#99: Why bigger pieces of food can be safer for baby led weaning
On this episode of the podcast, I’m teaching you about why the size of finger foods for baby led weaning is so important. There literally can’t be a “one size fits all” approach to preparing finger foods for your baby. Texture of foods and the development of various oral motor skills have to be considered as well. Understanding why larger pieces of food are often safer for your baby, not to mention easier for your baby to move around in their mouth, is key to seeing progression with baby led weaning, and in preventing choking.
Whenever I show pictures of baby led weaning finger foods for 6 months, I hear from a lot of concerned parents that the large size of the foods will cause their baby to choke. When in reality, small pieces of food are more likely to be choked on - especially in the beginning. I think we have this picture in our head of our parents and grandparents, and maybe even us with our older kids, cutting up their food so they can eat bite sized pieces and more easily chew them. What we’re forgetting is that babies are brand new to this! They don’t know how to move that tiny piece of food around in their mouth, they don’t have molars to chew it with, or even know how to move their mouth in a way that would grind down that tiny bit of food. Older kids will because they have experience on their side! This is not to say that babies need teeth or to know how to do all those chewing motions to have finger foods - not at all (they have to start somewhere!). We just have to know how to prepare food safely for them, which is why often bigger pieces of food are perfect as baby led weaning starter foods.
Listen in to hear more about how I recommend you prepare baby led weaning starter foods, and if there are any exceptions to the rule of offering larger sized pieces in the beginning.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
TEXTURE TIMELINE CHALLENGE: https://mylittleeater.com/texture-timeline-challenge-live
If you’re ready to jump into starting solids with your little one, and want to learn more about how to do baby led weaning and purees, or maybe you want to learn about spoon-feeding your baby, self-feeding, and when to stop purees, enroll in my Texture Timeline™ Challenge! It kicks off February 23rd, 2022 and runs for 5 days with live support from me every single day!
BABY LED FEEDING ONLINE COURSE: https://mylittleeater.com/baby-led-feeding/
Starting solids isn’t meant to be just another thing you have to stress over as a parent - it’s supposed to be fun! So, let me help you keep it that way and ensure you raise a baby who loves all food! My Baby Led Feeding Online Course will help you start solids with confidence, ensuring you have the knowledge to gently push your baby through textures to prevent picky eating and be healthy in all aspects!
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Why small pieces of food are difficult for a baby to handle (3:35)