BLW, which has become popular especially in the last decade, is actually the most frequently used baby feeding method of our grandmothers and previous generations. However, the transition to an industrial society and the acceleration of daily life also affected the nutrition patterns of babies. For this reason, spoon feeding of babies, which is called the classical method, has become popular in the last century. Fortunately, thanks to the scientific facts revealed through the studies, BLW, which is a much older method, has become popular again.
What is BLW?
BLW, used as an abbreviation for the term Baby Lead Weaning, has been translated into Turkish as baby-led feeding. This method, briefly defined as babies feeding themselves, has many positive effects, especially the development of babies' hand and eye coordination. Although the BLW method is an extremely easy and applicable method, some points need to be taken into consideration.
What are the points to be considered when applying the BLW Method?
If you are careful to choose the best for your baby, then by going through the supplementary feeding process with BLW, you can make your baby's discovery of new tastes more fun and support it in many ways. However, before starting this method, you need to have information about the areas you need to pay attention to.
In order to apply the BLW method in feeding your babies, your babies must first be able to sit with or without support. BLW is not a suitable method for babies who have not yet developed these abilities.
Another point you should pay attention to is that you should always be with your baby during feeding hours. You should especially take care to be in a position where you can see his mouth. In this way, you can intervene as soon as possible in case of any negativity that may occur. You should remember that your baby is trying to accomplish something he has never experienced before during the complementary feeding process.
You should also pay attention to the size and hardness of the foods you will offer to your baby. Considering that they will eat with their hands, especially in their early stages, you should make sure that the size of the food is suitable for their hands. In addition, you need to make sure that the food is hard enough for them to hold in their hands but soft enough for them to chew. While babies may have difficulty swallowing foods that are too hard, they may also have difficulty handling very soft foods.
Finally, you need to be careful not to make your baby laugh while he or she is eating. Otherwise, you may cause your baby to choke or be in danger of suffocation.
What are the benefits of the BLW Method?
As long as you pay attention to the main points of baby-led feeding, this system will make many contributions to your baby's development. The first thing to do is to ensure that your baby discovers solid foods as a whole. Because in this method, babies use not only their sense of taste but also their sense of touch, sight, smell and hearing. This will not only increase your babies' interest in foods, but will also help them have a more appetite.
Another benefit of the BLW method is that it enables your baby to control his appetite. From the first day, your baby will decide when he/she is full. In this way, they will gain a healthy eating habit. This will minimize the risks of baby reflux caused by overeating immediately and eating disorders that occur in later ages.
It is known that the fine motor muscles of babies fed with the BLW method develop more. In addition, it also develops hand-eye coordination from an early age.
Finally, thanks to the BLW system, babies' participation in the family's social environment with their own special chair not only improves their social skills, but also gives them the opportunity to learn how to behave in the social environment. In this case, it supports their self-confidence, especially in later ages.
How to Apply the BLW Method?
The BLW method usually starts when babies are 6 months old. Since they are still very small, it is not recommended to use plates for food in their first months. Instead, it is recommended to support babies' eating by placing food on the tables of high chairs.
The biggest disadvantage of the BLW method for parents is that babies' clothes and the surrounding area get dirty a lot. It is a fact that babies seriously dirty their clothes, especially when trying yoghurt or liquid. To prevent this, it is appropriate to use a baby feeding bib. However, in order to minimize contamination at this moment when babies are completely free, it is recommended to use pocketed and silicone models when choosing baby bibs. Thanks to these models, also offered by Baboo, not only do you prevent food from spilling on the floor and onto your baby's chest, but they also prevent your baby's clothes from getting wet. In addition, the bibs in Baboo are made entirely of materials suitable for your baby's health. Using large tablecloths and plastic tablecloths to prevent immediate contamination will help the area to be cleaned up quickly.
In addition, the high chair must be constantly disinfected. Cleaning not only the table but also every part of the chair with a disinfectant that is compatible with your baby's health is important to ensure the hygiene of the feeding environment.
Finally, all you have to do is watch your baby's excitement while feeding himself. Because switching to supplementary food for your baby is not only a new eating pattern, but also an opportunity to take the leading role in an unknown adventure. For this reason, you need to share his excitement and, of course, observe him uninterruptedly throughout the feeding process. This way, you can intervene in any problems that may arise as soon as possible.
