What is Baby-Led Weaning?

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Yes, exactly! Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method that skips traditional purées and spoon-feeding, allowing babies to self-feed with finger foods right from the start. This approach gives babies the opportunity to explore food textures, tastes, and sizes on their own, helping them develop important motor skills and eating independence. The emphasis is on allowing the baby to eat at their own pace and become familiar with a variety of healthy family foods from the beginning of their solid food journey.

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is typically started around 6 months of age, when a baby shows signs of readiness for solid foods. This timing aligns with the recommendation of health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to exclusively breastfeed or formula-feed for the first six months.

Signs that your baby is ready for BLW:

  1. Sitting up independently: Your baby should be able to sit upright and hold their head steady without assistance.
  2. Good hand-eye coordination: They can reach out for food and bring it to their mouth.
  3. Interest in food: They show curiosity by watching others eat and may try to grab food from your plate.
  4. Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex: The reflex that causes babies to push food out of their mouth with their tongue should be gone.
  5. Chewing motions: Your baby starts making chewing movements even before they have teeth.

Once these milestones are met, your baby can begin BLW with appropriate soft finger foods.


This is a great summary of the ideal foods to introduce during baby-led weaning (BLW)! Offering a variety of soft, nutritious, and easy-to-handle foods helps babies explore textures and flavors while developing important motor skills. It's also crucial to avoid choking hazards and foods that are not suitable for babies under 12 months, like honey and foods high in salt or sugar. 


By starting with these appropriate foods, you ensure your baby gets a healthy, balanced start to their eating journey.



When starting baby-led weaning (BLW), it’s important to offer soft, easy-to-handle foods that are safe and nutritious for your baby. Here are some great first foods to introduce:

1. Soft Fruits

  • Bananas: Ripe and cut into long strips or halves that are easy to grasp.
  • Avocados: Sliced or mashed lightly, offering a soft, creamy texture.
  • Peeled soft fruits: Like pear, peach, or mango, cut into wedges or fingers.

2. Cooked Vegetables

  • Sweet potatoes: Steamed or roasted into strips or wedges.
  • Carrots: Soft-cooked (steamed or boiled) and cut into sticks.
  • Broccoli: Steamed florets with soft stalks, easy to hold and chew.
  • Zucchini: Steamed or baked, sliced into easy-to-hold sticks.

3. Protein-Rich Foods

  • Cooked chicken or turkey: Cut into strips or shredded for easy grasping.
  • Eggs: Scrambled or hard-boiled, cut into manageable pieces.
  • Beans: Cooked soft, like kidney beans or black beans, which can be mashed slightly if needed.

4. Starchy Foods

  • Whole-wheat pasta: Cooked until soft, like fusilli or penne, which are easy for babies to hold.
  • Toast strips: Whole grain bread toasted lightly to make it easy to handle but still soft to chew.
  • Oats or porridge: Thick enough for babies to grab in handfuls.

5. Healthy Fats

  • Avocado: As mentioned, it’s also a great source of healthy fats.
  • Nut butters: Thinly spread on toast or fruit (like banana), making sure it’s smooth to avoid choking hazards.

Foods to Avoid Initially:

  • Hard or small foods that pose a choking risk (e.g., whole grapes, nuts, raw carrots).
  • Foods high in salt or sugar.
  • Honey (until after 12 months, due to the risk of botulism).

Starting with a variety of soft, finger-friendly foods encourages exploration and self-feeding while providing balanced nutrition.

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