Tell us a bit about baby-led weaning, and how you became interested in that field.

Baby-led weaning is an alternative approach to introducing your baby to solid foods that allows them to take the lead in their eating journey. It’s all about letting your little one explore and discover food at their own pace. Instead of relying solely on puree textures, the baby-led weaning method is about offering your baby whole foods in a safe and age-appropriate way. Instead of feeding the baby with a spoon, the baby feeds themselves right from the start. Babies are capable of this and in most cases, they actually want to feed themselves. The main idea is to let your baby explore and discover food independently using their natural resources and developmental milestones. As parents, our role is to provide a variety of nutritious foods and create a safe eating environment for our little ones. We want to foster their independence and help them develop a healthy relationship with food from the beginning.

I know how confusing infant feeding can be. Friends, family, the internet, and even doctors all have different opinions what it comes to starting solids. And as a mother, I know it can be hard to navigate. Having the right information and resources at your fingertips can make a world of difference. When my first daughter, Viola, was an infant, I started to think about starting solid foods and I knew that I wanted to take a baby-led approach to it. I really liked the idea of self-feeding and introducing a variety of textures, not just the puree texture. As a picky eater myself, I knew that I wanted to do everything in my power to help my child become an adventurous eater and have a healthy relationship with food. I started to look for budget friendly resources, information, and ideas. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I started to make it myself and Babies Feeding Babies was born.

What are your top three "must-have" foods that every parent should introduce to their baby early on?

This is actually a difficult question to answer, because there aren’t any “must-have” foods. Each family is unique and has different food preferences, cultures, amd schedules. Instead, I can give you three criteria that make a good begginer food:

1. A food that is nutrient dense
2. A food that is soft
3. A food that is easy for babies to hold (bigger is better at first. To give you an idea, think about the length of an adult pinky fingers and the width of two adult fingers put together.)

 Here’s a few ideas: butternut squash, zucchini, banana, sweet potato, scrambled egg, fresh mozzarella cheese, broccoli, asparagus, and avocado.

What's the most common myth about baby-led weaning that you'd love to debunk?

The most common myth or concern that parents have is the belief that baby-led weaning causes choking. This is absolutely not true.  Research shows no increased risk of choking when implementing baby-led weaning compared to traditional weaning. As long as parents are giving safe, age-appropriate foods, a choking event is not expected. In fact, some research suggests that babies who are spoon-fed purees may be at a greater risk for choking than those who implemented BLW because by the time they are introduced to table food, their mouths don’t have the experience and skills to handle it.

How can parents balance between letting their baby explore food independently and ensuring they get all the necessary nutrients?

The first few months of solid foods are really about letting your baby explore, get familiar with food, and learn how to eat. As they are still learning, we don’t expect them to actually eat much at all. Breastmilk or infant formula meets their nutrient needs, and any solids that they do ingest is just extra! These few months of exposure and exploration are so important as baby becomes familiar with a variety of tastes and textures. Intake comes later, usually around 9-10 months. At this age, we still see some playing, but they do start eating the food as well.

For parents who are nervous about choking, what advice or drips can you offer to ease their concerns?

This is a very common concern! As I mentioned earlier, you can take comfort in knowing that research shows no increased risk associated with the baby-led weaning method. But I do have some suggestions for you:

1. Learn the difference between gagging and choking. It is normal for babies to gag on their food. The gag reflex is the body’s way of protecting the airway. Babies gag reflex is mid-tongue, which is further up than the adult gag reflex. It is intentionally there it keep your baby safe! Food that is not chewed enough will trigger the gag reflex, which propels the food forward towards the front of the mouth. Often, baby will even spit the food out after a gag. This keeps the body safe and prevents choking incidents! Gagging can be uncomfortable to watch, but please know that it is normal and harmless. Gagging is NOT choking. In fact, it is the very mechanism that is keeping your baby from choking on their food.
2. Offer safe, age-appropriate foods. As a general rule of thumb, only give your baby foods that are soft enough to easily squish between your thumb and pointer finger. Some foods can be modified to be made soft, such as carrots. Raw carrots are a choking hazard, but if you sook them, they become soft. Avoid known choking hazard foods such as hot dogs, whole grapes, whole cherry tomatoes, and raw apple slices.
3. Do not feed your baby in a reclined position, such as a carseat. Make sure you are using a safe highchair that puts baby into an upright seating position and has a footrest that reaches the baby’s feet.

Do you have any tips for making meal prep fun and stress-free for busy parents?

In most cases, your baby can eat a modified version of what you and the rest of the family are eating! There is no need to make special meals for your baby.

Many families enjoy giving foods “deconstructed” for babies. For example, if your family is eating steak tacos, you can give all of the taco components to your baby separately (steak, tortilla, avocado, tomato, rice, etc.)

What are your favorite products at Copper Pearl?

Am I allowed to say everything?! When my babies are newborns, I LOVE the knit swaddles.  My favorites right now are the Caroline swaddle, Clementine swaddle, and the Rad swaddle.  I also really love the Rad 2 piece long sleeve pajama set!