Baby-Led Weaning: Introducing Solid Foods Without Purees

Baby-led weaning, or BLW for short, means “baby-led introduction to solid foods.” Instead of pureed food from a spoon, your baby gets finger foods and decides for themselves what and how much to eat. Here you’ll learn when it’s appropriate to start, what studies and experts say about it, how to tell the difference between gagging and choking, and which foods are safe.

What is Baby-Led Weaning?

The method was developed by midwife Gill Rapley, according to the German network “Gesund ins Leben.” Your baby sits at the table during meals, helps themselves to food, and eats with their fingers. According to the handbook published by the Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE), the baby is given the same foods as the rest of the family, cut into bite-sized pieces and without salt, sugar, or foods that could pose a choking hazard.

Breast milk or infant formula remains important during the first year. According to the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV), the initial focus is on getting acquainted; your baby will continue to get full from milk. In practice, many families combine baby food and finger foods. Several expert organizations also recommend this hybrid approach.

When to Start Baby-Led Weaning? The Prerequisites

In Switzerland, you should start introducing solid foods no earlier than the beginning of the 5th month and no later than the beginning of the 7th month. However, your baby needs more dexterity for finger foods than for purees. The SGE recommends introducing finger foods no earlier than the 7th month—that is, after the 6th month—and only if your child’s motor skills are developed enough. According to the Early Childhood Counseling Service for Mothers and Fathers (Frühe Kindheit Ost), most babies are ready by 7 months. “Gesund ins Leben” provides the following figures: 85% of babies can pick up small pieces between 6 and 7 months, and by 7 to 8 months, that number rises to 96%.

Your baby is ready to feed themselves when they

• sits upright and stable, even when leaning back, and holds his head steady,
• picks up food with their hands and brings it to their mouth on their own,
• shows interest in what others are eating,
• no longer reflexively spits out food.

If you’d like to start introducing solid foods earlier, begin with purees and introduce small pieces later. “Gesund ins Leben” recommends discussing baby-led weaning with your pediatrician beforehand, especially if your baby was born prematurely or has trouble swallowing. You can find out when and how to start with purees in the guide “Solid Foods: When and How to Start.”

Pros and Cons: What Studies and Expert Organizations Say

Baby-led weaning is popular, but the body of research is limited. Here’s how expert organizations assess the key points:

The Austrian Society for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (ÖGKJ) does not consider it conclusively proven that BLW provides all necessary nutrients, especially in the early stages. It considers BLW combined with pureed foods to be a good compromise. “Gesund ins Leben” also recommends offering nutrient-rich foods in bite-sized pieces in addition to baby cereal.

Choking or Swallowing? Recognizing the Difference

Gagging is normal. According to the British National Health Service (NHS), this is how your baby learns how much to chew and swallow at a time. Gagging is loud: the eyes water, the tongue pushes forward, and sometimes the baby vomits a little. Stay with your baby and watch them.

Choking is a medical emergency. If a piece of food is stuck in the airways, the NHS says the signs are subtle: Your baby can’t breathe properly, and their skin turns bluish—or, in the case of darker skin tones, their lips, gums, or nails. The German Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Safety (BAG) also lists pallor, excessive drooling, and frequent coughing as signs.

The best way to learn the proper techniques is to take a course. In Switzerland, Samaritan associations and the Swiss Red Cross offer courses on “Emergencies Involving Young Children,” which cover topics such as airway management and CPR for children. The NHS also recommends first-aid courses. It’s best to take the course before you start serving finger foods.

Finger Foods for Babies: Safe Foods and Shapes

Three basic rules always apply: According to the NHS, your baby should be sitting awake and upright in a high chair and should never eat unsupervised. The pieces should be finger-sized and cooked until soft. And you should avoid salt, sugar, and honey.

The BLV recommends giving only ground nuts to children until their third birthday, while the NHS advises against giving whole nuts until their fifth birthday.

Iron-Rich Foods in Baby-Led Weaning

According to the BLV, to ensure your baby gets enough iron, they should start eating small amounts of meat regularly by the 7th month at the latest. This is the biggest challenge with BLW, because, according to the Austrian Society of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (ÖGKJ), iron-rich foods are often harder for babies to eat. If your baby just sucks on a piece of meat, they’ll get hardly any iron, warns the German Professional Association of Pediatricians and Adolescent Medicine Specialists. These foods can help:

• Meat: finely chopped into soft meatballs or in a sauce. According to the ÖGKJ, such preparations are usually well-received.
• Fish: boneless, such as salmon, which the BLV recommends for its omega-3 fatty acids.
• Eggs: thoroughly cooked, such as hard-boiled.
• Legumes: lentils or beans, cooked until soft and mashed.
• Whole grains: for example, rolled oats as soft porridge.

Add vegetables or fruits rich in vitamin C. According to the SGE, this improves the absorption of iron from plant sources.

Mixed Approach: Combining Puree and Finger Foods

This hybrid approach combines both: Your baby explores pieces with their hands, and the puree helps ensure they get enough iron and energy. Here’s an example for everyday life:

• For lunch, vegetable puree with meat served with a spoon, along with soft pieces of vegetables for your child to pick up on their own.
• For family meals, have an unsalted portion cut into pieces, which you set aside before seasoning.
• Continue giving milk as needed, just as before.

You can find out how to prepare and freeze iron-rich baby food in the guide “Making Your Own Baby Food.” When you’re on the go, pack a container of baby food and a few pieces in your cooler bag. You’ll only need a portable food warmer for the baby food; your baby can eat finger foods cold or at room temperature. For more tips, see “Warming Up Baby Food on the Go ” and the “Checklist for the Diaper Bag.”

First Week: Checklist

• Signs of maturity assessed: sits steadily, grasps objects, brings food to the mouth
• Completed the “Emergencies in Toddlers” course
• High chair in which your baby sits upright
• 2 to 3 soft, finger-sized foods prepared
• One iron-rich meal planned for every day
• Introduce new foods only after a few days
• Water in an open cup with the meal
• Set aside a portion for the baby before adding salt
• Bib and wipeable mat ready
• Set aside time: your baby never eats alone

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Baby Food and Baby-Led Weaning: What to Keep in Mind When Introducing Solid Foods?, Netzwerk Gesund ins Leben
2. Austrian Recommendations for Complementary Feeding 2022 (PDF), Nutrition Commission of the ÖGKJ
3. Fact Sheet: Infant Nutrition in the First Year of Life (2024, PDF), Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE)
4. Handbook on Eating and Drinking in the First Year of Life (2018, PDF), SGE and Health Promotion Switzerland
5. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers (Brochure, 2020, PDF), Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
6. Complementary Feeding: Bringing Children to the Table (Information resource in collaboration with the BLV and Health Promotion Switzerland)
7. Unsuitable Foods, Kids at the Table
8. Nutrition from 0 to 12 Months, Early Childhood East (Parenting Counseling)
9. Complementary Feeding: Eating Right from the Start (AGES, Ministry of Social Affairs, Federation of Social Insurance Carriers)
10. Choking and Gagging on Food, NHS Best Start in Life
11. Preparing Food Safely, NHS Best Start in Life
12. What to Feed Your Baby Starting Around 6 Months, NHS Best Start in Life
13. Foods and drinks to avoid, NHS Best Start in Life
14. Pediatricians: Baby-Led Weaning Can Be Harmful, Professional Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ)
15. Course on Emergencies in Toddlers, Lucerne Samaritan Association (SRK)
16. Course: Emergencies in Young Children, Swiss Red Cross, Canton of Aargau
17. Emergency number 144 for all medical emergencies, Alertswiss, Federal Office for Civil Protection
18. 112: the European emergency number, European Commission
19. First Aid: Inhalation of Foreign Objects, BAG—Greater Safety for Children