Papillas Or Baby Led Weaning? Advantages And Disadvantages
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP), during the first 6 months babies should be fed exclusively on milk, preferably maternal. But, on reaching the sixth month of life, it is time to decide: baby food or baby led weaning ? I mean, shredded or chunky food? Next, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both types of complementary feeding.
It must be borne in mind that food is a very serious issue that has a direct impact on the development and growth of children. Therefore, before making any decision related to this, it is advisable to consult with the reference pediatrician, who will be in charge of giving the appropriate indications and recommendations.
Baby food or baby led weaning ?
Complementary feeding is the process that consists of gradually including different types of food and liquids in the baby’s diet, in addition to milk, so that it benefits from other nutrients necessary for its proper development.
To do this, you can opt for shredded food (porridge), chunky food (also known as baby led weaning ) or a combination of both methods. What are your advantages and disadvantages? Let’s see it!
Advantages and disadvantages of porridges
Since the advent of blenders and kitchen machines, making porridge and puree has been a widely used resource for feeding babies. Surely, due to some of its advantages, such as:
- Its easy preparation.
- The comfort of feeding the little one with the spoon, without the risk of him choking on a stumble.
- The cleaning that this method provides, since it is the adult who controls the baby’s food intake.
But shredded food also has its drawbacks, among which it stands out:
- You can make the mistake of giving your baby a large amount of food in a short period of time.
- The little one does not develop his autonomy when it comes to eating.
- The baby cannot eat with his family, he must do it sooner or later, since someone has to give him the porridge.
- The baby is not allowed to distinguish between different foods and their textures.
Advantages and disadvantages of baby led weaning
An alternative that has more and more followers is the baby led weaning, which consists of giving the baby the food in pieces. Why is this method so widely used? For the great benefits it brings to the baby:
- It favors the development of the orofacial muscles.
- It allows the stimulation of hand-eye coordination and psychomotor development by having to eat food with their own hands or with a fork.
- It promotes autonomy and self-regulation in food intake, taking an active role at mealtime.
- Facilitates the transition to solid food.
- It allows sensory stimulation, so you can discover different tastes, smells, textures and colors of food.
- Encourage their participation and inclusion in family meals.
However, there are also some drawbacks that must be taken into account before opting for this type of complementary diet:
- It is very dirty, since the baby, especially at the beginning, will experiment with the food and will get dirty, both the mouth, the tablecloth, the high chair or the floor.
- There is a certain risk that the baby will choke or suffocate, so it is recommended to take a first aid course or have enough information to be able to act quickly in case this happens.
About baby food or baby led weaning
Regardless of the complementary feeding method that is decided to be used from the sixth month of the baby’s life, porridge or baby led weaning , the important thing is that the little one receives a balanced and healthy nutrition that allows him to develop optimally.
