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Let babies be in charge of how much they eat – it could help them stay a healthy weight - The Conversation
How babies are fed is often a topic of hot discussion. It’s known that babies should be introduced gradually to solid foods at around six months old. But in recent years, another question has arisen: should parents be spoon-feeding babies special pureed baby foods or could they just join in with the family and feed themselves from the very start?
Known as baby-led weaning, parents who follow the method believe it has lots of benefits for their baby, such as encouraging them to eat a range of foods and stay a healthy weight. Research suggests that babies who feed themselves are less likely to be fussy and more likely to eat a wider variety of food. But what about their weight?
Research examining this so far has been mixed. But in our new study of 269 babies, we found that when babies were breastfed, there was no difference in weight for those who were spoon-fed or self-fed. But when babies were bottle fed, those who were spoon-fed were heavier than those who self-fed.
How babies are fed is often a topic of hot discussion. It’s known that babies should be introduced gradually to solid foods at around six months old. But in recent years, another question has arisen: should parents be spoon-feeding babies special pureed baby foods or could they just join in with the family and feed themselves from the very start?
Known as baby-led weaning, parents who follow the method believe it has lots of benefits for their baby, such as encouraging them to eat a range of foods and stay a healthy weight. Research suggests that babies who feed themselves are less likely to be fussy and more likely to eat a wider variety of food. But what about their weight?
Research examining this so far has been mixed. But in our new study of 269 babies, we found that when babies were breastfed, there was no difference in weight for those who were spoon-fed or self-fed. But when babies were bottle fed, those who were spoon-fed were heavier than those who self-fed.