A new method of baby weaning in which babies are allowed to feed themselves soft foods is no more dangerous than regular spoon-fed weaning, a new study suggests.
Instead of worrying about the weaning method, parents in general need to be more careful about giving babies foods they won’t choke on, the same study found.
Researchers in New Zealand randomly assigned 206 moms to follow either the baby-led weaning or spoon-weaning approach. Parents in the baby-led group received education on how to make sure their babies fed themselves safely.
Baby-led weaning rules included:
1.Make sure the baby can sit up. Researchers recommended parents not introduce solids until the baby was at least 6 months old.
2.Baby food should pass a “squish test.” Parents had to test the food and make sure they could squish it on the roof of their mouths. That meant no raw vegetables, hard raw fruit such as apples, fruit with pits, and citrus fruit (unless each segment was peeled). Also, parents were advised not to feed very small foods like nuts, grapes, popcorn and foods cut into coins, such as sausages or carrots.
3.Parents had to supervise their baby while he or she ate.
The results: neither baby-led weaning nor traditional weaning resulted in a greater choking risk. However, a staggering 35 percent of babies in both groups choked on food at least once between 6 and 8 months old, according to reports by parents in the trial.
So what’s the takeaway? Make sure you give your baby age-appropriate food and that you introduce solids safely to avoid choking hazards. Since choking is common, it’s also a good idea to educate yourself about infant first aid and CPR.
As for the weaning method, consult your pediatrician before trying the baby-led weaning approach. Advocates say the method may improve babies’ motor skills and lead to less picky eating and obesity, although this study did not confirm or discount those claims.
Have you tried or heard of baby-led weaning? What do you think of this method?
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