready If… |
Foods to Offer – Traditional Weaning |
Foods to Offer – BLW |
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For more tips and tricks, you can read our guide to feeding at 7-9 months.
10-12 Months
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They’re Ready If… |
Foods to Offer |
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For more tips and tricks, you can read our guide to feeding at 10-12 months.
Food Safety & Preparation Tips
- Don’t offer your baby food that they could choke on, and educate yourself on what to do if your baby chokes. Whether you’re taking a traditional or BLW approach, puree or cut all foods into small and manageable pieces. View more food preparation tips here.
- When babies are at weaning age, their immune system is still developing. This means they are more likely to become ill from food that hasn’t been stored, cooked or reheated properly. You can read more about this here.
For more inspiration and information, take a look at our baby led weaning recipes. Wherever you are in the weaning process, there are recipes suitable for your child’s age group.
The information in this article is general in nature and it is always recommended you speak with a qualified health professional regarding introducing solids to your baby.
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