#Pureeing

Starting solids at the right time is crucial. Starting too early can strain your baby’s gut and increase choking risk, while too late may lead to iron deficiency and feeding difficulties. Around 6 months, babies are developmentally ready to learn textures, tastes, and safe eating skills, setting the foundation for healthy growth and lifelong eating habits. #startingsolids #firstfoods #babyfoods #babyledweaning #paediatricnutrition

Is your little one ready to start solids? Let us guide you through this exciting milestone with evidence-based expert advice from our Feeding Expert Rachel Smith @learntoeat.lovetoeat In this masterclass is proudly supported by Only Organic you’ll learn: - signs your baby is ready for solids - how to start solids, including baby led weaning and puree approaches, with backed up with insights from the most recent academic studies - equipment and food prep tips - how to introduce allergens + much more. Parents You’ve Got This - Be Prepared and Excited for Birth, Baby and Parenthood with expert led masterclasses for every stage #startingsolids #babyledweaning #babymilestones

Starting solids and feeling unsure? 👶 Purées vs BLW, supporting chewing, and how to manage the transition - our Head Dietitian breaks it all down.

Does baby-led weaning mean skipping purees?! 🚫🥣 Not at all! Purees are an important texture for your baby to master (they’re just not the only texture 😉). 👉 Comment 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 below and I’ll DM you my 100 FIRST FOODS™️ list with finger foods and purees your baby can safely self-feed 💛 You can absolutely honor the self-feeding principles of #babyledweaning using the pre-loaded spoon approach 🥄 If you’re wondering which foods to offer first (and how to make them safe), I break it all down inside my free online workshop, Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners. 💯 👉 Comment 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 and I’ll send you the link to join + your copy of the 100 FIRST FOODS list! Because your baby CAN self-feed… even purees 💚 #blw6months #purees #fingerfoods babyled blwdietitian spoonfeeding

The "solids debate" is all over social media, but here’s a secret: there is no one-size-fits-all answer! Whether you choose purees, baby-led weaning, or a mix of both, the goal is a happy, healthy eater.

🚨 news flash: you don’t have to put the food in your baby’s mouth - just put it in your own mouth!! …comment 👉 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 👈 for more tips about giving your baby a safe start to solid foods using baby-led weaning 🌱 Putting anything in your baby’s mouth - including a spoon - can be a choking hazard 🚫 …but babies mimic what you model - so don’t be shy about trying out those finger foods to jumpstart their interest in food too! 💕 You don’t have to hide bitter vegetables in sweet foods…you don’t have to “trick” your baby into trying a new food - just model eating those foods, and sometimes it works! …comment 👉 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 👈 for more tips about giving your baby a safe start to solid foods using baby-led weaning 🌱 #blwdietitian #blw8months #startingsolidfoods

A new study in Nutrients (peer-reviewed journal) analyzed hundreds of baby food products and found that a significant portion meet the definition of ultra-processed. As someone who has spent years studying this category - both as a food journalist and as a founder in the space - I want to break this down without the fear-mongering. Here’s what the study actually shows: • How ultra-processed is defined • Why pouches make up a large portion of the data • Where added sugars and sodium are hiding • What matters most for babies 6 months+ Babies deserve whole ingredients, texture exposure, diet diversity, and thoughtful formulation - not just convenience. If you care about childhood nutrition, save this and share it with someone starting solids. #babyfood #startingblw #babyledweaning #infantfeeding #momlife #pediatricnutrition #feedingbabies #realfood

How many meals should your baby have when starting solids? Here’s a simple roadmap. At 6 months, begin with 1 solid meal a day. This stage is about exposure and learning to eat. Breastmilk or formula is still the main source of nutrition. By 7 months, move to 2 meals a day. Your baby is getting more comfortable with textures and self-feeding, so you can gently add another mealtime. Around 8 months, shift to 3 meals a day. Your baby can now start joining family mealtimes and build a steady routine. No snacks are needed until age 1. Three balanced meals along with milk feeds are enough. Adding snacks too early can reduce milk intake, which is still important in the first year. Keep the progression slow and responsive. Focus on building skills and comfort with food rather than the amount eaten. #blw #blwindia

🚨 HELP…my baby won’t eat!!! 😩 Comment 👉𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 👈 and I’ll DM you info on starting solid foods safely with #babyledweaning 💌 …there are LOTS of reasons why babies don’t dig food right out of the gate, and the amount of food they eat DOES NOT MATTER 😔 Comment 👉𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐋𝐖 👈 for more info about starting baby-led weaning the stress-free way 🌱 #blw6months #startingsolidfoods #noteating #blwdietitian

Benefits Of Baby Led Weaning Vs Purées 🤍 Starting solids doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. Both approaches can support healthy development — it’s about what works for your baby and your family. BLW (Baby Led Weaning): 🖐️ Encourages Independence – Babies feed themselves from the start, building confidence and trust in their own appetite. 🧠 Builds Motor Skills – Picking up food supports hand-eye coordination, grip strength, and control. 🍽️ Family Mealtime Is Easier – Babies can join in with family meals, eating similar foods together. 🥦 Encourages Healthy Eating Habits – Early exposure to textures and flavours may support variety and reduce fussiness later on. 👄 Supports Oral Development – Chewing and moving food around the mouth helps develop oral muscles used for eating and speech. Purées: 📊 Intake Is Easier To Track – Knowing how much has been eaten can feel reassuring, especially in the early stages. 🧼 Less Mess – Often simpler for quick meals or busy days. 🤍 Helpful For Anxious Parents – Can reduce pressure and worry around choking or intake. 👶 Helpful For Younger Or Preterm Babies – A gentle option while skills and confidence are still developing. There’s no “right” way to start solids — many families use a mix of both. Follow your baby’s cues and do what feels right for you ✨ #babyledweaning #startingweaning #feedingbabies #weaningjourney #parentingtips

You don’t need more parent hacks. You need a system for starting solids. Because when you start solids with your bub life is SO.MUCH.EASIER when you have a system in place that takes care of your baby’s nutritional needs without all of the prep. You need reliability that the meals for your baby are designed for biological nutrition needs, not just convenience. Having your freezer stocked with Petite Meal Co gives you the guarantee that your baby’s iron, fat, nutritional adequacy and developmental feeding milestones are met. No shopping, chopping or cooking from you. Just loads more cuddle time. We nurture the meals so you can nurture your baby.

If you watched the reel, you already know this: Purées are not the problem. Pressure is. Now let’s talk about the two things most parents miss. 2️⃣ Exploration still matters - even with purées. Yes, your baby can explore purées the same way a baby-led weaning baby explores finger foods. When you’re feeding from a bowl, put a spoonful directly on the tray. Let them tap it. Squish it. Smear it. Lick their fingers. Make a mess. It might end up on their clothes. On their hair. On the floor. That’s not wasted food. That’s sensory learning. Do you think BLW babies start “eating” on day one? No. Weeks of squishing. Throwing. Dropping. Inspecting. That’s how their hands learn to grab and bring food to their mouth. The same principle applies to purées. You can also offer a pre-loaded spoon and let them decide: Bring it to mouth? Cheeks? Hair? Throw it? Exploration is the first step to eating. Not spoon count. Not a finished bowl. 3️⃣Texture progression is non-negotiable. This is where most purée parents get stuck. Starting thin at 6 months? Completely fine. Staying thin for months? That’s the problem. As your baby safely manages food, textures should progress. Around 7–8 months: Move from smooth blends → fork-mashed, thicker textures. Around 9–10 months: Introduce soft, chunkier textures. (You can even give finger foods a try around this time) Texture progression is what helps your baby eventually sit at the table and eat real family food. Yes, there will be gagging. Yes, there will be spitting. Yes, there will be a mess. That is learning. BLW babies gag too. The difference is not the method. It’s the consistency. When you: ✅ Respect fullness cues ✅ Keep meals pressure-free ✅ Allow exploration ✅ Progress textures appropriately You are doing exactly what a baby-led weaning parent is doing. The method isn’t what builds confident eaters. The approach does. And you get to decide what works for your family. Experts should guide you. Not shame you. If you want more grounded, evidence-based feeding guidance without the guilt or extremes, follow me. I’m not here to pick sides. I’m here to teach you how to feed with confidence.