Baby Led Weaning is a method of introducing solid foods to babies that allows them to feed themselves from the start, rather than being spoon-fed by an adult. With this approach, babies are offered appropriately sized pieces of food that they can pick up and eat on their own, promoting self-feeding and independence. This method is believed to help babies develop their motor skills and learn to regulate their food intake.

Baby Led Weaning is the term in English used to refer to demand-led complementary feeding. It is defined as the way to introduce solid foods into a baby's diet during the first year, guided by the baby itself, allowing them to handle food with their hands and bring it to their mouths.

The creator of this method is Gill Rapley, a nutritionist and deputy director of the UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospitals Initiative in the United Kingdom. In her book 'Helping your baby to love good food', the author gathers the scientific and anthropological foundations that support this feeding method.

This type of feeding, an alternative method to spoon-feeding, allows the baby to discover flavors, textures, colors, and smells, while also promoting independence and self-confidence. It helps the baby develop and improve motor coordination without going through the puree stage.

By six months, children are able to sit upright, pick up pieces of food, bring them to their mouths, and chew them.

The main difference between self-regulated feeding and traditional feeding is that babies learn the eating process: first how to chew, not how to swallow.

What advantages does Baby Led Weaning offer a baby?

This method, originating from the United States, should not be started before the sixth month and can be introduced once the infant has acquired certain motor and cognitive skills. Almost any dish can be shared with the baby: fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, bread, rice, pasta, and most fish, as long as they are easily chewable foods.

This way, the child is given the opportunity to discover, learn, experiment, and have fun with food. This method is an important component of imitation; the baby sits at the table with the parents, eats the same as them, and at their own pace.

The child takes on a more active role and learns to regulate the amounts of food they eat, in addition to helping them accept different foods and flavors. According to the Spanish Primary Care Pediatrics Association, using this feeding method can help prevent the development of childhood obesity, as by respecting the baby's hunger and satiety rhythms, overeating is avoided, leading to a lower body mass index and a preference for healthy foods.

Benefits of Baby Led Weaning

• Children receive whole foods and learn to eat everything, as the transition in food consistency is smoother.
• They are less likely to have problems accepting flavors and textures.
• It takes advantage of the innate curiosity babies have to try various foods.
• Babies eat the amount of food their bodies demand.
• It is complementary feeding to breastfeeding, which is the main food source until the baby turns one year old.