Parent Directed Feeding (PDF) and Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) on Starting Solids
Baby-led weaning (BLW) is an increasingly popular method for introducing solids to infants. Many practical aspects of BLW fit within the parent-directed feeding (PDF) approach described in Babyhood Transitions, but there are some key philosophical differences worth exploring.
Differences between BLW and PDF
A foundational belief behind PDF is that God has given parents the responsibility to actively steward, teach, and guide their children (Proverbs 22:6). This charge includes imparting not just the physical skills of eating and healthy eating habits but also moral skills such as obedience, self-control, and submitting to order. In contrast, the originating idea behind BLW was that babies can and should be completely trusted to know what, how much, and potentially even when they should eat (and drink). It is implied that babies’ happiness and parents’ decreased stress are higher priorities at mealtime than babies’ moral development.
The philosophical differences between PDF and BLW lead to some notable dissimilarities in practice. Since BLW assumes that babies will make the best choices for what their bodies need, parents are just to offer an array of nutritious options and not worry about what their child does or does not eat, even when the baby has grown enough to be getting a large proportion of his calories and nutrition from solids. Additionally, BLW encourages separating milk and solids, arguing that it is best for babies to be eating or drinking about every 2 hours. Conversely, PDF counsels parents to offer small portions of the most nutritious foods before moving on to natural favorites. PDF also describes giving solids less than 30 minutes after a milk feeding to maintain the cycle between hunger and fullness for a healthy metabolism.
Another practical distinction between BLW and PDF is in how mealtime behavior is handled. BLW sees food as a key opportunity for exploration and learning, so throwing or dropping food is seen solely as an experiment or communication and parents are to be accepting of the mess. Also, parental spoon-feeding of any kind is discouraged in official BLW to maximize the baby’s independence and decision-making. PDF instead sees mealtime as an effective opportunity for moral training, so there is an emphasis on teaching order (food and dishes stay on the tray, communicating through sign language), patience (waiting for food, transitioning to highchair play when the child is finished eating), and self-control (accepting parental decisions to spoon-feed with folded or quiet hands). Of course, there will always be some mess as babies grow in their ability to feed themselves and use utensils, but PDF encourages putting limits on the mess through training and gradually giving independence.
Strengths of BLW in a PDF context
Many practices mentioned in BLW harmonize well with PDF.
BLW highlights that babies should not be forced to eat more food when they are full. PDF already teaches parents to watch their infant for signs of a full feeding and to guide them into healthy eating habits rather than relying on volume as the primary goal, and this practice should extend from milk to solid feedings.
BLW champions nutritious food. PDF views nutrition as the parents’ responsibility to cultivate.
BLW emphasizes variability in taste and texture for physical development and baby’s palate. While PDF does encourage including at least some purees and parental spoon-feeding for nutritional and behavioral training reasons, it also allows for early incorporation and/or a high proportion of finger foods depending on individual families’ preferences.
BLW’s prioritization of a family mealtime is one of its greatest strengths. PDF wholeheartedly concurs with supporting families in this endeavor, including suggesting a small snack with the family at dinner when the baby’s routine does not yet line up with the family.
Research and resources related to solids introduction
Some research articles have concluded that a BLW approach can result in fewer issues with picky eating or obesity. However, studies vary in how feeding methods are defined and data is collected, so it is still unclear exactly which components of a feeding method can be blamed or credited for a child’s future eating habits.[1]
Regardless of one’s approach to solids, there is a growing body of evidence[2] supporting early exposure to common allergens. Small, frequent tastes of foods like nut butters, cooked whole eggs, and yogurt can be started from the beginning of the weaning process with careful observation.
A frequently discussed concern with choosing solids to introduce is iron levels in breastmilk. While iron in breastmilk does decrease after 6 months, the bioavailability is so much higher than in solids that breastmilk is still a better source. Iron consumption from solids should be more carefully monitored at 10-12 months as babies begin decreasing their intake of breastmilk or formula for more solids.
If a mother is breastfeeding during this transition, distractions, longer nighttime sleep, return of periods, and the introduction of solids can all impact milk supply, especially as feedings decrease below 6 times a day. To maintain an adequate supply, some mothers may need to consider pumping extra milk (which can be added to solids or offered in small amounts by cup during meals) or retain an additional feeding for a little longer.
Proper food preparation for a given age is important to prevent choking. It is worth the time for parents to learn what is appropriate for their baby’s age, developmental stage, and physical growth. A commonly recommended resource is the Solid Starts app/website[3]. Of course, all parents should make sure they know infant CPR and how to handle choking.
There is a lot of overlap in secondary priorities between BLW and PDF, and both purees and finger foods bear distinct benefits. Each family will need to evaluate their individual goals and preferences to think through what balance of purees and finger foods works best for their child and their family at a given stage. Parents seeking to follow the PDF model of guiding children in the way they should go will need to thoughtfully differentiate between the BLW practices that are beneficial options and those that are born out of a child-led philosophy.
[1] https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13031009
[2] https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-058380
[3] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/solid-starts-baby-first-foods/id1564189151; https://solidstarts.com/foods/