Baby-Led Solids

Dear Isabelle,

Since we've been going to quite a few of the breastfeeding support groups at the Pump Station, we've been introduced to the term "baby-led solids". The more Mommy does her research on this topic, the more we are convinced that this should be the way to go. It seems very logical and natural as that has been the way you've been eating since birth.

The approach states that:
"Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding is the ideal preparation for self-feeding with solid foods. Breastfeeding babies feed at their own pace – indeed, it is impossible to force them to do anything else! They also balance their own intake of food and fluid by choosing how long each feed should last.

Many parents worry about babies choking. However, there is good reason to believe that babies are at less risk of choking if they are in control of what goes into their mouth than if they are spoon fed. This is because babies are not capable of intentionally moving food to the back of their throats until after they have developed the ability to chew. And they do not develop the ability to chew until after they have developed the ability to reach out and grab things. The ability to pick up very small things develops later still. Thus, a very young baby cannot easily put himself at risk because he cannot get small pieces of food into his mouth. Spoon feeding, by contrast, encourages the baby to suck the food straight to the back of his mouth, potentially making choking more likely.

It appears that a baby's general development keeps pace with the development of his ability to manage food in his mouth, and to digest it. A baby who is struggling to get food into his mouth is probably not quite ready to eat it. It is important to resist the temptation to 'help' the baby in these circumstances since his own developmental abilities are what ensure that the transition to solid foods takes place at the right pace for him, while keeping the risk of choking to a minimum.

Baby led introduction of solids involves trusting the baby to know when he/she is ready or able to eat, and to know when he/she has had enough."

DOs and DON'Ts for baby-led introduction of solids: (as taken from Borstvoeding.com)

• DO offer your baby the chance to participate whenever anyone else in the family is eating. You can begin to do this as soon as he shows an interest in watching you, although he is unlikely to be ready to put food in his mouth until he is about six months.
• DO ensure that your baby is supported in an upright position while he is experimenting with food. In the early days you can sit him on your lap, facing the table. Once he is beginning to show skill at picking food up he will almost certainly be mature enough to sit, with minimal support, in a high chair.
• DO start by offering foods that are baby-fist-sized, preferably chip-shaped (i.e., with a 'handle'). As far as possible, and provided they are suitable, offer him the same foods that you are eating, so that he feels part of what is going on.
• DO offer a variety of foods. There is no need to limit your baby's experience with food any more than you do with toys.
• DON'T hurry your baby. Allow him to direct the pace of what he is doing. In particular, don't be tempted to 'help' him by putting things in his mouth for him.
• DON'T expect your baby to eat any food on the first few occasions. Once he has discovered that these new toys taste nice, he will begin to chew and, later, to swallow.
• DON'T expect a young baby to eat all of each piece of food at first – remember that he won't yet have developed the ability to get at food which is inside his fist.
• DO try rejected foods again later – babies often change their minds and later accept foods they originally turned down.
• DON'T leave your baby on his own with food.
• DON'T offer foods which present an obvious danger, such as peanuts.
• DON'T offer 'fast' foods, ready meals or foods that have added salt or sugar.
• DO offer water from a cup but don't worry if your baby shows no interest in it. A breastfed baby, in particular, is likely to continue for some time to get all the drinks he needs from the breast.
• DO be prepared for the mess! A clean plastic sheet on the floor under the high chair will protect your carpet and make clearing up easier. It will also enable you to give back foods that have been dropped, so that less is wasted. (You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your baby learns to eat with very little mess!)
• DO continue to allow your baby to breastfeed whenever he wants, for as long as he wants. Expect his breastfeeding feeding pattern to change as he starts to eat more solid foods.
• If you have a family history of food intolerance, allergy or digestive problems, DO discuss this method of weaning with your health advisers before embarking on it.
• Finally, DO enjoy watching your baby learn about food – and develop his skills with his hands and mouth in the process!

Mommy thoroughly enjoys our nursing sessions and we are definitely going to wait until you tell me that you need more. And when you do, we shall experiment with the baby-led approach. At that time, your digestive system would have matured and you would also be developmentally and physically ready for solids!

Love, Mom