This post is sponsored by Copper Pearl. As always, thoughts are 100% my own.

Before we get into today’s post (written by Melissa) about Baby Led Weaning… I just wanted to chat a bit about the shop sponsoring today’s post! Copper Pearl is a baby/children’s shop that has the softest bibs, crib sheets, blankets and more. They sent along some bandana bibs for us to try out and I love how soft they are! Not to mention, adorable! You can head over to my Instagram for a chance to win a gift card with them tonight! 🙂 

Use Code: LYNZYANDCO for 15% off

Here are some of my favorite picks from the shop: 

Cute Bandana Bibs for boys I and II 

Cute bandana bibs for little ladies

Fitted Crib Sheet

Bamboo Wash Clothes

Baby Led Weaning

{written by guest poster, Melissa – see bio at bottom of post)

When I had my third baby, life was a little more than crazy.  As he approached the 6 month mark and I knew solids were in our future, I couldn’t fathom how I would fit spoon-feeding into our busy days.  That is when I decided baby led weaning would be the way to go!

What:

Baby led weaning a method of allowing your baby to feed his or herself by presenting a variety of small, soft foods which the baby can then pick up and eat independently.  In addition to being easier for caretakers who don’t have to take the time to prepare purees or shovel food into their baby’s mouths multiple times a day, baby led weaning also helps with baby’s development by:

Allowing baby to regulate how much he eats

Giving baby the opportunity to practice her fine motor skills

Helping baby to learn the norms of his family’s meal times by being a part of it and eating at the same time

When:

Babies can begin baby led weaning at the same age they begin other solid foods, generally around 6 months.  But with baby led weaning it is important that babies show more of the readiness signs than when introducing purees such as:

Sitting up independently

Showing interest in food by watching you eat and grabbing for food when in reach

Able to move toys to her mouth to chew/suck on

Increased fine motor control such as using a raking grasp (whole handed grabbing) or pincer grasp (using thumb and pointer finger to pick up small items)

Has begun to lose the tongue/thrust reflex (where she automatically pushes things forward in her mouth) and the gag reflex

How:

It’s easiest to feed baby pick-up foods when they are seated in a high chair with a tray and be sure to invest in some good pocket bibs!  Baby led weaning is as easy as putting the prepped food for baby on the tray and letting him have at it.  You may have to help him with the first few tastes to help him understand that it’s food for his mouth but he’ll quickly get the hang of feeding himself.

You’ll want to start introducing baby to foods that are larger and easy for baby to hold on to. Things like this may include a banana, large slice of avocado, Cooked zucchini (so that its soft). Anything that your baby would be able to hold in his own hand and practice being able to eat. Everything should be peeled when starting out to remove any hard to chew, swallow and digest bits though as baby gets more teeth and better at chewing. Also be sure to offer your baby lots of water as this adds lubrication.

As with pureed foods, it is a good idea to introduce a new food once every 2-3 days in order to have time to watch for reactions to new foods which can include vomiting, diarrhea or rashes.  While it’s often recommended to start with baby cereals when spoon-feeding, when offering finger foods it can be easier for baby to start with fruits or vegetables which are softer and easier to pick up.

Great first foods for baby led weaning include:

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Banana, Pear, Peaches, Avocado, Kiwi, Cucumber, Melon, Mango

Steamed Fruits: Apples, Plums

Steamed Vegetables: Sweet Potato, Butternut/Acorn Squash, Carrots, Peas, Green Beans, White Potatos, Turnip, Parsnip

Grains: Steamed Rice or Quinoa, Puffed Grains (rice, millet, barley, which are small and easily dissolve in the mouth), Baby Puff Snacks (made by Gerber, Happy Family, Plum and others)

Protein: Scrambled Eggs, Baked Fish, Shredded Chicken or Pork, Browned Ground Beef or Turkey, Tofu, Beans (kidney, black, lima, black-eyed, etc.)

It’s important not to offer all of these right at 6 months, it’s a gradually introduction and starting off with easy, soft foods like avocado and bananas or steamed veggies is best. Then as your baby becomes accustomed to eating, you can slowly introduce more foods.

Amount:

Start with about a tablespoon of diced foods to start.  At the beginning a lot of the food will end up dropped in baby’s bib or spit out of her mouth but remember, food before one is just for fun and all of her nutrition still comes from breastmilk or formula.  As she gets better at getting the food in her mouth, you can increase the amount as needed.

 

This post is written by a guest contributor, Melissa

Bio: 

Melissa is a homeschooling, ballerina mommy of four and lives by the motto “Life is never boring when you’re never alone, but I know somewhere out there, there is life Beyond Mommying.”  She shares her parenting adventures on her blog Beyond Mommying. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.