Baby-Led Weaning (which in Portuguese means “baby-guided weaning”), also called BLW, makes them offer pieces of food to the babies, so that they can help themselves. This practice has been gaining more and more adept mothers around the world.
Although it sounds complicated, the method created by Gill Rapleu, a British health agent and author of Baby-Guided Weaning: Helping Your Child to Love Good Food, is a hit with moms around the world. The idea is to let the babies themselves decide what they want to eat. For this, from six months of age, they must sit at the table together with the whole family. Within reach of them will be pieces of food.
The WHO, World Health Organization, recommends that parents only offer foods that complement the nutrition that breast milk provides to babies. This introduction, according to pediatricians, should be done through baby food.
It is important that the baby has access to food that is appropriate for his size. You should choose formats and portions that the child can pick up and then put in the mouth alone. Carrots and broccoli, sliced ​​and cooked, are a good option.
In the method, preference should be given to healthier foods. In the beginning, it is normal for the child to play with food more than actually eat it. And that's totally natural. Don't worry! But, under no circumstances, force the baby to eat. Never use shouting, punishment, rewards or promises.
The most important commandment of this method is not to rush the child. Let her eat on her own time. The tip is to choose times when the baby is not very hungry or irritated. The advantage of using this method is that it gives babies the opportunity to experience new flavors and textures. With each new meal, they develop more and more the ability to distinguish what they don't like from what they like.
Furthermore, the method BLW helps in stimulating autonomy. Another great advantage is for the parents themselves, who are able to eat while the food is still warm; that is, they will no longer need to put their lunch in the child's mouth and only eat it themselves after that.
To avoid too much mess, there are two tricks you can use. At first, forget about using plates. That's because one of a baby's first reactions to seeing you is to turn you over so she can look at the bottom. The second tip is to put a protection on the floor. As children at this age end up viewing mealtime as a diversion, much of the food ends up on the floor.
Sooner than you really expect, your child will learn well.
Text written by Flávia Faria from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team
