As parents, there are lots of decisions
to make about how you're going to assist your child's development,
and baby-led weaning (BLW) is one option that needs to be considered. It constitutes allowing your small child to teach themselves how to eat by providing finger foods and no purees. As a mother to a young child myself, I took to the internet to find
articles containing both sides of the debate.
Zoe
Williams wrote an
article for the Guardian explaining why she was not jumping on
the bandwagon. Firstly, she believes BLW is a “bogus” fad that
will pass with time. She also worries about the potential of a
choking hazard, and also adds that it's unnecessarily messy.
On the other
hand, Julia Scirrotto argues in her NY
Times Motherlode article that spoon-feeding babies is an outdated
practice. She states that there's no evidence that BLW poses a
choking risk, and says that the added mess is worth it for a
hands-free mealtime.
So how can you
decide what's right for you and your baby?
- Do your research – Read up on baby-led-weaning as well as purees. There are pros and cons to both methods, and strong arguments for both options.
- Ask your doctor – Your child's pediatrician will be able to give you the best advice, along with the results of the most current research.
- Know your baby – You are the best judge of your child's abilities. Trust your instincts and proceed the way you feel most comfortable.
Only
you can make decisions for your baby, so consider the options and do
what works for your family.
Halliday
is a motherhood and lifestyle blogger. She is also a student of
Social
Media Marketing on Coursera. You can find more articles from her
at HallidayNelson.com or
find her on Facebook
and Twitter.
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