My little munchkin turned 6 months. He was ready for solids as his tongue has lost reflex and was sitting unsupported. Like every curious mom, I began to wonder what will be the best starting foods. It is somehow ingrained by our moms and grand moms to start with lentil water or rice starch that has very less nutritional content and can fill up the baby's stomach leading to less intake of mother's milk or formula that has far more nutrients.
I was introduced to a practice that is like old wine in new bottle. A baby's food journey starts in womb itself and it has already tasted the food that expecting mom eats through amniotic fluid. Also it is said food flavors and tastes are passed on through mother's milk. Then why should the baby be kept away from those flavors when it actually starts eating solids. We often start with commercially available baby foods that are no way close to what we cook at home and are simply loaded with sugar and preservatives. The practice of making the baby aware with the world of adult food, tasting and feeling various textures by self feeding and above all enjoying the meals with the family by eating what everyone eats is the Baby Led Weaning (BLW) approach. Now someone will question how can a 6 month old baby self feed? I had the same question in my mind but to my amazement they don't take much time to figure out how to put that first food morsel in their mouths.
Honestly, initially I was quite apprehensive to accept BLW and started with fruit and veggie purees. My son didn't like it and used to take a spoon or two. My next post is the monthly food journal that will show slow transition from traditional weaning (TW) to BLW. I will keep on updating it.
I was introduced to a practice that is like old wine in new bottle. A baby's food journey starts in womb itself and it has already tasted the food that expecting mom eats through amniotic fluid. Also it is said food flavors and tastes are passed on through mother's milk. Then why should the baby be kept away from those flavors when it actually starts eating solids. We often start with commercially available baby foods that are no way close to what we cook at home and are simply loaded with sugar and preservatives. The practice of making the baby aware with the world of adult food, tasting and feeling various textures by self feeding and above all enjoying the meals with the family by eating what everyone eats is the Baby Led Weaning (BLW) approach. Now someone will question how can a 6 month old baby self feed? I had the same question in my mind but to my amazement they don't take much time to figure out how to put that first food morsel in their mouths.
Honestly, initially I was quite apprehensive to accept BLW and started with fruit and veggie purees. My son didn't like it and used to take a spoon or two. My next post is the monthly food journal that will show slow transition from traditional weaning (TW) to BLW. I will keep on updating it.
