Baby Led Weaning with My 9-month-old!

One of the most anticipated and exciting milestones for babies is starting solid foods. Whether you've opted for purees or finger foods watching them take those first bites is always a bittersweet moment. When my oldest Scarlett was a baby, we were so excited for her to start solids that I did not take any time to research all of the different options and ways to introduce them. She ate strictly purees from 4 months until around 9 months when I came across an Instagram post of a mom feeding her 6-month-old chicken! I was in shock that at six months old a baby would even be able to eat what I could, I mean come on they don't even have teeth to chew. That's when I learned about Baby Led Weaning, and I have never gone back!

Baby Led Weaning (or BLW) is simply meeting your baby where they are and giving them developmentally and age-appropriate finger foods. All babies are different so talk to your pediatrician, but most babies are ready around 6 months of age. That's when they have enough hand eye coordination to be able to pick up their food and feed themselves. There are so so many benefits of BLW as well. For one you're not just introducing flavors when you use this method but also a whole world of textures for your baby to explore. It also helps them practice fine motor skills like picking up, bringing to the mouth, squishing, throwing, and chewing. Don't be worried if your baby seems to be playing with their food more than eating. This exploration is so so important for them at this age and your breastmilk or formula are still their main food source. In addition, it allows baby to self-regulate how much and what they are eating which allows them to learn to listen to their bodies and follow hunger cues early on. But my favorite part of Baby Led Weaning is being able to sit down for a meal and eat my own food alongside my baby without having to stop to feed them every few seconds (selfish I know).

A good rule of thumb when introducing table foods to your baby is if it can squish between your thumb and forefinger then it is safe for them to have. Even without teeth gums are stronger than you'd think and molars which are the teeth used for chewing don't come in until much later anyways. Another good rule of thumb is in the beginning keep foods larger so they are easier for baby to grasp. The pinscher reflex, which is babies' ability to use the thumb and forefinger to grab things doesn't develop until around 9 months of age. Before then it may be hard for baby to get smaller chunks of food into their mouths.

My youngest Everett is now 9 months old, and he has been eating table foods since around 5 months. Again, every baby is different when it comes to showing signs of being ready so please talk to your pediatrician to be sure that BLW is the best option for your family. Below is a sample of everything Everett eats in a day in addition to breast feeding!

For breakfast he had banana oatmeal pancakes and scrambled eggs. Snack was a simple rice cake with Nutella (one of his favs), and for lunch he had leftover taco meat made from ground turkey and some snap pea chips. Dinner was noodles with shrimp, steak, and veggies. Everything he had was an age-appropriate version of what we were already having that day!

Everett eats a good variety of food as well. There is nothing he's not allowed to have. Some meals are roasted veggies and salmon, and some meals are chicken nuggets or bologna. We don't put pressure on our kids to only eat "good" foods because let's be realistic, some days are just a lucky charms on the floor kind of days. But we do try to offer something healthy and a variety with every meal! If you'd be interested in some of Everett's fav recipes or a more in depth look into what he eats in a day comment below and let me know!