A new study shows that “baby-lead weaning,” a common method of feeding infants solid foods, provides enough calories for growth and development. The findings provide evidence-based support for the little-studied method.
Baby-led weaning focuses on introducing solid foods to babies by having them eat whole, non-puréed foods with their fingers, rather than the traditional spoon-feeding of pureed solids. Proponents say it encourages healthy eating habits because it allows babies to feed themselves and try a variety of foods from the family’s diet.
Using data from a large, National Institutes of Health-funded clinical study called the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Trial (MINT), the researchers showed that BabyLead provides the same calorie intake per kilogram as conventional food and may promote a higher growth trajectory.
“One of my big concerns about baby-led weaning was whether there would be enough nutrients to support my baby’s growth. I was relieved to find that baby-led weaning ensured he was getting enough calories to grow.”
Kinsey Matzeler, clinical research coordinator and registered dietitian at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Matzeler will present his findings at NUTRITION 2024, the American Academy of Nutrition’s flagship annual meeting, taking place in Chicago from June 29 to July 2.
Researchers studied baby-led weaning in 70 healthy, 5-month-old, full-term infants from the MINT study, which looked at how a variety of protein-rich foods affect infant growth and gut health. During the study, parents recorded their infants’ intake of all foods, including solid foods, breast milk, or formula, for three days. These food records were used to calculate the infants’ daily intake of all nutrients, including calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients.
The researchers classified babies as practicing baby-led weaning if less than 10% of their calories came from pureed foods. To calculate the calories and protein the babies were consuming, the researchers measured the babies’ weight, height, and head circumference each month.
“Previous studies have relied on self-reporting to classify baby foods,” Matzeler says, “The use of food record data sets our study apart and may help provide a more universal definition of baby foods, helping to standardize research on this topic.”
Although no significant differences in energy intake (kcal/kg) were found between the two weaning groups, the analysis revealed that baby-led weaning resulted in greater increases in weight-for-age and weight-for-height scores than traditionally weaned infants, despite similar energy intake. These scores indicate whether a child’s weight is appropriate for their age and whether a child’s weight is appropriate for their height. The researchers note that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between feeding method, dietary intake, and growth.
The study also found that mothers with higher educational levels and higher incomes were more likely to baby-led solid feeding. Although the reasons for this have not been studied, the researchers speculate that higher-income families may be able to afford the time and resources to prepare the food needed for solid feeding, and may be more likely to explore or be exposed to alternative solid feeding methods.
For parents who want to try baby-led weaning, Matzeler encourages listening to baby’s cues and being flexible with food offerings, adding that when introducing solids to infants, it’s important to focus on offering a wide variety of foods, regardless of how the food is presented.
Soft fruits, steamed vegetables, cheese and small pieces of meat are good starting foods because they are easy for babies to grasp and chew. To prevent choking, offer food in fist-sized sticks.
“Baby-led weaning is a great way to introduce more options and different types of foods that your baby might not eat otherwise,” says Matzeler. “It often takes up to 15 exposures to a food before your baby will accept it, so persistence is key.”
The researchers plan to continue the study with a larger group of infants as the MINT study continues to recruit more participants. They also want to learn more about potential nutritional differences between weaning methods, including vitamin and mineral intake, different types and food groups consumed, and potential effects on eating habits as infants grow.
Matzera The study will be presented at the “Feeding the Future: Infant Feeding Practices” session on Sunday, June 30, from 10:12 to 10:24 a.m. CDT at McCormick Place.Abstract; Presentation details).
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American Academy of Nutrition
