Join Jessica Coll, Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist and IBCLC to talk about Baby Led Weaning. Jessica is an expert in all aspects of BLW and is here to answer questions about recipes, meal prep and more! Check out Jessica's profile for more info.
Jessica describes Baby Led Weaning as a way of introducing solid foods to babies. The traditional puree stage is skipped and babies eat pieces of food like meatballs, roasted vegetables and fresh fruit.
Hi Jessica - there are so many contradictory opinions out there on when to start babies on meat, dairy and eggs. What's your recommendation? Are there meats we should try first?
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Jessica C.
Hi Azminia, |
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Azmina Thank you so much! My son turns 9 months on Saturday so I'm glad I can feel more comfortable about incorporating these items in his diet. |
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Jessica C.
My pleasure! Have fun! |
Hi there, my 9mo loves eating and is willing to try most things. Do you have any recommendations for BLW type foods that would work even though he only has 2 bottom teeth?
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Jessica C.
Hi Jo, |
Hi Jessica, I have started BLW with my 7 month twins (born at 36 weeks, so 6 months age-adjusted). One of the boys has shown some interest in starting solids, while the other has shown absolutely no interest at all. We've had the best success with breads, avocados and steamed carrots, in that order. We've also tried steamed cauliflower, sweet potatoes, broccoli, pears, mangos, and penne pasta, with less success. Anything that I can do to increase their interest, and at what point should I get concerned about their lack of interest? Thanks in advance,
Melissa
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Jessica C.
Hi Melissa, |
I have a 4.5 month old baby and am interested in BLW. How do you recommend starting? He is sitting up (assisted) and very interested in food when he sees us eating. I was thinking of getting him started on puffed cereal / puréed food in the next 1-2 months, until his fine motor skills are better, but am curious what you recommend.
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Jessica C.
Feel free to check out my previous post for Rebecca about why I recommend waiting until around 6 months of age. I strongly recommend waiting until your baby is really ready to start solids because his digestive system isn’t ready to accept foods earlier than that (among other reasons). At 4.5 months old, it’s normal that your baby is showing interest in food when he sees you eating. He will show interest in everything that you will do (playing with pens, talking on the phone, etc) but it doesn’t mean that he is ready. He doesn’t make the connection between “I’m hungry” and “this is food and I want to eat it to make me feel full” yet. It’s coming soon though! My take on it is to wait until his fine motor skills are developed enough to grab pieces of food on his own. That way, it’ll be easier for you and less frustrating for him. Does this make sense? |
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Lindsay Thanks Jessica. So, to clarify, you recommend ONLY breastmilk/formula until solids at 6+ mos? And not offering anything like puffed cereal or puréed foods before that time? |
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Jessica C.
Yes that's right! Breastmilk/formula provides everything your baby needs until he starts solids. |
Welcome Jessica Coll! Jessica is here to answer all of your baby-led weaning questions about introducing flavors and textures to your baby, cooking meals for the whole family, and more!
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Jessica C.
Hi everyone, I'm excited to be here today to answer all your questions about BLW in the kitchen! Thank you for having me. I'm a registered dietitian, lactation consultant and mom of two kids who did BLW. I'm also the author of the Baby Led Weaning Recipes iBook that can be found at jessicacoll.com/book and the creator of the BLW online course. If you'd like to find out more about me, I'm at jessicacoll.com and on instagram.com/jessicoll. Have a great day! |
Hi Jessica,
I'm breastfeeding and getting ready to introduce 'real' food to my 4mo old (who loves watching and mimicking us eat!). What is your advice for starting--e.g. Which foods to introduce first (rice cereal? Veggies or fruit?) and how much? When should we expect that food will replace some or all of one of his feedings?
Thanks!
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Jessica C.
Hi Rebecca, how exciting! It is normal that your baby is showing interest at this age but doesn’t mean that he/she is ready to start just yet. The World Health Organization recommends starting solids at around 6 months for many reasons: safety reasons, prevention of choking, allergy prevention and maturity of the digestive system. So before starting, make sure your baby is showing all these signs of readiness: able to maintain a sitting position with minimal help, able to bring objects to his/her mouth with precision, around 6 months of age and of course you want him/her to show interest (which he/she already is doing). |
Hi Jessica! I started my 7mo daughter about a month ago on purees fed to her with a spoon. How do I get her interested in food she can grab, and what do I start with (e.g. how big are the avocado pieces, what else do I cut up and put on her tray?).
She sometimes grabs food from me and attempts to put it in her mouth. However, I put some mashed up avocado on her bumbo tray during mealtime the other day and she had zero interest in even playing with it.
Also, do you recommend "puffs" or anything that's not a whole food? If so, which ones?
Thanks!
Aimee
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Jessica C.
Hi Aimee, |
Hi Jessica! Thanks for answering questions today. I would love some ideas for meals I can cook that both my 10 month old and 4 year old can eat (bonus if even the adults can eat it too!). Especially things I can make Sunday to last us the week. They're both pretty good eaters but I am finding myself in a rut and would like to give them more complex, flavorful foods. Thank you!
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Jessica C.
It’s always great to save some time when you have kids! If you can make meals that are appropriate for all the members of the family, that’s even better. Your 10-month old should be starting to get pretty good at picking up small pieces of food with his/her pincer grasp so the sky is the limit as to which foods you can prepare. You don’t need to be a short order cook and prep individual meals for everyone. Here are some of my time-saving ideas: |
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Jessica C.
Hi Jenny, did you mean to post a question? I can't see it. |
Hi,
I want to do some BLW starting at 6 months- how do you recommend i continue to nurse? Should I nurse before the 'meal' or after or both? I just want to make sure he is getting enough breastmilk but at the same time also give adequate opportunity to eat. Maybe its not a concern now but as we move forward with BLW.
Also in BLW do the parents assist the baby at all? Like if the food slips out of their hands?
Thanks!
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Jessica C.
Hi Shefali, |
Hi Jessica - What is the best way to reheat frozen food (e.g. like the frozen homemade meatballs that you mentioned in your answer to Azminia)? Is the microwave ok or does that risk getting it too hot and/or ruining the nutritive value?
Also, how long does cooked frozen meat stay good in the freezer?
Thanks,
Jessica
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Jessica C.
Hi Jessica, |
Is BLW safe for preemies? If so, when? My twins were born at 25 weeks. They are now 5 1/2 month adjusted and eating purées (but only about a tablespoon or so). So far, we've done avocado, pumpkin, beers, sweet potato and banana... They are also drinking milk by bottle and one of them has a gtube because of reflux (he's been cleared to eat as tolerated).
Thanks for all of your insight!
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Jessica C.
Hi Anna, |
Hi Jessica, Thank you for all of your advice today :)
My son will be 11 months next week. We started BLW at 6 months and he has done fantastic. He has a very diverse diet and we stick to healthy foods. My question is... should I be overly concerned with the amount he eats? Sometimes I am shocked at how much he actually consumes! He gets almost no processed food (pasta maybe once a week is the expection) so I know it's all healthy but I wasn't sure if I should be putting a cap on how much he gets.
For example, last night for dinner he ate 1/2 of a small sweet potato, a turkey/veggie meatball, a couple of black berries, and a few bites of avocado. Is that too much?! He still nurses 6x throughout the day/night also.
Thanks again!
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Jessica C.
My quick answer is: no! Definitely no need to worry about controlling his portions. You’re offering him healthy foods. He needs lots of energy now that’s he’s starting to move around more, learning to walk, explore. Some babies eat more than others, just like some adults always seem to eat more than others. Also, the fact that you’re continuing to breastfeed on demand is amazing. You’re doing the right thing! |
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Jessica C.
Katrina: it makes sense. We should continue meeting their needs and feeding them on demand, just like we've been doing since birth, right? |
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Jessica C.
Great! |
Hi Jessica!
My daughter is 9.5 mos and will eat chicken nuggets, meatballs, cheerios/puffs with her fingers but will only eat veggies/fruit from a spoon and preferable from a pouch. Is there anything I can do to get her to eat solid veggies and fruit?
Also, she'll stop her eating her solids but then when I offer her purees, she eats more and often finishes the whole jar/pouch! What can i do to entice her to eat more solid food?
Thanks!
Jenny
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Jessica C.
Hi Jenny, |
Hi Jessica,
My daughter is 15 months and feeds herself. I'm looking for help with two interconnected things:
1) She consistently eats a handful of foods, including some great ones (peas!), but most foods are in some days and out other days with no obvious rhyme or reason. I don't want her to be hungry, especially if she rejects dinner, but do want to get her a more varied diet. Thoughts? (I do nurse on demand, but she only takes a significant amount of milk first thing in the morning.)
2) How on earth does family dinner work when you are a working parent? :) I'm the only parent and I usually have 45-70 minutes between when we walk in the door and when we need to start the bedtime routine. I do some batch cooking on weekends, but then I'm stuck if she doesn't eat something I cooked six servings of!
Thanks!
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Jessica C.
Hi Sarah, |
My 17 month old had never taken a bottle. When she was in daycare (starting at 8 weeks) she would go on a huger strike for 8-10 hours. And now at 17 months she won't take more than a sip of milk from a cup. I've tried almond, cow, coconut, toddler protein drink and a powder toddler formula and soy milk, all with no avail. She either takes one sip and pushes it away or won't take it at all. I'm still nursing her (3-4 times a day). She won't take breast milk from a cup either. She's lost 2 pounds from 12-15 months and from 15-17 months has only gained 2 oz. how can I get her to drink milk!? She needs the extra calories to gain weight. She's not a great eater. It varies from meal to meal.
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Jessica C.
Hi Crystal, |
Hello,
I've been experimenting with some purées and BLW whole foods with my 6 month old, but I'm worried about choking. For example, I gave her a slice of pear earlier this week and she was able to break off a large chunk (no teeth yet, but strong gums). Should I be monitoring the size of the bites she takes? Or offering her pre-made small bites instead?
Thanks for sharing all this info!
Zoe
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Jessica C.
Hi Zoe, |
Thank you, Jessica! Jessica offers a variety of great online BLW services including an online course, live workshops and a BLW recipe book through Jessica Coll Nutrition. Check out her profile for more info!
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Jessica C.
Thank you everyone for asking all your questions! I hope I inspired you to try new things! It was fun! |
My baby is 8 months old and has been eating purees well for 2 months. I didn't really know much about BLW at that time, so didn't try it. I want to try to add thicker textures or more solid food in but am having trouble. I tried giving her some peas a couple weeks ago. She picked them up and ate them, but then right after, threw up the peas, as well as all the breast milk she had an hour before. I tried thick mashed sweet potatoes last week. She ate about 4-5 bites, then threw it up. She does well with mum mum crackers and puffs, but I am unsure of where to go from here. Should I offer just bigger pieces of food, or give it a little more time? Thanks.
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Jessica C.
Hi Kyla, |
Hi Jessica,
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer this question.
Our 8 month old has been refusing both purees and finger foods. He shuts his mouth tight when food is introduced. We've also tried giving him food to play with, so that he gets accostomed to new textures.
BLW worked for our older child. Not sure what to do this time.
Any help would be highly appreciated.
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Jessica C.
Hi M, |