Baby Led Weaning for Babies at 8 Months Old

If you search for weaning ideas from any forum, you will definitely come across baby led weaning. This is a method where your baby will start feeding themselves right from the start. In essence, you will be skipping conventional weaning using purees and mashed foods.

BLW is a method that has been in existence for a long period of time. However, it seems to have become popular in recent years. So when is the right time to start this type of weaning? You can start as early as 5 months or as late as 10 months. In this post, our focus is starting baby led weaning at 8 months.

Baby led weaning comes with so many benefits, as the child is able to learn how to feed themselves. This frees up your time during mealtimes and will also work in helping the development of psychomotor skills in your baby. Now that you have a clue of what BLW is all about, let us get into the details of how to start this process.

Getting Ready for Baby Led Weaning

In your research about starting baby led weaning at 8 months, you must have come across tons of suggestions. However, it is important to always remember that every baby is different and unique. There are some basic signs which will show you that the baby is ready for this type of weaning. Some of the key considerations include:

• Your little one should show interest in food by reaching out for food when others are eating.
• The baby should be able to support their neck and sit up on their own without any help.
• Take note of the facial expressions of your baby during mealtimes.
• Look out for the baby putting items that are not edible in the mouth.

If you have noticed these signs, then starting baby led weaning at 8 months should not be a problem. At 8 months, you may have started spoon-feeding your baby with mashed foods. This should not worry you as the food you give your baby is way more important than the method used. In any case, it is not too late to start baby led weaning.

Best Foods for 8 months Baby Led Weaning

Variety always works wonders and by this age, your baby may have experienced flavors, textures, and tastes of foods. Some of the best foods for starting baby led weaning at 8 months include:

• Whole grains like bread, pasta, rice, and oats.
• Fruits and vegetables are also essential and they are some of the best options to start BLW.
• Healthy fats derived from milk, yogurt, coconut oil, nut butter, and coconut milk among others.
• Proteins like tofu, chicken, fish, beef, eggs, turkey, and beans.

Starting baby led weaning at 8 months should not be too much of a challenge as the baby has significantly developed. Once your baby starts baby-led feeding, they will enjoy eating with everyone else during meal times. Get started and enjoy this memorable journey with your little one.