Baby-Led Weaning: The healthy, natural way
to start your baby on solid foods!

Ten years ago, coauthors Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett exploded the myth that babies need to be spoon-fed with the first edition of Baby-Led Weaning, starting what has become a worldwide phenomenon. Baby-led weaning (BLW) shows why self-feeding from the start of the weaning process is the healthiest way for your child to develop; after all, at about six months, most babies are ready to discover solid food for themselves! And BLW includes so many other benefits:

• Baby participates in family meals right from the start, and learns to love a variety of foods.
• Nutritious milk feedings continue while Baby transitions to solids at his or her own pace.
• By self-feeding, Baby develops hand-eye coordination, chewing skills—and confidence!

The Baby-Led Weaning series offers parents everything they need to help babies discover real, solid foods for themselves—right from the start!

Gill Rapley, PhD and Tracey Murkett are the creators of the baby-led weaning movement. Gill, a public health nurse for twenty years and the mother of three, originated the theory of baby-led weaning. Tracey, a freelance writer and journalist, followed baby-led weaning with her daughter.

 

 

Baked Eggplant with Tomato & Mozzarella

Serves a family of 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants, cut to suit your baby
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 batch Super-Speedy Tomato Sauce
• One 8-ounce ball of mozzarella cheese

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok (preferably nonstick) over high heat and add the eggplant. Season with black pepper (if using) and stirfry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned – the eggplant will absorb the oil very quickly, so you’ll need to keep it moving to prevent sticking. If necessary, add a few more drops of oil.
2. Transfer the eggplant to a large baking dish. Add the tomato sauce and stir well. Tear the mozzarella into large chunks and arrange them evenly on top of the eggplant.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the eggplant is really tender. If the cheese browns quickly but the eggplant is still firm, cover with foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. To serve: Serve warm, maybe with some green salad or steamed green beans.

 

★ Winner of the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Honors Award, 2011

“Baby-led weaning . . . might be the best thing to happen in the high chair since the invention of the bib.”—Parents

“[Rapley and Murkett] encourage parents to forgo the usual baby puree and move straight to whole foods while continuing to breastfeed primarily after a baby is six months old. Their arguments are scientifically sound, especially when it comes to muscle development in the mouth, and they address the anticipated counterarguments. . . . If mine were little again, I would definitely try this. As long as mom is nursing, who says baby can’t eat lamb chops?”—Library Journal

“It sounds like common sense: After all, would you want to be strapped into a high chair and force-fed spoon after spoon of bland vegetables? It’s surely much more exciting to be able to exercise a bit of control over your diet.”—Guardian

“I’ve been telling mothers for years that when babies start grabbing food from the table, they are ready for solids. I had the pleasure of observing this with my own children. What I love about this book is the joy and zest the authors put into parenting, their commonsense approach, and their faith that babies will do the right things for themselves when the time is right. Baby-led weaning is easy, and it makes parenting fun!” —Nikki Lee, RN, MS, IBCLC

“Watching [baby Mirah] respond to the pleasures of ripe tomatoes, curried rice noodles, and all kinds of meats and vegetables has made mealtime a much more enjoyable experience for all three of us. We can tell she is learning through all of her senses . . . and since we are generally sharing the same meal, I am more likely to make us all something healthy.”—Aimee Pohl, babble.com

“No purees, no ice cube trays, no food processor, no potato masher . . . just you and your child, eating food that you enjoy . . .[My baby] adored feeding herself while her parents ate their own meals. I can’t even begin to tell you how pleasant it is to eat in a restaurant with your Baby-Led Weaning child chomping on a piece of bread and butter or a chunk of cucumber from your salad beside you.”—Aitch, founder of babyledweaning.com