BLW is a term that is increasingly used in connection with children and food. What does BLW actually mean? And what is the difference between it and what we call Plockmat? We will clarify the terms and guide you to a smooth start to your child's eating.
What does BLW mean?
BLW is an English expression which stands for "Baby Led Weaning". It was coined by Gill Rapley in 2001 but the phenomenon has been around for longer than that. In simple terms, it can be translated as "baby-led food introduction" or "baby-led weaning". BLW is a method where the baby is allowed to eat completely on their own from the start, often from 6 months. This means that the stage of spoon-feeding purees and mashed food is completely skipped. Breast milk/formula are still important sources of nutrition in the beginning and weaning occurs naturally as the intake of solid food increases. Food introduction simply takes place at the child's pace.
What is finger food?
Plockmat, on the other hand, is a Swedish concept that would be translated into English as “finger food”. This is the actual food that is offered when a child eats on their own. Finger food is not a method in that sense, but rather a way of offering/serving food. This means that you can also mix finger food with spoon feeding if you wish.
How do you get started with finger food?
Finger food are soft pieces of food that the child can mash in the mouth, even without teeth. Or pieces of food that the child can gnaw and suck on. Finger foods provide an experience for all the child's senses, which is good for learning and the joy of eating. It also practices motor skills and can make family meals easier. Through this, the child also learns faster to bring the spoon to your mouth yourself.
With finger foods, the child gets to try many different textures and flavors early in life, which can provide great joy in eating.
What should I choose - BLW or finger foods?
Even though my Instagram account @Knatteplock is based on finger foods, I advocate that you experiment and see what works for your own child at the moment. Deciding completely before a food introduction how to introduce food to your child can lead to unnecessary stress. It is better to "go with the flow" and let the process happen based on the child's conditions! For some, pure BLW works great, for others it is better to mix finger foods with spoon feeding for a period.
I won't lie about the fact that there are many benefits to eating finger foods early on. Many of them are mentioned above. Among other things, the child gets to know the family food early and learns to appreciate many textures and flavors when the child is most receptive to it. This is good for the future variety in the child's diet.
//Elin Oresten
Licensed Nutritionist
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