VideoThe Hong Kong babies feeding themselves solid food instead of being spoon-fed puree, and how it benefits their health and growth
Baby-led weaning not only sets up healthy eating habits, good coordination and independence, but also frees parents from the often frustrating task of spoon-feeding, says Hong Kong mother Fion Yim
Rows of babies in high chairs calmly grab and chew on chicken wings, corn cobs, broccoli and burger patties. It’s an unusual lunchtime scene for such young eaters but at a parenting centre in Lai Chi Kok, Fion Yim has organised a gathering to promote “baby-led weaning”.
Yim aims to spread the message that this is a healthier alternative to spoon-feeding babies with puréed food. It is also an antidote to “helicopter parenting”, Yim says, because it encourages babies to explore by themselves the tastes, textures and colours of different foods.
The practice is promoted by the UN and various health groups, who say it sets the stage for healthy eating, helps babies improve eye-hand coordination, and frees parents from the task of spoon-feeding.
Research conducted at Swansea University in Britain found that babies who eat puréed foods such as mashed-up fruit and vegetables are more prone to obesity, compared with those who eat regular meals with their own hands. The study followed 423 infants aged from six to 12 months in two groups – spoon fed and baby-led weaners – and again aged 18 to 24 months, and compared data.
Babies are able to feed themselves solid foods once they reach six months, say proponents of baby-led weaning.
Babies try harder when they see you trying too, research shows
Yim says she found out about baby-led weaning by accident about six months ago, on the internet.
“I thought, my son loves to put things in his month, so why don’t I encourage him to eat by himself,” says Yim, whose son is now a year old. “So I stopped spoon-feeding him and started baby-led weaning.”