Hands up if you have ever felt guilty, frustrated. Gagging occurs with puree foods too. Like most parenting topics the best feeding method for baby's is highly controversial. The pros and cons of the traditional weaning method. Your Baby is more likely to begin chewing before swallowing with the baby led weaning method. Starting babies on whole foods from their first bite makes many parents squirm. (Stay tuned for another post in this series on the best first foods for your baby.). Some babies, especially those with developmental delays or prematurity may need to start with the traditional weaning method. It is possible for your baby to get enough to eat with baby led weaning as long as you are providing the right foods. 405 E. Branch St. #102 Arroyo Grande, CA 93420, Subscribe for simple ideas to inspire your healthiest family and home. Baby led weaning allows your baby to gum food and practice chewing to self-manage different textures at their own pace. It’s a safe method with low chances of choking, as the food is soft and easily dissolves in the mouth. Kids are tactile by nature and love to touch things. Each weaning method has its pros and cons, however, one of the biggest pros of traditional weaning is confidence in knowing that your baby has consumed the food you provided. As long as you provide your baby soft foods, they can eat a pretty good variety. Not only do they add more flavour to the food, but they also aid in digestion and reduce gas. With strict baby led weaning, no puree foods are included. Pingback: Nutrition for Kids: Nurturing Positive Food Environments with Jessica Gust, RDN of Element Nutrition Co - Generation.Mom. When babies are introduced to pureed foods first, they often learn to swallow before chewing. Gagging is a good thing! This is true of both feeding methods, but especially important with the traditional weaning method, as many of the jarred baby foods are primarily fruits and vegetables. Most parents feel more confident that their baby will not choke following the traditional weaning method. It’s tried and tested. You know exactly what your baby’s intake quantity is, especially when you’re offering iron and zinc-rich food. This method takes puree foods out of the equation and instead of the parent spoon feeding their baby, the baby picks up and eats foods by themselves. (No TV or toys, parents should be sitting face to face with the baby making eye contact.). This could be viewed as both a pro and a con. It's a great print out to have on hand when you are first getting started. Choking is one of the top concerns of the baby led weaning method. With purees, the parent tends to be more in control and therefore they know how much baby ate. Your baby may take some time to adapt to the new feeding routine, but rest assured, once he gets the hang of it, he will be happily gobbling up his dinner. Self-feeding can increase baby’s confidence and fosters more attempts at traversing different shapes and textures. Both have been a positive experience but have their pros and cons. Only if you mean chilli and other heat-inducing spices. The front teeth are great for biting, but aside from that, teeth don't matter much when starting solids. According to AAP, babies should be fed exclusively by breast-feeding for the first 6 months of life, and breast-fed in combination with solid foods until age 1. Learn how your comment data is processed. Baby led weaning also offers more time to play and explore. For those using the baby led weaning method of starting solids, it is critical to wait until the baby is developmentally ready, which typically occurs around the 6-month mark. Most of the research shows that as long as parents avoid or modify foods that are a choking hazard, there is no increased risk of choking between feeding methods. However, a 2018 systematic review (research summary) determined that there isn't enough evidence to say that the baby led weaning approach is best (yet). This, in turn, helps to release saliva and kickstart the digestion process. Which method is best-traditional or baby led weaning? For recipes and more details on what to feed your baby, check out this, Only if you mean chilli and other heat-inducing spices. Ever wondered if raisins were a good snack choice. Baby-led weaning is better if you can handle the mess because it helps your baby develop his fine-motor skill, hand-eye coordination, and sensorial skill. Using a small chamaach and vati, food is slowly fed to the baby. Understanding the difference is important if you are considering the baby led weaning method of feeding. Each method: baby led weaning and traditional weaning, has its pros and cons. Since the baby is introduced to new textures and flavours for the first time, he might take longer to chew food. Not only do they add more flavour to the food, but they also aid in digestion and reduce gas. This could be viewed as both a pro and a con. Cons of following the traditional weaning method It can be quite a time consuming, at least for the initial few months as you are slowly spoon-feeding your baby. The goal is for your baby to be on table foods by 9-11 months. I went down the traditional weaning route with my eldest, Finn, and I am now three months into weaning Rory, my youngest, using the baby-led method. This occurs when the airway is blocked by food. There are many potential benefits to following the baby led weaning method of feeding. Don’t put your child on a liquid diet, please. During the first few feeds, there may be a struggle between the feeder and the baby, as both are still new to the whole process. One thing to keep in mind is that parents often confuse choking and gagging. The highest quality studies are randomized control trials, which are difficult with this topic. This is cause for celebration, and many Indian communities even mark the occasion with an Annaprashan or feeding ceremony. However, many of these benefits are also true of the traditional weaning method. Many people feel that the baby led weaning method creates a more responsive feeding environment, putting your baby fully in the driver's seat of feeding. The key is to follow responsive feeding practices. This is not to say that these babies cannot follow the baby led weaning method or a combination approach, they just may need to work more closely with a healthcare team to do so. Babies will not overfeed themselves. To date, there has been one major study comparing nutrient intake between baby led weaning and traditional feeding and they found no significant difference between methods as long as parents were providing appropriate foods.