Why I didn't focus on 100 foods before 1 as an SLP mom

With a deep-rooted passion for nurturing healthy communication and eating habits, my expertise centers around fostering sensory exploration and social skills during the crucial phase of baby-led weaning. So when it came time to introduce solids to my son I was eager to start creating memories and experiences centered around mealtime.

As a speech therapist, my focus extends beyond the realms of speech sounds and language fluency. I am dedicated to supporting children in developing the oral motor skills necessary for effective communication and safe, enjoyable eating.

Traditionally, the focus is often on introducing a wide variety of foods to babies before their first birthday. However, my approach to baby-led weaning is one that emphasizes the importance of social development and sensory exploration over a checklist of foods. I believe the focus should be on quality over quantity in order to create a positive foundation for a child's relationship with food.

**Baby-Led Weaning: A Brief Overview**

Baby-led weaning is a feeding approach that allows babies to explore and self-feed solid foods from the very beginning of their introduction to solids. Instead of spoon-feeding purees, parents offer appropriately sized pieces of whole foods that babies can grasp, touch, and taste on their own. This method encourages babies to develop their self-feeding skills and to listen to their internal hunger and fullness cues. Because I was eager to introduce foods to my son we blended a bit of tradition spoon-feeding purees by starting at the 4 month mark, with the okay from our pediatrician, before transitioning to whole foods. The important element that remained the same was encouraging my son to interact with the foods in front of him, varying flavor profiles and temperatures to expose him to new sensory experiences, and structured dinner time with family (the 3 of us.)

**The Rush for Quantity: Reevaluating Our Approach**

Traditionally, the focus during baby-led weaning has been on introducing as many different foods as possible before a child turns one. While the intention behind this is to expose babies to a wide array of tastes and textures, it can inadvertently create stress and pressure for both parents and babies. Instead of fostering a positive relationship with food, this approach might lead to a checklist mentality, where the quantity of foods introduced takes precedence over the quality of the experience. I felt that it was not practical considering many of the foods on these lists are not items that my husband and I ordinarily eat during the week. Beyond it being wasteful to have items we did not often incorporate into our own dinner time, it wasn't practical to shop for and prepare items I have no experience with.

**Shifting the Focus**

One of the core benefits of the alternative approach to baby-led weaning is its emphasis on social development. By engaging in mealtime interactions with our son, we created a nurturing environment that encouraged exploration, curiosity, and bonding. Sitting down together, sharing foods, and allowing babies to observe and mimic eating behaviors foster a sense of connection and trust. This social interaction lays the groundwork for healthy eating habits and a positive attitude toward food in the future. As opposed to worrying about the items on his plate, I made sure to prioritize our mealtimes together as a family including items that we often eat together.

Additionally, sensory exploration is another pivotal aspect of this approach. Every food has its unique texture, color, smell, and taste. By focusing on a smaller selection of foods and allowing babies to truly experience each one my son became comfortable and familiar with items. This approach encourages babies to savor the sensory experience, leading to a greater appreciation for a variety of foods in the long run. With my knowledge of a sensory approach to feeding therapy, I felt comfortable that although I wasn't exposing my son to every food I was exposing him to every texture and sensory experience in the hopes it would generalize to foods I hadn't introduced. For example, my husband and I don't often eat pears (we prefer apples and if I'm spending money on fruit I'll choose those over pears). So my son has been exposed to apples which have a similar sensory experience to pears: they're cold, sweet, crisp with a tougher exterior and they both have juicy elements. Although I hadn't introduced pears specifically prior to 1 when my mom gave him a pear recently he ate it the same way he had eaten apples in the past, with a small pause to appreciate the new flavor.

**Benefits of Quality Over Quantity**

1. **Reduced Stress**: By prioritizing social interaction and sensory exploration, parents can alleviate the pressure to introduce an overwhelming number of foods. This creates a more relaxed mealtime environment for both parents and babies.

2. **Stronger Bonds**: Sharing meals together fosters emotional bonds and strengthens the parent-child relationship. Babies learn through observation and imitation, and mealtime provides a wonderful opportunity for them to learn from their parents' eating behaviors.

3. **Enhanced Learning**: Focusing on a smaller selection of foods allows babies to truly understand and appreciate each food's characteristics. This deepened connection with food promotes a more diverse palate in the long run.

4. **Positive Food Associations**: When mealtimes are centered around enjoyment, social interaction, and sensory exploration, babies are more likely to develop positive associations with food. This can set the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

**Conclusion**

In the journey of baby-led weaning, I choose a more holistic approach that prioritized social development and sensory exploration. By nurturing a positive mealtime environment and allowing my son to truly engage with his food, I felt we supported a foundation for a healthy relationship with food, that will foster lifelong habits of enjoyment, curiosity, and connection.

Food Textures:

1. Smooth purees (e.g., apple sauce, yogurt)

2. Mashed foods (e.g., mashed potatoes, avocado)

3. Soft cooked vegetables (e.g., steamed carrots, peas)

4. Steamed or roasted fruit (e.g., pear, sweet potato)

5. Cooked grains (e.g., rice, quinoa)

6. Soft pasta (e.g., pasta shapes, noodles)

7. Minced or finely chopped foods (e.g., ground meat, cooked beans)

8. Soft cheeses (e.g., cream cheese, cottage cheese)

9. Cooked and flaked fish or chicken

10. Crumbled foods (e.g., tofu, feta)

Food Flavors:

1. Sweet fruits (e.g., banana, apple)

2. Mild vegetables (e.g., zucchini, sweet potato)

3. Savory meats (e.g., chicken, beef)

4. Earthy legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas)

5. Tangy dairy products (e.g., plain yogurt)

6. Bitter greens (e.g., spinach, kale)

7. Sour fruits (e.g., citrus fruits)

8. Umami-rich foods (e.g., mushrooms, soy sauce)

9. Spices (mild, baby-friendly amounts)

10. Herbs (e.g., basil, parsley)

Food Temperatures:

1. Room temperature (e.g., cut fruits, crackers)

2. Slightly chilled (e.g., chilled fruit slices)

3. Warm (e.g., cooked vegetables)

4. Cold (e.g., yogurt, cheese)

5. Lukewarm (e.g., baby-friendly soups)

6. Hot (carefully cooled to appropriate temperature)

7. Teething-friendly cold foods (e.g., frozen fruit slices)