Moms make a lot of decisions in their kids’ best interest. When a decision you make for your child’s health and well being has bonus benefits for mom too, that’s a win-win. I’ve done Baby Led Weaning with both of my kids and it is a great fit for our family. Is it bad that some of my favorite things about it are a bit selfish?
1. Mom Cooks Once
Do you want your babe to eat homemade food without all the steaming, pureeing, freezing and thawing involved in making your own baby food? With BLW, baby eats what you eat. It starts out a bit deconstructed, and over time starts to resemble your plate more and more. Make only one meal and feed your whole family.
2. Mom Gets to Eat
Baby Led Weaners (it’s a word, go with it) are encouraged to master the pinch and grab early on and generally wield utensils alone earlier too. What this means for mom is that while your little self-feeds you may actually get a chance to eat your meal while it is at its intended temperature.
3. Mom Travels Light
I’m a notoriously bad diaper bag packer. I’d be rubbish at making sure there’s baby food and a spoon always packed on the ready if we were out of the house for a meal. A BLW baby can eat what you do. You might want to tip a little more at a restaurant though – it gets a bit messy!
4. Mom Saves Money
With homemade baby food you’ll likely incur the costs of containers and maybe even a fancy steam and blend contraption. That’s an expense you won’t have with BLW. If you’re going the store-bought route you save as well. For example, a popular brand of chicken-based protein baby food will run $1.10-1.90 per ounce. Compare that to the $0.20-0.40 you’d pay for chicken you serve the rest of your family. The cost comparison holds true for fruits and veggies, too. More money in the grocery budget means more frequent mommy splurges, right?
5. Mom Eats Healthy
It’s easy to get in a rut when preparing an endless rotation of meals. When doing BLW, feeding your baby what you eat gives you great cause to rethink what you’re putting on your own plate. It can be a kick in the pants or an excuse to make your health a priority too.
Have you done Baby Led Weaning in your own family? What are your favorite BLW perks?
