Although the best food for a baby between 0 and 12 months is breast milk, and in fact it is recommended that it constitute exclusively the diet of an infant up to six months, there comes a time when they begin to be interested in other foods. At a minimum, you should offer them after they turn half a year old, but taking into account the needs and preferences of the baby, as some children show no interest in solid foods until some time later.

Although cereal porridges and purees (fruits, vegetables, meat) have become widespread, they are not the best way for the baby to get in touch with complementary feeding. Do you wonder why? Well, there are two basic reasons, namely: flavor mixtures make it difficult to identify different foods, and consequently become familiar with them; secondly, since the ingredients of a puree are crushed, there is no contact with the different textures, so the baby's interest is diluted, since they love to explore and manipulate.

So the ideal thing, even if it may surprise you, is to present the food in pieces (very ripe fruits), or crushed (cooked potato), even cut to a size suitable for the baby's hands (boiled spaghetti), without counting on plates that of by yes they are already soft (rice, lentils). That way they can eat using their hands, as they are not quite skilled with cutlery yet., and while feeding, perfect fine motor skills. It is true that that way they will get quite dirty, and the highchair or chair, as well as the floor around the baby, will be left with food remains, but it is worth it because they have much more autonomy, and they acquire it sooner. In case you have doubts, we recommend the complementary feeding guideline.

Baby Lead Weaning: Using Fine Motor Skills to Eat

As you know, we talk about baby lead weaningEating alone, using your hands, and from a nutritional point of view, has an associated advantage to take into account: it is the baby himself who controls his appetite, and who decides when to start and when to stop eating. There are times when moms and dads have to relax a bit, and stop thinking that it is best to almost forcefully insert the spoon full of porridge into the baby's mouth, It is also not appropriate to force them to finish the dish, because they are the ones who feel the satiety reflex.

Advantages of baby lead weaning

We detail the benefits of this practice:

• The transition of BLW to whole foods or to eating with a spoon is more natural than if they take porridges or purees.
• Babies who have more freedom when it comes to feeding develop skills and autonomy sooner.
• Hand-eye coordination is perfected in less time.
• Fine motor skills are also improved.

The only disadvantage is that afterwards you have to clean a littleBut if you can relax, you won't even be overwhelmed by it.

What foods can I give my baby to eat with his hands

You will have to think about food that melts easily in your mouth, can be squished with a fork, is soft, or chopped small enough: boiled chicken, cooked potato or charlotte, tomato, cucumber (can be grated), hard-boiled egg, cottage cheese, banana, cooked apple, soft crust bread, rice, ...

You better avoid them.

• No raw and hard vegetables such as bell pepper, carlotta, zucchini: the baby could suffer a choking.
• Nuts, grapes, Cherry tomatoes.
• Hard cheese (especially cured and semi-cured).
• Dry bread, toast.
• Whole sausages, even in pieces.
• It is better also to give up processed foods or very sugary (including chocolate).

What if I prefer to give him the food crushed and spooned?

Nobody forces you to leave your baby eating the bits of the plate with their hands, while crumbs and pieces fall to the floor, or remain embedded in the corners of the highchair cover. But in that case:

• Don't force yourself to eat when you don't want any more.
• Watch for signs that they don't feel like it anymore (turning head, spitting out food).
• Unhurried: it is convenient for your daughter or son to associate the moment of eating with a pleasant experience. Take your time.
• Don't sulk when he rejects the spoon, or when he touches the food and it gets dirty.

Needless to say there will always be an adult watching the baby who is eating, they are not ages so that they are alone anywhere, as well as their difficulties and progress. You will see that it is not as difficult as it may seem!