Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Q. My daughter says she and her husband are not planning to give their son pureed baby food. I’m confused. What is my grandson going to eat? Is it dangerous to give babies adult food?

A. Baby-led weaning has been a hot topic around the dinner table for years. Skipping the spoon and purees and heading straight to solid foods is considered controversial to some, even though this method of feeding babies can be perfectly safe and nutritious when done right. Baby-led weaning is an approach to starting a baby on whole foods that are modified for the baby in the form of soft, graspable sticks. Baby is allowed to self-feed and eats meals together with the family at mealtimes.

For many families, baby-led weaning can be a huge timesaver both at mealtimes and in the kitchen. Babies who follow this method have a lower chance of being overfed and are allowed to respond to their own hunger and fullness cues. Some families may shy away from this feeding method for fear of choking and messy mealtimes. However, with the right information and tools, baby-led weaning can help bring nutrition and fun to mealtimes for your baby.

To ease the anxiety around introducing baby-led weaning to your infant, here are three key tips to help transition easily to solid foods:

Create a comfortable eating environment. Baby-led weaning babies should be at least 6 months old and developmentally ready for solid foods. A high chair at the dining room table with a supportive foot rest is a must. Plan to include a baby’s meal at mealtimes with the rest of the family. This will help reduce stress by eliminating an extra meal (which means extra food and time!).

Serve your baby what you’re eating and make extra. One of the biggest pros for baby-led weaning is not having to cook or prepare anything outside of the regular meals for the baby. Simply take elements from your meal, adjust for texture, and serve to the baby! Make foods safer by ensuring foods are served in graspable sticks and that cooked foods (like carrots or broccoli) are to a texture that can be easily smashed to the roof of the mouth with a tongue. When preparing meals, consider cooking extras of vegetables to help make future mealtimes even easier.

Prepare for mess. Learning how to feed yourself can get messy! If mess makes you cringe, there are a few things you can do to help make meals easier. Consider purchasing a mat to go under the high chair. Simply shake the mat out outside after each meal for easy cleanup! Allow the baby to feed in just a diaper. If you’re worried about messy clothes and extra laundry, skip the clothes all together and just go with a diaper and bib! Finally, plan for bath time at least once per day, if not more! Part of the joy of eating also involves exploring. So if your infant ends up with food everywhere, that’s ok – they’re doing it right!

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