Many mothers find this method more appealing because it can fit in a lot of situations. For instance, you can use BLW while at a restaurant by giving them small chunks of your food. And then you can switch to puree when you are somewhere else like a park or in the car.
Another benefit of combination feeding is your baby will learn to chew and swallow at the same time. Think about it, when you rely on puree alone, your baby will most probably just swallow before they learn to chew.
However, some mommies feel that choosing to do both traditional and BLW may confuse the baby.
Important Tips in Weaning
Whether you choose the traditional approach, BLW, or the combination method, you are encouraged to follow the tips below:
- Check if your baby is truly ready for solid foods. You need to look out for hand-eye coordination, the ability to stay in a sitting position (while holding their head steady), and the ability to swallow.
- Introduce solid foods slowly, preferably one small teaspoon at a time until your baby is “looking for more.”
- Introduce foods one at a time, and start with vegetables.
- Give them a variety of healthy foods as they slowly learn to eat solid foods.
- Refrain from giving them sweet and salty foods. Not only are they not the healthiest options, but they can also affect your baby’s eating habits in the future.
- In traditional weaning, it means that you need to look out for signs that your baby is full. You may notice them turning away from the spoon or being fussy when you push the spoon into their mouth. For BLW, they might just stop picking on their food.
- Stay away from eggs and peanut butter early on as they may cause food allergies. Also, no honey until they are one year old.
- Baby-led weaning means avoiding foods that are hard, small and round, and sticky.
Key Takeaways
Although it is going to be a long process, weaning means your baby is one step closer to exploring a variety of food. Since there is no right or wrong answer, consider your baby’s preferences and abilities in your weaning decisions.
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