The Nos Nos for BLW.

What Not to Do for Baby-Led Weaning

•  Choose a bad time for meals. A tired or upset baby likely won't cooperate.

• Expect it to work for every baby. “Babies with developmental delays or neurological issues should start solids more traditionally,” says Dina DiMaggio, M.D., a pediatrician in New York City and coauthor of The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers. You’ll also need to be extra vigilant about choking and food allergies.

• Overload on new foods. You may see photos on baby-led-weaning Facebook pages of babies chowing down on all sorts of improbable foods, from drumsticks to casseroles. But as with purée-feeding, Harrison suggests starting slowly, introducing a new food only every four days so allergic reactions can be pinpointed.

• Enter panic mode. Most babies are surprisingly adept at managing finger foods, but gagging is very common in the early days of eating. Understand that gagging is a safe reflex to get rid of food that is a little too challenging. Your baby will learn from your reaction: If you are scared, she will get scared, too.

• Rush your baby. Plan for 10-to-15-minute meals—at the minimum, says Harrison.

• Get lax on safety. Stay away from choking hazards such as grapes, hot dogs, raisins, popcorn, raw vegetables, and sticky nut butters. It's also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the infant-specific Heimlich maneuver. As a precaution, always stay with your baby when he eats, and make sure he’s sitting up.

• Ignore your baby's signals. If food is getting tossed in every direction, your baby has likely had enough.

• Get overly heated or emotional. Eating should be treated as a natural and expected part of the day. Don't praise, pressure, or scold about eating.

• Rely on sharp utensils or hot foods. Let your baby start handling a kid-safe fork and spoon, but don’t expect much food to make it onto the utensil or into her mouth. Avoid toothpicks or other skewers. Meals should be barely warm or cool. Always check the temp before serving.

• Give up. Some babies prefer purées at first, are slow to learn how to self-feed, or need multiple exposures to certain foods.

Article adapted from - 

https://www.parents.com/baby/feeding/solid-foods/dos-and-donts-of-baby-led-weaning/