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The BLW method (from the English expression Baby-led Weaning) is a way of eating with all your senses used in feeding your baby. The BLW method assumes that the child decides what, when and how to eat. On Polish-language portals, the BLW method is abbreviated to Bobas Lubi SELECT.
What is the BLW method?
The BLW method is based on the gradual introduction of various foods to the child’s diet, while maintaining the basic form of milk feeding. The BLW method is to show the child the variety of forms and types of food and prepare the child to start eating independently. The main assumption of this method is that the choice is left to the child himself – it is the child who decides what, how and when to eat. He can also freely play with food and explore different tastes.
In the BLW method, the child gradually learns to eat a variety of solid foods: vegetables (cooked and raw), fruit, pasta, groats and rice. The food is served in natural form, not in the form of a mush, as in jars with baby food, so the toddler can get acquainted with, for example, the shape of fruits and vegetables and foods of different consistency.
From what age can the BLW method be used?
The BLW method can be introduced when the child is able to sit independently and has developed a grasping reflex, i.e. around 7 months of age. Then you can give the baby a hand, for example, a carrot (preferably cooked), fruit or a piece of roll. The toddler will then be able to hold the received product in his hand and put it in his mouth. The ability to sit independently is important as it then diminishes choking hazard by the child by eating. Lying down on your own, eating solid foods by yourself can easily cause choking and is dangerous for your baby.
- Read more: What is a baby development calendar?
Principles of the BLW method
The BLW method is a practice combined with a kind of worldview. According to this worldview, not only the food itself is important, but also the whole “setting” of the meal and the way it is done. First, therefore, the child is taught that meals are eaten together with other household members at the table. For example, the whole family sits down to dinner – the child watches the family members and tries to imitate them. A family atmosphere while eating is also important, and teaching your child that a meal is a way of expressing family ties and that it should be fun.
Another principle of the BLW method is that eating is supposed to teach the child through play not only proper behavior at the table, but also different tastes, and even combining tastes. The child is free to compose his meal and eat whatever he wants. For this reason, the food given to the child should be easy to hold in the hand. Vegetables and fruit should be cut in such a way that the child can grasp them freely and put them in his mouth.
The main issue in the BLW method is the possibility of choice. The child should be able to choose what he wants to eat on his own. That is why it is worth putting in front of him a few different fruits, vegetables or, for example, cooked pasta and rice to choose from.
The BLW method also adopts the principle of “no stress while eating”. The child can eat as long as he wants. If he refuses to eat, this is also not a problem as his staple food remains milk.
The BLW method shows the child that eating is fun and offers opportunities to experiment and explore different flavors. The child can do whatever he wants with food – even spit it around or spit it out. The role of the parent is to observe what the child likes and what does not, and only gently intervene when the situation gets out of hand.
- Check: Expanding the infant’s diet – when, how, what?
The BLW method recommends not to add any spices to the dishes served to the child, so that he or she can learn the unchanged taste of the product. It is best to give your child (still) water to drink in a cup.
Safety rules are also very important in the BLW method. A small child who is not used to solid foods can easily choke on them or even choke on them. For this reason, care should be taken that the child is sitting upright, preferably slightly tilted forward. In this position, the risk of choking or choking on food is reduced. Do not leave the child alone with food – the meal should always take place under the supervision of adults.
BLW method – advantages and disadvantages
The undoubted advantage of the BLW method is the possibility of sensory development. The child learns different tastes, developing the sense of touch, sight and smell.
The BLW method also supports education chewing and biting reflexes. The child has to deal with hitherto unknown, solid and sometimes hard foods on his own. Chewing and biting and other jaw movements are great preparation for learning to speak.
The BLW method is also teaching the child to make independent decisions. It is the child who decides what, how and how much to eat. We don’t have to worry that he will be hungry if he eats little – remember that milk is still the basis of his diet.
The BLW method is also an opportunity to have fun and learn to coordinate movements at the same time.
Proponents of using this method also argue that by observing what foods the child instinctively rejects, you can find out not only what his taste preferences are, but also what products the child is probably allergic to.
The disadvantage of the BLW method is, above all, that when using it, we have a lot more to clean, because the child is eager to spread the food, checking its consistency and the strength of its own hands.