Is baby-led weaning suitable for both breastfed and formula-fed babies?
Most parents who have tried baby led weaning have breastfed their children and see it as a natural extension of the breastfeeding process. Breastfeeding babies usually feed on-demand and breastfeeding is very much an active process, with babies needing to work hard, using their jaw and tongue to latch on properly and get at the milk effectively. Research has shown that breastfed babies seem able to regulate their calorie intake according to their needs. It makes sense for babies who can regulate how much breastmilk they drink to also regulate their intake of solid food. However, there does not appear to be any reason why a bottle-fed baby couldn’t be weaned onto solids in this way. If your baby is formula-fed, you should offer him several drinks of water in between milk feeds and at mealtimes. Breastfed babies do not need to be given water because breastmilk is a drink as well as a food.
