If you’ve been down the baby-feeding rabbit hole recently, you’ve probably come across three letters: BLW—short for Baby-Led Weaning. It’s a style of introducing solids that skips purées and goes straight to finger foods.
Sound a little wild? It kind of is! But also kind of wonderful.
Let’s break down the benefits and the bumps in the road so you can decide if BLW is right for you and your baby.
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🥕 First, What Is Baby-Led Weaning?
Instead of spoon-feeding purées, baby-led weaning lets babies feed themselves soft, appropriately-sized pieces of food from the start—usually around 6 months, when they’re developmentally ready.
So no airplane spoons. No purée jars. Just baby, food, and (a lot of) mess.
✅ Pros of Baby-Led Weaning
1. Encourages Independence
Babies learn to pick up food, explore textures, and eat at their own pace. This helps build fine motor skills and lets them tune into their own hunger/fullness cues.
2. Less Picky Eating Later
Introducing a variety of whole foods early on may help babies become more adventurous eaters and reduce pickiness down the road.
3. Easier on Parents (Sometimes)
No need to prep or buy purées. You can often modify whatever you're already cooking—just make it soft and baby-safe.
4. Family Meals = Shared Joy
Baby eats what you eat (within reason), which can turn mealtime into a shared experience rather than a feeding chore.
❌ Cons of Baby-Led Weaning
1. It’s Messy—Really Messy
Think spaghetti in the eyebrows. BLW can be chaotic. Be ready for floor wipe-downs and food flinging.
2. Choking Concerns
While BLW is designed around gagging (a safety reflex), some parents feel uneasy about babies handling solid chunks early on. It’s vital to learn what’s safe to serve and how to prepare it. If you're keen to try BLW but this scares you, See our blog Post on what foods are safe and what to avoid!
3. Wasted Food
Babies love squishing, dropping, and smearing food across the table like tiny artists. That means less of it may make it to their mouths—especially at first.
4. Slower Intake of Nutrients (Initially)
Purées can be more efficient for getting iron and calories into tiny tummies. BLW may require extra planning to ensure your baby is meeting nutritional needs—especially iron.
🧐 So… Is Baby-Led Weaning Right for You?
It depends on:
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Your baby’s developmental readiness (can they sit up? bring food to their mouth? chew?)
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Your comfort level with mess and unpredictability
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Your ability to supervise mealtimes and learn about safe food prep
Many parents find a happy middle ground—sometimes called "baby-led with a spoon"—where babies self-feed but also get spoon-fed purées when appropriate.
👶 Final Thought
Whether you go full-on BLW or combine it with traditional feeding, the goal is the same: raising a happy, healthy eater. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—just what works best for your baby and your family.
Whichever path you take, get your camera ready. That first bite of avocado face? It’s a keeper.
