The new move towards baby-led weaning promises to make your child a happy eater. Joanna Moorheadfinds out how it's done
THE BABY-LED weaning movement advocates, in a nutshell, giving infants solid finger food and allowing them to master eating for themselves, rather than spoon-feeding them purées. It has been gaining momentum for a while via word of mouth and through web forums such as mumsnet.com.
But this month its pioneer, Gill Rapley, a British-based breastfeeding counsellor and former midwife, makes a claim for its merits in a new book.
Not only, she says, will it help develop hand-eye co-ordination, allow babies to join in with family meals and make feeding battles less likely, but it's also the best way to ensure they grow up enjoying good food, and may protect them against eating disorders in later life.
Convinced? Not everyone will be, but here are Rapley's 10 commandments for turning your baby into a foodie, the spoon-free way.
1 Start weaning at six monthsThe reason spoon-feeding became popular, Rapley says, is that people used to give babies food from as young as three or even two months - and at that age, they aren't ready to feed themselves.
But current advice from the WHO is that six months is the best age to start weaning as a baby's gut and immune system aren't ready for real food until then. And by that stage, says Rapley, they need the opportunity to feed themselves real food such as steamed (or lightly boiled) whole vegetables, strips of chicken, pieces of fruit or cheese sticks.
2 Sit your baby upright for mealsChoking is often a parent's biggest weaning worry - but, says Rapley, providing the baby is upright, and you make sure they have control over their food (don't put the food into their mouth - let them do it themselves), choking is no more likely, and may be less likely, than it is when a baby is being spoon-fed.
Rapley says parents often mistake gagging - a retching movement that pushes food out of the baby's airway - with choking.
3 Offer, rather than push, food"Humans are designed to regulate the amount of food they need, and that includes babies," says Rapley.
At some meals they'll eat very little - at other meals, they'll eat more. The "clean plate rule" that many of us were brought up with is associated with over-eating in adults, she says.
Allowing babies to eat what they want means they'll learn to choose the nutrients they need, and to listen to their bodies telling them when they've had enough.
4 Eat with your child"Eating with people will ensure babies learn more than just how to handle food - they'll learn about taking turns, conversation and table manners. Treat them with the same respect you would any other mealtime companion," she says. That means not telling them what to eat, not wiping their faces and not washing up while they're still eating.
5 Expect a mess"Mess is an inevitable, fun and important part of babies learning about food," Rapley says. Plastic tablecloths and sheets under highchairs are recommended.
6 Don't get emotional"If you feel hurt that your child isn't eating the food you've prepared, think about why you're taking it so hard. The real reason might be that you have anxieties about whether you're a good enough parent, and that's the issue you really need to address.
"Babies don't use mealtimes to play out emotional mindgames, but adults may interpret it as that, because for us there are many emotional tie-ups with food."
7 Don't cut food up too smallBefore they master pincer-gripping with their fingers and thumb, says Rapley, "babies need pieces of food that are big enough for them to hold in their fists".
8 Treat mealtimes as playtimes"In the early days, when your baby is first moving from milk feeds to proper food, mealtimes are more about fun than about eating," Rapley explains. "Your baby will be getting enough nourishment from milk feeds. Food, at this stage, is almost a rehearsal for 'real' eating, and what you want to get across more than anything is a sense of enjoyment," says Rapley.
"As far as your child is concerned, food is there to be experimented with, played with, and investigated. And also, of course, to be tasted."
9 Don't give food to hungry babiesIn the early weeks of eating finger food, says Rapley, "offering a hungry baby finger food is as irrelevant and frustrating as offering a hungry baby a toy".
Instead, give them a milk feed first, then finger food so they'll be able to enjoy playing with the food, and experimenting with getting some of it into their mouth.
10 Watch your languageA lot of the language we use around babies and food isn't helpful, says Rapley. "Many parents say things like 'Here comes the train!' because they anticipate the baby won't want to eat the food. Encourage the baby to think of food itself as interesting and pleasurable, rather than associate it with negativity." Avoid labelling babies as good or poor eaters.
• Baby-led Weaning: Helping your baby to love good foodby Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett is published by Vermilion