This series requires LIVE attendance for Part One AND Part Two. This course will be available in our On Demand library at a later date, TBD.
Part One: Baby-Led Weaning- What, Why & How (2.0 hours)
Weaning is the gradual move away from full milk feeding (breastmilk or formula), during which family foods are introduced to complement the milk feeds, and then gradually take over as the main source of nourishment. The culmination of this extended period is the cessation of breastfeeding and/or formula feeding. The webinar will focus on what it means to take a baby-led approach to the weaning period for babies whose development follows a typical path, comparing the key features of baby-led weaning (BLW) with the conventional approach of spoon feeding and purees.
Gill will describe how the concept of BLW originated in her professional work and became established through observational research and academic studies. She will describe the theoretical background for the approach, in relation to both nutritional needs and wider aspects of child development, such as motor, cognitive and social skills. She will discuss babies’ motivation for moving on to solid food and show that, at around six months, most are developmentally ready to manage a range of textures – including purees and mashed foods – without needing to be actively fed by someone else. Finally, the known and likely benefits of baby-led weaning will be explored.
Part 2: Adapting BLW to Embrace Feeding Challenges (2.0 hours)
Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is a child-directed feeding approach that has gained popularity as an alternative way of transitioning babies to solid food feedings. With this method, babies are taught to self-feed table foods from the time they begin eating solids, versus the adult-directed method of being spoon-fed purees. Mere mention of the BLW approach can spark a heated and controversial conversation among medical professionals and feeding therapists who often deem this method as “dangerous.” Those reactions are only magnified when the prospect of using BLW with adaptations for babies with feeding challenges, such as Down syndrome, is mentioned.
The adapted baby-led weaning approach™ (ABLW) was developed by Jill Rabin in 2010. While this approach can result in a multitude of benefits for babies at risk for for or with feeding challenges, it needs to be implemented safely with a strong foundational feeding base. Through lecture, slides, and video instruction, participants will be instructed on how to safely transition at-risk babies to solids using the ABLW approach through discussion of populations that would benefit from this approach and how to use the size, shape and texture of different foods therapeutically to safely facilitate feeding skill development. The importance of a sensory motor feeding base, use of bridge devices and responsive feeding techniques as well as the importance of a collaborative team approach with pertinent medical and therapeutic professionals, will also be addressed.
