You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Focus on:<br />
Baby Led<br />
Weaning<br />
Over recent years, there has been much<br />
debate over when exactly a baby should<br />
be weaned onto solid foods. Baby-led<br />
weaning describes the approach of<br />
allowing babies to feed themselves from<br />
the age if six months. The method was<br />
developed by Gill Rapley in conjunction<br />
with research and is thought to reduce<br />
the risk of choking and make the<br />
transition to solid foods easier with the<br />
baby accepting a wide range of foods,<br />
becoming confident and independent<br />
and developing hand eye co- ordination<br />
and chewing. Baby-led weaning also<br />
means there is no need to prepare<br />
special baby purees or foods.<br />
The current recommendations by heath<br />
professionals that babies should only be<br />
introduced to solid foods at six months<br />
of age fits foods at six months of age fits<br />
with baby-led weaning as most babies<br />
will begin to reach for food and try to<br />
feed themselves at around six months of<br />
age.<br />
Babies can just be sat in an upright<br />
position (on your lap to start with) at<br />
the table with the family at meal times.<br />
They can be offered a variety of sugar<br />
and salt free foods in hand sized pieces<br />
to explore and eventually eat. The<br />
babies should also be given water to<br />
drink at meal times in addition to their<br />
milk feeds.<br />
With baby-led weaning parents should<br />
resist the temptation to help or hurry<br />
the baby. As the name suggests baby led<br />
weaning should be at the babies own<br />
pace. They may take a little time to get<br />
anything in their mouth and may make a<br />
mess, but they will get there in the end.<br />
Fruit and vegetables with built in<br />
handles like broccoli and apple slices are<br />
ideal foods to start with but as the baby<br />
progresses they can also try pieces of<br />
meat and eventually foods like<br />
mincemeat once their motor skills have<br />
progressed enough to allow this type of<br />
self- feeding.<br />
Further information on baby-led weaning<br />
can be found at www.rapleyweaning.com
Change language