Baby-Led Weaning vs. Traditional Weaning: Which Is Right For You?

If you’re wondering what the differences are between baby-led weaning and traditional weaning. Then you’re in the right place.

Every new parent goes through a period (when their baby is 6 months old) when they must decide what type of weaning method to use on their baby.

Some choose baby-led weaning, others choose traditional weaning, and some use a combination of both.

Baby-led weaning and traditional weaning involve introducing solid foods to your baby, but they differ in several key ways. 

Baby-led weaning emphasizes letting your baby feed themselves from the start, while traditional weaning typically involves spoon-feeding purees to your baby. 

In this article, we’ll explore the differences between these two methods and help you decide which one might be right for your family.

You may also like: Ultimate guide to starting baby-led weaning

You may also like: Pros and cons of baby-led weaning: What no one tells you

What Is Baby-led Weaning (BLW) About?

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method of introducing solid foods to your baby that emphasizes self-feeding. 

Instead of spoon-feeding purees, you offer your baby soft, easy-to-grasp finger foods that they can pick up and eat on their own. 

This method is based on the idea that babies are capable of feeding themselves and have an innate ability to regulate their own appetite. 

Proponents of baby-led weaning argue that it can help babies develop better eating habits, reduce picky eating, and promote a healthy relationship with food.

This is because babies get to choose from their plates what they want to eat and how much of it they want to eat.

To get a more detailed breakdown of baby-led weaning check out my BLW ultimate guide. It will give you information about when to start, must-have BLW tools, and some tips and tricks to be successful. 

You may also like: Baby-led weaning first foods guide + Recipes

You may also like – 63 safe baby-led weaning foods you should try today!

Baby-led Weaning	Traditional Weaning
Involves self-feeding by the infant. Feeding is Self-regulated by the baby.	Involves spoon-feeding purees or mashes to your baby
Whole solid foods are served. Direct introduction of solid foods	Gradual introduction of pureed foods, then transitioning to a more solid texture
The baby is allowed to explore textures. Helps develop motor skills	Parents are in control of the feeding
Babies learn to chew and manage food textures. Gagging and choking may occur	Lower risk of choking due to pre-mashed or pureed food
Encourages exposure to a variety of whole foods, promoting diverse nutrients	Controlled portions and smoother textures to control nutrient intake

Key Ideas In Baby-led Weaning 

Baby-led weaning begins at 6 months 

One way BLW differs from traditional weaning is that baby-led weaning usually begins at 6 months. 

This is around the time when most babies show signs of readiness to start solids. 

These signs include sitting up unassisted, holding their head up unassisted, and showing interest in food (source)

Babies are fed varieties of food with different tastes and textures

In baby-led weaning, the focus is on providing the opportunity for babies to taste different textures and flavors of food.

You’re not concerned about your baby not getting enough nutrients. 

This is because most of your baby’s nutrition will still come from breastmilk or formula until they switch to cow’s milk at 1 year old.

Giving your baby the opportunity to try different types of food, will help them expand their taste buds. 

They’re less likely to reject foods in the future and become picky eaters (source). 

The feeding experience will become less stressful both for you and your baby because you’re not worried about them not getting enough to eat.

In baby-led weaning, babies feed themselves 

Another key difference between baby-led weaning and traditional weaning is that BLW babies feed themselves.

In order for babies to learn to recognize when they’re full and stop eating, they need to be allowed to feed themselves.

Studies have shown that babies who are spoon-fed in traditional weaning have a higher chance of being overweight. 

Babies this young are still learning to regulate their own appetite. Spoon-feeding makes it difficult for them to do so.

In BLW, food is served as close to its natural state as possible 

Another important difference between baby-led weaning and spoon-feeding is how food is served.

In BLW, food is served as whole as possible. This means you don’t purée the food. You serve it in as natural a state as possible.

If you want to serve cauliflower and chicken, you don’t purée them together into mush. You serve the cooked cauliflower and chicken separately. 

This way, your baby can feel the texture and taste the flavors of each. 

In BLW your baby chooses what and how much they want to eat 

The final difference between BLW and traditional weaning is how much choice your baby has at the table.

In baby-led weaning, your baby decides what they want to eat from their plate. They also decide how much of it they want to eat.

If they choose not to eat anything you serve, you don’t force them. You’ll either offer them something else to try or give them breastmilk or formula. 

At the next meal, you can try again until they decide to eat.

Giving them the choice at the table empowers them to take control of their feeding journey. 

It’s the first taste of independence most babies will get in their young life. 

What are the benefits of baby-led weaning?

Baby-led weaning has several potential benefits for both babies and parents. Here are some of the benefits:

Encourages healthy eating habits

Baby-led weaning can help babies develop a healthy relationship with food and learn to enjoy a variety of flavors and textures. 

Allowing babies to choose what and how much they want to eat, can also help them learn to regulate their appetite and avoid overeating.

Promotes independence

Baby-led weaning allows babies to take control of their own feeding and develop their fine motor skills by grasping and manipulating food.

BLW Saves time

Baby-led weaning eliminates the need for pureeing and spoon-feeding, which can save parents time and effort in the kitchen.

Reduces picky eating 

Baby-led weaning exposes babies to a wider variety of foods and flavors, which can help prevent picky eating habits later on.

To get a thorough breakdown of the benefits of baby-led weaning, check out this article. In it, I cite scientific evidence to support all the benefits of baby-led weaning.

What Is Traditional Weaning or Spoon-feeding?

Traditional weaning, also known as spoon-feeding, involves introducing pureed foods to your baby with a spoon. 

This method has been around for decades and is still the most common way of introducing solid foods to babies. 

Proponents of traditional weaning argue that it allows parents to control the amount and type of food their baby eats, making it easier to ensure that their baby is getting all the nutrients they need. 

However, critics argue that spoon-feeding can interfere with a baby’s natural ability to regulate their appetite and may lead to overeating and poor appetite regulation.

Key Ideas In Traditional Weaning 

Traditional Weaning Uses Purées 

One key difference between traditional weaning and BLW is the use of purée foods.

In traditional weaning, puréed baby food is made at home or bought in a jar. 

These foods come in different varieties of mush. Some have single ingredients and others have fruits and vegetables mixed together. 

Spoon-feeding starts as early as 4 months

Most parents who do traditional weaning usually start at 4 months. 

In traditional feeding, babies are first started on oatmeal cereal around 4 months in an attempt to get them to sleep long through the night. 

At this age, most babies don’t show signs of readiness to start solids. So weaning at this age is done more for the parent’s benefit than for the child.

Spoon-feeding Is the norm with traditional weaning

One major difference between the two feeding methods is that traditional weaning relies on spoon-feeding a baby.

Babies usually aren’t given the opportunity to hold a spoon or grab food with their hands for fear of making a mess.

There’s more focus on the baby eating everything on their plate than exploring the food. 

More control of what baby eats with traditional weaning 

When a baby is constantly spoon-fed by their parents, they become reliant on that. 

They don’t have the freedom to decide if they want to eat the food, or how much of it they want to eat.

The choice is taken away from them and given to their parents. 

As stated above, studies have shown that this tends to result in babies who are overfed and overweight.

Textures increase with age in traditional weaning

In spoon-feeding baby food comes in stages. Stage one food is more liquidy. It’s usually a single fruit or vegetable puréed in a jar. 

Stage two foods are a combination of different fruits and veggies. 

Your baby is gradually introduced to different types of foods and textures, starting with smooth purees and gradually moving to lumpier textured purées.

In contrast, babies are introduced to different textures and flavors from the beginning of baby-led weaning. 

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What are the disadvantages of traditional weaning?

Transitioning Weaning is time-consuming 

One of the main disadvantages of traditional weaning is that it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. 

Preparing and storing purees can take up a lot of time and effort, especially for busy parents or caregivers.

Traditional Weaning Cost More Money 

In order to make purées quickly, you’d need special equipment like this baby food maker, baby food storage jars, reusable purée pouches, and blenders, etc.

If you were to stick with store-bought purée jars and pouches, you’d still be spending more money.

These jars are expensive. Companies take into account the packaging and the cost of shipping them to stores as part of the final sales price.

In contrast, if you do baby-led weaning, you’d only have to worry about making a little bit more food for your baby. This is because most parents feed babies the same food that the whole family is eating.

This saves time and money.

Babies Aren’t Encouraged To Self-feed

Another disadvantage of traditional weaning is that it may not allow babies to develop their self-feeding skills and autonomy. 

Spoon feeding does not allow babies to control their own intake or choose what they want to eat. This can lead to a lack of interest in food and a higher risk of picky eating later on.

Taste and Textures Are Limited In Traditional Weaning 

Additionally, traditional weaning may not expose babies to a wide variety of tastes and textures, which can limit their food preferences later in life. Babies may also miss out on the sensory experience of exploring different foods with their hands and mouths.

Overall, while traditional weaning has been the go-to method for introducing solid foods to infants, it may not be the best option for every family. 

Key Differences Between Baby-Led and Traditional Weaning

Feeding Method

The primary difference between baby-led weaning and traditional weaning is the feeding method.

With traditional weaning, parents spoon-feed pureed foods to their babies. In contrast, baby-led weaning involves letting the baby explore and self-feed.

Child’s Role

In baby-led weaning, the child is in control of what they eat and how much they eat.

This means that parents are not spoon-feeding pureed foods, but rather allowing babies to explore different foods and decide what and how much they want to eat. In traditional weaning, parents have more control over what their baby eats.

Parent’s Role

In baby-led weaning, parents act as facilitators and provide appropriate finger foods for their babies to self-feed. They also monitor their baby’s progress and ensure that they are getting adequate nutrition.

In traditional weaning, parents are responsible for spoon-feeding their babies pureed foods and monitoring their progress.

Impact on Child’s Eating Habits

Baby-led weaning may help promote healthier eating habits in children. By allowing babies to explore and self-feed, they may be more likely to try new foods and develop a wider range of tastes and textures.

In contrast, traditional weaning may lead to picky eating habits, as babies may become accustomed to eating only pureed foods.

Health and Safety Concerns

One concern with baby-led weaning is the risk of choking. However, studies have shown that the risk of choking is not significantly higher with baby-led weaning compared to traditional weaning. 

Parents should still be cautious and provide appropriate finger foods that are cut into appropriate pieces and are easy to chew.

Another concern with baby-led weaning is the potential for inadequate nutrition. Parents should ensure that their baby is getting enough nutrients and calories through a variety of finger foods. It is also important to introduce iron-rich foods early on to prevent iron deficiency anemia.

Both baby-led weaning and traditional weaning have their advantages and disadvantages. It is important for you to choose the method that works best for your family and to consult with a healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

This article provides more details on the pros and cons of baby-led weaning. It’ll help you make a more informed choice.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Weaning Method

Readiness

Traditional weaning typically starts between 4 and 6 months of age, while baby-led weaning can start at 6 months or later. 

However, readiness for solid foods varies from baby to baby. 

Signs of readiness include sitting up unassisted, showing interest in food, and being able to pick up and bring food to their mouth.

You should also read – Ultimate Guide to the Signs of Readiness to Start Solid Foods

Convenience

Traditional weaning involves pureeing or mashing food and feeding it to your baby with a spoon. 

Baby-led weaning involves offering your baby soft, finger-sized pieces of food that they can pick up and eat themselves. 

Baby-led weaning can be more convenient as it requires less preparation and allows your baby to eat what you’re eating.

Nutritional Value

Both methods can provide a balanced and nutritious diet for your baby. However, traditional weaning may allow you to control the amount and type of food your baby is eating more easily. 

With baby-led weaning, your baby may be more likely to try a wider variety of foods and develop a more diverse palate.

Role of Pediatrician

Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important to consult with your pediatrician. 

They can help you determine if your baby is ready for solid foods, provide guidance on what foods to offer, and monitor your baby’s growth and development. 

Your pediatrician can also help you identify any potential choking hazards and ensure that your baby is getting all the nutrients they need.

Ultimately, the decision between baby-led weaning and traditional weaning is a personal one. 

Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, and what works best for one family may not work for another. 

By considering the factors above and consulting with your pediatrician, you can make an informed decision that is best for you and your baby.

FAQs About Baby-led Weaning and Traditional Weaning

Do you skip purees with baby-led weaning?

Yes, with baby-led weaning, there is no need for purees. The baby can feed themselves with finger foods right from the start.

When should you start baby-led weaning?

You can start baby-led weaning when your baby is around 6 months old and is showing signs of readiness for solid foods. 

These signs include being able to sit up unassisted, having good head control, and showing an interest in food.

Is baby-led weaning safer than puree?

Both baby-led weaning and puree feeding can be safe if done correctly. However, with baby-led weaning, there is a risk of choking, so it is important to offer appropriate finger foods and supervise your baby during mealtimes.

What can I do instead of baby-led weaning?

If you prefer not to do baby-led weaning, you can choose to do puree feeding instead. You can also combine the two methods by offering both finger foods and purees.

When should a baby stop eating purees?

Babies can stop eating purees when they are able to chew and swallow more textured foods. This usually happens around 9-12 months old.

How many times a day should you do baby-led weaning?

You can do baby-led weaning as often as you like, but it is recommended to start with one meal a day and gradually increase to three meals a day.

How often do you introduce new foods in baby-led weaning?

You can introduce new foods as often as you like, but it is recommended to introduce one new food at a time and wait a few about 4 days before introducing another new food. 

This will help you identify any potential food allergies or intolerances.