Feeding methods (II)

In the previous presentation we referred to the method of feeding through porridges or purees with spoon, today we will refer to another method that is becoming more popular every day: The feeding or weaning directed by the baby known as BLW (Baby Led Weaning).

In humans, weaning begins around the fifth or sixth month of life, with the introduction of complementary foods and maintaining breastfeeding or artificial feeding, which ideally should end around the age of two years; but the end of this can be advanced or delayed according to the interests of the mother and child.

In this presentation we will also refer to the main characteristics of a modified version of BLW known as BLISS -Baby Led Introduction to solids- which aims to improve the way solid feeding is introduced to the baby and to eradicate the possible risks that BLW could generate.

What is baby-led or self-regulated feeding (BLW)?

BLW is a way of introducing complementary feeding that proposes to give whole foods to the baby, with dimensions and sizes that make it easy for them to pick them up and put them in their mouths with their own hands.

During mealtimes, the adult does not feed the child, he/she only has to put healthy foods within his/her reach -vegetables, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, eggs- well cooked, soft, preferably with narrow and elongated shapes -finger foods-, that the child is able to pick up with his/her hands and take them to the mouth to digest them.

This method is intended for the infant to participate more actively in his feeding, self-regulating the quantities according to his hunger and satiety reflexes and integrating himself in a more harmonious way to the family meal, while continuing to receive artificial or breast feeding, the latter proposed to be extended as long as possible, depending on the interests of the mother and the child.

General recommendations for the application of BLW

• To offer the first meals, it is recommended to select a time when the child is not very hungry or sleepy so that he/she can begin to become familiar with the new way of feeding as if it were just a game; however, the child should remain seated and relaxed without distractions such as TV.
• The child should explore the food with his own hands to become familiar with it and decide when to start and finish eating, without anyone telling him how or how much to eat, or putting food in his mouth. However, it is very important that an adult is constantly next to the child, observing attentively.
• To facilitate the task, it is recommended that the food offered be part of what the rest of the family will eat. These can be prepared and started together and before adding salt or other harmful substances, set aside those that the child will eat.
• To reduce the risk of choking, avoid foods that are dangerous because of their size, because they are very hard or because they release consistent pieces, such as carrots, raw unpeeled fruits, olives, hard meats, french fries and nuts.

Main benefits of BLW

• It contributes to the child's psychomotor development as the child has to develop different skills such as hand-eye and hand-mouth coordination, chewing, swallowing and later the finger gripper.
• It favors a better relationship between the baby and food; accepting a greater number of flavors, aromas and textures as they try them and try to eat them without fear of having to accept them due to the insistence, promises or threats of adults.
• By not stimulating the increase in the amount of food to be eaten at each meal, since the child eats only the amount he/she wants, the risks of overweight, obesity and other gastrointestinal disorders related to excessive food intake "or binge eating" are reduced.
• By sharing the table with the other members of the family, the infant strengthens emotional ties with each one of them; and at the same time, through imitation, he/she appropriates a series of knowledge, habits and skills related to the handling of cutlery, the taste for certain foods and the enjoyment of meals as a pleasurable act not only from a biological but also from a social point of view.
• They learn to enjoy food without haste, to savor it and to keep it longer in the mouth, contributing to the development of the oro-facial musculature and correct mastication.
• They favor the transition from liquid to solid food.

Possible disadvantages of BLW

• Parents and caregivers must have a greater amount of time to supervise infant feedings, which generally occur at a fairly slow pace.
• It can lead to calorie and iron deficiencies in the body; essential elements to ensure the accelerated growth of the baby between 6 and 12 months of life.
• There is an increased risk of choking if the recommendations for its application are not strictly followed.
• When sharing the family table, there are greater risks of the child ingesting non-recommended foods, such as French fries, processed meats - sausages, sausages, etc. -, large blue fish with possible presence of