To Puree or Not to Puree
As new parents will quickly come to realize, there are a thousand choices to make when it comes to child’s early childhood education and development–food introduction being one of those decisions. What food do you start with? do you begin with purees? soft foods? oatmeal?…the list goes on and on. In the realm of food introduction lies the approach of baby-led weaning (BLW). Through this article we will take a deeper look at what baby-led weaning is and the research-backed benefits it brings to early childhood development.
Contrary to most approaches, baby-led weaning will not lead you down the baby food aisle. As babies begin to show a readiness for solids (at about 6 months old), they are given safe finger foods like steamed veggies or soft fruit slices instead of the traditional oatmeal or puree. Parents and caregivers offer soft, graspable foods (often in stick-like shape for grasping) that allows little ones the opportunity to self-feed at their own pace. Let’s take a look at some of the researched benefits of baby-led weaning that has parents putting back the baby food jar and picking up the steamer basket.
Curious how our childcare center supports first food experiences? Visit us here at Clover Hill Children’s Center see how we partner with families as they embark on the first foods journey with their little one.
Early Healthy Habits
Research shows that babies in control of their own food intake–within reason, the parent still controls what is offered–are better at picking up on their own hunger and satiety cues, creating a foundation for healthy eating habits from a young age. With the baby-led weaning approach, little ones learn to trust their own bodies and naturally grow in their self-confidence and independence–an amazing quality that supports their early childhood education as a whole! Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees, finding that responsive feeding encouraged healthy growth as well as long-term eating habits.
Call us today to schedule a tour here at Clover Hill Children’s Center and see how we incorporate opportunities for independence and healthy habits with every milestone.
Motor Skills and Development
Self-feeding is so much more than a meal, it is also an early childhood education workout! From grasping, lifting, chewing, and attempting coordination, babies are asked to work their bodies in new, exciting, and strenuous ways! Through this they build fine motor skills and oral development that will support their speech and future self-care (Source).
Who knew mealtime was an opportunity for infant development and early learning? Our educators here at Clover Hill Children’s Center did! Schedule a tour today and pop by during one of our meals to see what we have cooking!
A Taste for Variety
Unlike purees, with baby led weaning little one’s can–in general–have whatever the rest of the family is having for their meal. This is great for encouraging new foods, textures and tastes and also makes life easier on whomever is preparing the meal–they might just need to make a few carrots softer than what you might serve for adults and cut food into graspable sticks. HealthyChildren.org asserts that in offering a rainbow of textures and flavors early on, it helps babies become adventurous eaters and may reduce picky eating.
We would love to have your little on at our table here at Clover Hill Children’s Center. Contact us today to ask about our meal plans, how we prioritize nutrition, and eating our schedules per age group.
Safety and Smart Planning
Whether your child is attending daycare, childcare, or in their highchair at home, beginning solids can be scary–regardless of if you start with purees, oatmeal, or soft fruit and veggies! With any approach, of course, safety matters. Children should always have supervision while eating, even if they are capable of feeding themselves. Safety is also found in avoiding choking hazards like whole grapes or nuts. A recent systematic review on complementary feeding and choking risks, it was found that there was not a statistical increase in choking among families who incorporated baby-led weaning (Source). The main risk of choking seemed to be more on proper food preparation and supervision, rather than on the means in which a child was fed.
Our loverly staff here at Clover Hill Children’s Center are trained in safe infant feeding practices as well as first aid in order to create a safe and secure environment for your child–whether they are eating, playing, learning, or napping. Call us today to ask about our safety standards, we are happy to share!
Healthy Habits from the Highchair and Beyond
Your little one’s early childhood education is multi-faceted and there are a lot of decisions to be made. When it comes to weaning and first foods, we have explored a handful of the benefits associated with baby-led weaning to bring it to light and eradicate some of the fear around skipping purees. In empowering children to be able to feed themselves from the start, adults are supporting their independence, healthy eating habits, motor skills and are allowing babies to explore food with confidence and joy.
Ready to give your baby a fun and intentional start to their early childhood education? Contact us here at Clover Hill Children’s Center today to schedule a visit and see how our teachers nurture healthy habits from the very first bite!