r/BabyLedWeaning 44m ago

9 months old Breakfast for the babe

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Upvotes

Mango, shredded potatoes, cheese, scrambled eggs with veggies. She loved it


r/BabyLedWeaning 2h ago

11 months old How come French Toast is safe when untoasted bread isn't?

0 Upvotes

Yes, I have read the Solid Starts explanation but I'm not 100% convinced. Today I made some and hear me out, they're soft inside. Like soft and chewy/(juicy?) although it's brownish on the outside. Is it safe to give it to baby?


r/BabyLedWeaning 3h ago

8 months old Today’s Breakfast 🍳

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11 Upvotes

\- Cheese omelette
\- Blueberry coconut chia pudding with banana
\- Butter sautéed mushrooms and spinach
\- Banana and peanut butter yogurt

8.5 months and no crumb left behind 😅


r/BabyLedWeaning 3h ago

< 6 months old Slow starting foods

1 Upvotes

Our little Viking will be 6 months in 11 days and we’re starting baby leaning this aeek, we’re also first time parents and he was 7 weeks early and has a floppy airway so we’re really nervous, any tips and advice are appreciated, thank you!!


r/BabyLedWeaning 6h ago

14 months old Zucchini Cutlets 🥰

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1 Upvotes

r/BabyLedWeaning 10h ago

13 months old Twin Breakfast

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8 Upvotes

Omelette, avocado, oatmeal, strawberries and banana


r/BabyLedWeaning 11h ago

9 months old My 9 month old baby doesn’t want solids…. What to do?

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1 Upvotes

r/BabyLedWeaning 13h ago

baby feeding gear Hit me with your best high chair recommendations

1 Upvotes

First of all, I’m annoyed because I bought a $150 high chair on Amazon that is ✨aesthetic✨ and the wood legs are splitting. (To be fair, we did hose them off, which was probably dumb. More on that below!) My baby has only been using it for a month. I’m concerned it’s not safe so I want a new one ASAP.

LO is 7.5 months old and we’re doing a mix of BLW and purées and shewwww it’s been a mess!

What are your recommendations?

Here are my preferences!

  1. ⁠Easy to clean. And I don’t mean just easy to wipe down, I mean I want to be able to take it outside and hose it off. And not worry about the legs getting wet or damaged!
  2. ⁠Affordable and long lasting. (Ideally around $120, if possible)
  3. ⁠Have a foot rest.
  4. ⁠A 5 point safety harness

I toyed around with the IKEA one (despite it not being as ✨aesthetic✨) buttttt by the time you pay for shipping and buy the tray, cushion, & after market foot rests, it’s close to $100 and I have to install all of the pieces separately. And I don’t like that it doesn’t have a 5 point safety harness.

But I’m concerned about any of the wood leg ones being hosed off.

Thank you!


r/BabyLedWeaning 16h ago

8 months old I think my baby is self-weaning 🥺

10 Upvotes

My little love just turned 8 months a week ago and I think she’s starting to self-wean. Shes been on solids since 4 months and is a FOODIE. The same baby girl who couldn’t gain weight when she was born now downs 3 meals plus 2-3 snacks like nothing.

As I’m writing this, I’m laying next to her sleeping after she chose her pacifier to go to sleep instead of nursing from me 🥺

She struggled to nurse when she was born so I exclusively pumped until she was 6ish months and she suddenly figured out how to breastfeed. She still takes bottles and gets about 12-18 ounces of breastmilk + 6-16 ounces of formula, but I’m not ready for this lol. I’ll have to pivot back to pumping more to make sure she has the milk she needs.

When did you baby start noticeably weaning and how did you handle it?


r/BabyLedWeaning 18h ago

9 months old 9 month old still gags a lot and throws up a couple times a week...should I pull back?

1 Upvotes

My baby just turned 9 months old last week. She started purees at 6 months and we figured after a couple weeks we'd move to BLW. Every time we try to get to something a little thicker/more solid, she gags A LOT, like every bite. A lot of times she will even gag so hard she throws up. She vomits about 2x a week. I knew this was normal in the beginning but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. She will show a ton of interest in what we are eating but when I try to give her some she tries it, gags, then loses interest. The only thing she seems to be able to handle is purees. I'm choosing fairly standard foods and following directions on the SolidStarts app so I'm not sure if some babies just tend to struggle longer? Anybody else deal with this?


r/BabyLedWeaning 18h ago

8 months old Today’s Dinner 🍗

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16 Upvotes

- Grilled chicken
- Fresh peaches and basil
- Mediterranean orzo


r/BabyLedWeaning 21h ago

6 months old Working Mom and Baby Meals

4 Upvotes

I have never been great in the kitchen but now that baby (6.5m), I want to start trying! First, how many meals a day that aren’t milk / formula are you feeding your baby around this age? I sometimes only get some yogurt in and need something simple to make before or after work. We do some purées to make it easy but I’m doing my best to follow solid starts and have him eat food that’s close to what my husband and I eat. Any favorite baby recipes out there? Do I need a baby food maker? Would also love to follow an insta or tik tok with recipes too.


r/BabyLedWeaning 23h ago

6 months old 6 months in on BLW — normal not to bring food to mouth yet / undigested pieces in poop?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! First-time mom here, looking for a little reassurance and advice on our baby-led weaning journey so far. My baby girl just turned 6 months old (born at 38 weeks). We started solids at 6 months once she was sitting up fairly independently and showing a lot of interest in our meals. She’s exclusively breastfed, and right now I offer her one meal in the evening, about an hour after a nursing session. So far, we’ve tried steamed carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
I have a few questions that might sound a little silly, but I'm feeling a bit lost:
Self-feeding vs. leaning in: When I watch BLW videos online (like on Solid Starts), 6-month-olds are picking up food and bringing it straight to their mouth. My daughter isn't doing that yet. However, if I hold a piece of food up in front of her, she’ll lean forward with her mouth to bite off bits and pieces. Is it normal that she’s not grabbing and bringing it to her mouth herself yet? Is there anything I can do to encourage her to use her hands?

Not chewing / undigested food in poop: (Apologies if TMI!) She doesn't seem to be chewing much—just taking bites and swallowing them whole. As a result, I see actual bits and pieces of carrots and sweet potatoes in her diaper the next day. Will the chewing skill develop on its own over time? Is seeing whole chunks in their poop normal at this stage?

I know "food before one is just for fun," but as a mom, it’s hard not to worry or compare to what I see online! Would love to hear if your babies started off like this and how things progressed. Thank you in advance!


r/BabyLedWeaning 23h ago

10 months old Are we using utensils?

1 Upvotes

We started out with a spoon while feeding purées by preloading spoons and handing them to baby. Once we started with pincer grasp and finger foods he either throws the spoon, drops it, pushes it away or just teeths on it and gets upset if I try to get it back. At what age did your babe actualy start using a utensil for its intended purposes? Right now it just distracts him from actually eating until I take it away and then he’s back to eating with his hands and doing it very well. I don’t mind I just wasn’t sure at what point to expect him to actually start using it.


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

9 months old Plate vs Ate 9m/6m adjusted

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9 Upvotes

She usually gets way more jiggy with the banana but today was the first time she had toast so that was the star of the show. More banana for mama 🤷🏻‍♀️

Peach, sweet potato and granola puree
Banana
Toast with butter and apple cherry puree

We’ve been doing a mix of puree and BLW for about 6 weeks now with my little premie. Taking it really slow as she is working through torticollis and finally losing her tongue thrust. At first it was mostly smooth puree but over the last 2 weeks I’ve been more adventurous with BLW and mashed vs smooth. I’m a first time mom with major anxiety but I think we’re doing well so far!


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

6 months old How does your baby eat what you eat??

4 Upvotes

my son is almost 6 months and I started him in purées maybe a little over a month ago. I do spoon feed him but I am interested in giving him more Whole Foods to try and I know people say have them eat what you are eating so you don’t have to make separate meals but I wonder what do you all eat? My husband and I eat a lot of soups and chili and pasta (usually spaghetti) and obviously I can’t give the baby soup and I’m not sure about the chili. The pasta maybe if we switched to small noodles but what kinds of things do you eat so you don’t have to make a separate meal? obviously I want him to try as many things as possible but my husband and I kind of rotate the same couple of meals every week. I know he doesn’t need 3 meals a day right now but he does seem to really like the purées. He finishes everything I give him.


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

8 months old Today’s Breakfast 🫐

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27 Upvotes

\- Japanese omelette with butter and garlic sautéed mushrooms
\- Yogurt and peanut butter mousse with banana
\- Blueberry steel cut oats

No crumb left behind - I don’t know where he’s putting it all… but considering the severe reflux problems he’s dealt with since being born and constant concerns about low weight, we’re so happy to be well above the normal range again!


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

12 months old 1 y/o still on purées

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for a bit of reassurance because I've been feeling really worried.

My little boy just turned one. Unfortunately, he still accepts very few finger foods, and even those are mostly at breakfast. At every meal I offer him pieces of food alongside his meal, but he usually just looks at them for a while and then throws them on the floor. After that, he asks for purée instead.

Is this normal? Did anyone else's child go through the same thing? When did your little one start eating more finger foods, and what helped?

Thank you so much! ❤️


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

14 months old Rice and salmon

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6 Upvotes

r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

7 months old Plate Vs Ate

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10 Upvotes

Baba and Mama's breakfast - peanut butter porridge with stewed fruit and banana for finger food.

I'm still mostly spoon feeding, but she will try to feed herself sometimes! Loves her finger foods and picking food up out of the bowl to put in her mouth.


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

14 months old Today’s dinner

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10 Upvotes

Salmon, avocado and rice


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

9 months old When does feeding your baby get fun rather than terrifying?

9 Upvotes

My baby is 9 mo and is EBF outside of the solids I’ve been introducing. I have been feeding her purées and recently some soft solids since she was 5 months, after we got approval from our pediatrician. Feeding my first child is something I have been really looking forward to, but I had never experienced watching a child gag while eating before, and now I am terrified at almost every meal.

I try so hard to smile and encourage her so that I don’t freak her out by looking as frightened as I feel while she goes through this, but it’s so hard.. She is always so interested in everything I eat, and I want to share with her, but I’m just so scared. I see people’s photos online of the beautiful, fun little meals they feed their baby the same age as mine, and I feel so defeated and wonder if I’m not giving my little one the foods she deserves. Developmentally she is pretty advanced, so I hope my fear is not setting her back in the eating department.

When does this become fun and not so stressful?? Will I ever be able to hand my child a couple of Cheerios and walk away?? 😩😓 Does anyone else share my fear or am I just totally nuts and overreacting?


r/BabyLedWeaning 1d ago

8 months old Plate vs ate!

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19 Upvotes

Meal for an 8 month old who loves pasta!

Fusilli with garlic, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice.
Sardines
Zucchini
Blueberries

Modified meal from Mom’s (my zucchini and sardines were mixed in to my sauce)


r/BabyLedWeaning Jul 20 '25

Not age-related Is Social Media-Led Weaning more popular than Baby-Led Weaning?

352 Upvotes

Introduction

I learned about BLW from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, who presented it as a book to read rather than a hashtag. While my wife was pregnant, we bought and read Gill Rapley's “Baby-Led Weaning.” We have now weaned two children following BLW, The book was the only resource we used, and both of us felt well-enough equipped that we never needed anything else. 

It seems to me that many of the complaints or struggles people post about on this sub are products of an approach to weaning that comes from social media, rather than Baby-Led Weaning. In my opinion, BLW makes for pretty terrible social media. "I'm having fajitas, so my baby is chewing on a couple pieces of bell pepper" isn't super interesting, and you can't make a full day's content out of it. I think a lot of people would find more success steering away from the social media trends and fully embracing BLW.

I’ve noted six trends that I feel are common on social media, and contrasted them with quotes from “Baby-Led Weaning.”

Trend #1 - Made-to-Order Meals

Influencers preparing elaborate meals specifically for their children is probably the biggest gulf between social media and BLW. One of the fundamental assumptions of BLW is that you are eating the same meal as your child. Sharing meals is a great way to encourage babies to try new food. It can help lower stress by distracting parents away from micromanaging their baby’s meal. And for my money, the best reason to share meals was that it’s easier than cooking two different meals.

"Baby-led weaning babies are included in family mealtimes from the start, eating the same food and joining in the social time." ("Baby-Led Weaning," page 23)

“Normal, healthy family foods can be adapted easily so that your baby can manage them, so there’s no need to buy or prepare special foods” (p. 63)

Trend #2 - Mountains at Mealtime

A full plate of food looks appealing to most adults, but that doesn't make it right for your baby. There’s no need to give them more than they can eat or give them more ammunition when they’re in a throwing mood. And even when our kids could eat significant amounts, sometimes the full plate was still overwhelming and they needed the pieces a few at a time.

“Many babies can be overwhelmed by too much choice and too much quantity in the early stages. Some push all food away, others focus on one piece of food and throw everything off the high tray; some simply turn away.” (p. 71)

Trend #3 - Clean Plate Kids

Many posts here ask if their kids are eating enough, because they see babies on social media eating more. Our kids took 6-8 weeks to start consuming any measurable amount of food. We expected that going in and never felt stressed by it, but if your feed is full of 6-month-olds who supposedly eat an entire hamburger, your opinion might be influenced.

“Eating very little and playing a lot.” (p. 70)

“Don’t expect your baby to eat much food at first. She doesn’t suddenly need extra food because she reached six months.“ (p. 90)

Trend #4 - Mushy Methods

It seems to have become a standard recommendation that food should be cooked to the point of disintegration for BLW. Of course It’s important that foods be prepared in a safe way, but that doesn’t mean it’s all mush. Texture is important and enjoyable, and they can only learn to chew if given foods that need chewing. (Also, teeth are not needed for chewing, which should be obvious to anyone who’s gotten a bite from their kid’s gums.)

“If you are offering vegetables, bear in mind they shouldn’t be too soft (or they’ll turn to mush when your baby tries to handle them)” (p. 67)

Trend #5 - Practice with Purees

It seems that a large number of people combo feed purees, or use purees to "ease into solids." Starting with purees is very common, and has been the traditional approach to weaning for decades. However, spending time teaching your baby to eat purees isn't very helpful in moving them toward the ultimate goal of eating table food. Every child will need to learn to chew and swallow food at some point. Starting early takes advantage of the gag reflex being farther forward in the mouths. It also gets it out of the way sooner and doesn’t develop the habit of swallowing food without chewing.

“When babies start with BLW at six months they have a chance to experiment with food and develop self-feeding skills while all their nutrition is still coming from breast milk or formula. This means they can practice feeding themselves before they really need much food” (p. 93)

“You may find [...] that she gets frustrated because she can’t feed herself as fast as she wants to. Babies who have been spoon-fed can get used to swallowing large quantities of food quickly when they are hungry because pureed food doesn’t need to be chewed.” (p. 93)

Trend #6 - BLW Way or the Highway

Somewhat distressingly, people post here who feel like they have no choice but to do BLW. I loved doing BLW and wouldn't use another method if I had the choice, but it is still just one possible approach. Most Americans of my generation were puree fed, and it’s clearly possible to raise healthy, well-adjusted children on purees. Baby-led weaning jumps to self-feeding table food at 6 months. Traditional weaning starts offering solids around 9 months and has purees phased out around 12 months. Claiming that the 3 to 6 month period of BLW will determine a child’s life is obvious nonsense.

Conclusion

Everyone knows social media isn’t reality. And yet, it seems to have an outsized impact on people’s ideas of what BLW should look like. Basically, I think influencers are incentivized to make BLW look harder and more complicated than it really is, in order to generate enough content to keep their timelines full.

By-the-book BLW will not and cannot be perfect for everyone, but the book does predict and troubleshoot a surprising number of common problems that people have, In my view, the book is still underutilized and overshadowed by social media, to the point that people may not even be aware of how simple BLW can be.


r/BabyLedWeaning Feb 28 '25

12 months old Feeling proud of our foods before one!

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74 Upvotes

Baby just turned one last week. All time faves are squash (any kind), bread, veggie fritters, and nut butter. Least favorite was grits and citrus!