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Baby-led weaning: a quick-start guide
Baby-led weaning (BLW) means skipping purées and letting your baby feed themselves soft finger foods from around six months. It doesn't need to be complicated. Here's the five-minute version, with links to go deeper.
- 01
Check your baby is ready
Most babies are ready around six months, not before. Look for the three signs together: sitting up with little support, good head control, and bringing objects to their mouth and swallowing rather than pushing food out with their tongue.
Browse first foods → - 02
Start with soft, simple foods
Steamed vegetable sticks, ripe banana, avocado, soft-cooked egg and oat fingers are classic first foods. Offer one or two pieces at a time, cut into finger-length sticks a baby can hold in a fist with some poking out the top.
Recipes from 6 months → - 03
Cut food to be safe
Under about nine months, cut food into finger-length sticks; after the pincer grip develops, move to pea-sized pieces. Avoid whole grapes, whole nuts, hard raw vegetables, popcorn and anything round and firm. Always sit with your baby while they eat.
How to serve each food → - 04
Introduce allergens early
Current guidance for most babies is to introduce common allergens like peanut, egg, dairy, wheat, fish and sesame early and keep offering them regularly. Start with a small amount at home, one new allergen at a time, and talk to your doctor first if your baby has eczema or a known allergy.
The First 100 Foods plan → - 05
Add texture and variety
Over the first few months, move from soft sticks to mixed textures, mild spices and family meals. Aim for variety: a hundred different foods before the first birthday is a fun, realistic target.
Recipes for 12 months+ →
Baby-led weaning recipes for 6-month-olds
Common questions
When can I start baby-led weaning?+
Around six months, once your baby can sit up with minimal support, has good head control and shows interest in food. Starting before four months is not recommended, and most guidance says to wait until close to six months.
Isn't baby-led weaning a choking risk?+
Gagging is common and normal in the first weeks; it is the body's way of keeping food away from the airway. True choking is rare when food is cut appropriately, hard and round foods are avoided and a baby is always supervised while sitting upright.
Can I combine purées and finger foods?+
Yes. Many families do a mix, offering some spoon-fed foods and some finger foods at the same meal. What matters most is responsive feeding: following your baby's cues and letting them decide how much to eat.
How much should my baby eat?+
In the first months, very little. Milk remains the main source of nutrition until around twelve months. Think of early solids as practice: tasting, exploring and learning to chew.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Read the nutrition disclaimer