Baby-led weaning or purées? How to choose

There's no single 'right' way to wean — the best method is the one that suits your baby and your family. Here's the honest rundown.

Baby-led weaning (BLW) skips the spoon and lets baby self-feed soft finger foods from the start. It's brilliant for developing grip and independence, and babies control their own pace — but it's messier, and early on it can feel like nothing's actually being eaten.

Purées (traditional spoon-feeding) give you more visible control over how much goes in, and can feel less daunting around gagging. The trade-off: an extra step later when you move to textures and self-feeding.

The good news: most NZ families do a bit of both — a loaded spoon baby can grab, purées alongside finger foods, whatever works that day. Whichever you choose, the mess is unavoidable and the learning is the same. Contain it, relax, and follow your baby's cues.

Chat to your Plunket nurse if you're unsure where to start.