Baby-Led Weaning vs. Purees: A Responsive Approach to Starting Solids
- Tamara Gonzalez-Scheulov
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
Starting solids is one of the most exciting milestones in your baby’s first year, but it often comes with lots of opinions. Should you do Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) or begin with purees? The truth is, you don’t have to choose. Both approaches can support healthy development, independence, and joyful mealtimes when guided by a responsive, baby-led mindset.
What does “weaning” mean?
In feeding research, weaning refers to the period when babies gradually transition from breast milk or formula to solid foods, also called complementary feeding. This process begins once milk alone no longer meets a baby’s full nutritional needs, usually around 6 months of age.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), most babies are ready to begin complementary feeding, which is the gradual introduction of solid foods alongside breast milk or formula, around 6 months of age, once they can sit upright with good head and neck control, bring toys or hands to their mouth, and show curiosity about what others are eating.
When your baby reaches this stage, there’s no single “right” way to start. What matters most is how you approach it. Whether you begin with smooth purees, soft finger foods, or a little of both, responsive feeding means tuning in to your baby’s cues and letting their curiosity guide the experience.
What the Research Says
Feeding is more than just intake. It’s communication, coordination, and connection.
Babies thrive when caregivers respond to hunger and fullness cues instead of pressuring them to eat.
Baby-led weaning supports fine-motor skills, chewing coordination, and early independence.
Purees can promote nutrition and sensory exploration while introducing solids in a comfortable way.
It’s not about which method you choose, but how responsive you are to your child’s signals while feeding.
You Don’t Have to Choose!
Many families find their rhythm by blending the independence of Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) with the comfort and variety of purees. This responsive, flexible approach gives babies the best of both worlds, encouraging curiosity, confidence, and connection at the table.
This approach encourages:
Offering a range of textures, from smooth to soft solids.
Letting your baby lead the feeding interaction, deciding what and how much to eat.
Keeping mealtimes positive, relaxed, and pressure-free.
Responsive feeding is about reading cues, not following rules. It’s flexible, baby-centered, and supported by developmental research.
A Modified Approach to Purees: Self-Feeding from the Start
Purees don’t have to mean parent-led spoon-feeding. They can be completely baby-led when the baby is in charge of getting the food to their mouth.
Offer purees in ways that promote independence:
Pre-load a small spoon or pre-spoon and place it on your baby’s tray.
Let your baby grasp, dip, and explore at their own pace.
Pair smooth textures with soft finger foods for sensory variety.
When babies feed themselves, even with purees, they practice coordination, strengthen oral-motor skills, and build confidence in eating.
Textures When Introducing Purees
Purees can evolve over time. The key is following your baby’s readiness cues and gradually introducing more texture and variety. This gentle progression supports chewing, swallowing, and oral-motor development while maintaining safety and curiosity.
Stage 1 – Smooth and Thin
Texture: silky, pourable, easily coats a pre-spoon or tray.
Examples: blended pear, carrot, avocado mixed with breast milk or water.
Focus: learning to move food from front to back of the mouth and swallow safely.
SLP Tip: offer small amounts on pre-spoons or spoon dippers or let your baby explore with fingers.
Stage 2 – Thicker and Creamy
Texture: smooth but more substantial, like Greek yogurt or mashed sweet potato.
Examples: banana with oats, lentils with olive oil, peas with ricotta.
Focus: strengthening tongue, jaw, and lip control for safe, coordinated swallowing.
SLP Tip: Instead of spooning food into the baby’s mouth, preload a small silicone pre-spoon or dipper and place it on the tray. Let your baby reach for it, bring it to their mouth, and explore. This maintains the self-feeding principle.
Stage 3 – Mashed and Soft Lumpy
Texture: fork-mashed with visible, soft lumps that squish easily.
Examples: mashed beans, avocado, soft vegetables, or fruit mixed into yogurt or grains.
Focus: encouraging early chewing motions and texture acceptance.
SLP Tip: include a few textures at once. Variety builds flexibility and reduces sensitivity.
Stage 4 – Transitional Textures
Texture: soft and mixed, like risotto, thick stews, or finely minced family foods.
Examples: shredded chicken with rice, soft pasta with vegetable sauce, cooked zucchini with quinoa.
Focus: integrating multiple textures and practicing controlled chewing and swallowing.
SLP Tips:
Gradually thicken purees or mash foods less over time.
Offer two or more textures at each meal to build tolerance.
Encourage curiosity—touching, smearing, and tasting are all learning.
Keep baby upright and supervised for safety and comfort.
Baby-Led Weaning (BLW): Encouraging Exploration and Independence
Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) centers on allowing babies, typically around six months old, to self-feed soft, graspable foods once they show signs of developmental readiness. For some babies, BLW may come a little later. Every child’s readiness looks different, and that’s perfectly okay.
BLW is considered a form of responsive, infant-led complementary feeding. Research suggests that letting babies self-feed can support appetite regulation, confidence, and healthy eating behaviors, all while helping them participate in family mealtimes from the start.
Signs of Readiness for BLW
Every baby develops at their own pace, but most are ready to begin exploring solids when they can:
Sit upright with minimal support.
Show interest in food: watching, reaching, or opening their mouth when others eat.
Bring hands or toys to their mouth to explore.
Have good head and neck control.
No longer demonstrate a strong tongue-thrust reflex (pushing food out automatically).
SLP Tips:
Offer soft, finger-sized foods that squish easily between your fingers (e.g., avocado slices, steamed carrots, banana pieces).
Sit with your baby and model chewing.
Ensure your baby is seated securely in an upright, supportive highchair. Hips, knees, and feet should be at 90° angles, with feet resting flat on a footrest or sturdy surface. Proper posture supports safe swallowing and focus during eating.
When BLW Feels Hard
Some babies find BLW challenging at first, especially those with delayed oral-motor skills, sensory sensitivities, or medical concerns. These babies can still benefit from BLW principles — they just need a more supported version.
Try this responsive adaptation:
Start with soft finger foods alongside familiar purees for comfort.
Offer foods in easy-to-hold shapes, like thick wedges or sticks that encourage grasp without frustration.
Model chewing, slow pacing, and calm breathing. Your cues help regulate theirs.
Allow exploration without expectation—touching, smelling, or licking counts as success.
For children in feeding therapy or with feeding challenges, combining BLW principles with structured supports, like modified textures, pacing cues, and regulated environments, can promote comfort, confidence, and steady progress.
The Ultimate Goal: Positive, Connected Mealtimes
Whether your baby begins with purees, BLW, or a blend of both, what matters most is the experience, not the method.
Meals are calm, exploratory, and social.
Babies are trusted to listen to their bodies.
Caregivers respond with patience, curiosity, and warmth.
The focus stays on connection, not consumption.
Responsive feeding means tuning in to your baby’s cues — offering structure and support while allowing freedom to explore. When mealtime feels relaxed and joyful, babies learn to love food, trust their bodies, and connect with the people who share it with them.
Why It Matters
There’s no single “right” way to start solids. What matters most is creating positive, connected experiences around food, whether your baby explores with soft finger foods, enjoys purees, or does a bit of both.
When caregivers follow their baby’s cues, offer variety, and keep mealtimes calm and pressure-free, feeding becomes a moment of learning and trust.
A responsive approach can also help prevent picky eating by nurturing comfort, flexibility, and enjoyment with new foods from the start.
References
Black, M. M., et al. (2011). Responsive feeding: Strategies to promote healthy eating in infants and toddlers. Journal of Nutrition, 141(3), 490–494.https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.129973
Brown, A., Wyn Jones, S., & Rowan, H. (2017). Baby-led weaning: The evidence to date. Current Nutrition Reports, 6(2), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-017-0201-2
D’Auria, E., Bergamini, M., Staiano, A., Banderali, G., Pendezza, E., Penagini, F., Zuccotti, G. V., & Peroni, D. G. (2018). Baby-led weaning: What a systematic review of the literature adds on. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 44(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-018-0487-8
Healthy Eating Research. (2017). Feeding guidelines for infants and young toddlers: A responsive parenting approach. Durham, NC: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Perez-Escamilla, R., Segura-Pérez, S., & Lott, M. (2017). Feeding guidelines for infants and young toddlers: a responsive parenting approach. Nutrition Today, 52(5), 223-231. Retrieved from: https://healthyeatingresearch.org/research/feeding-guidelines-for-infants-and-young-toddlers-a-responsive-parenting-approach/
Rapley, G., & Murkett, T. (2019). Baby-Led Weaning, Completely Updated and Expanded Tenth Anniversary Edition: The Essential Guide - How to Introduce Solid Foods and Help Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater.
Walton, K., Kuczynski, L., Haycraft, E., Breen, A. & Haines, J. (2017).Time to re-think picky eating? A relational approach to understanding picky eating. International Journal of
Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14 (62).
World Health Organization. (2023, May 9). Infant and young child feeding. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding
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