How to Practice Baby-Led Weaning Principles, Even If You Start with Purees
Because BLW isn’t about skipping purées — it’s about letting your baby take the lead.
That spoon in their hand? That’s baby-led.
Prefer to listen?
Welcome to Baby-Led Weaning Academy, the podcast that helps you start solids with confidence, clarity, and a whole lot of support. I’m Alex King — a postpartum doula turned baby-led weaning specialist — and your go-to guide for ditching the overwhelm and making mealtimes feel simple, safe, and fun. Whether you’re feeling unsure about where to start or just need a little encouragement, let’s dig in.
This is Episode 34: How to Practice Baby-Led Weaning Principles, Even If You Start with Purées.
Let’s start here.
If you’ve ever thought, “I want to do baby-led weaning, but I’m starting with purées… is that allowed?” — this episode is 100% for you.
Because here’s the truth: baby-led weaning is not about skipping purées.
It’s not about doing it perfectly or sticking to one method.
It’s about supporting your baby’s development, tuning into their cues, and making mealtimes something you both enjoy.
And honestly? That’s what makes my approach different from a lot of the BLW voices out there.
I’m not here to shame purées or tell you you’ve already failed if you gave your baby a spoon before six months. I don’t recommend early feeding before six months, but if you’ve started early or felt pressured to, my goal is to help you set your baby up for success — not scare you into quitting.
Whether you start with purées, finger foods, or a mix of both, your baby should be progressing toward self-feeding fairly quickly. BLW is about how you feed, not just what you feed. And when you follow a baby-led philosophy, the transition out of the purée stage becomes so much smoother.
In fact, I’ve been hearing from so many of you this week who downloaded my new free guide, Purée the Baby-Led Weaning Way, and messaged me saying, “Thank you. I didn’t know I could do both.”
So let’s talk about that today — because yes, you absolutely can.
One mom wrote to me about her baby, Brody. She said she’d been trying to feed him purées to start some early taste exploration and to help ease her own fears around solids. But every time she tried, he was crying, turning his head, or reaching out and grabbing at the spoon. Nothing felt smooth or joyful. She was frustrated and unsure what to do next.
Then she came across my story on Instagram about Purée the Baby-Led Weaning Way and downloaded the guide.
She said she had a total lightbulb moment reading it. That afternoon, after Brody woke up from his nap, she decided to try something new. She scooped some sweet potato purée into a bowl, popped him in the high chair, and just let him go to town.
She said he didn’t eat much — but for the first time, there was no crying. He was calm, curious, engaged. He actually seemed to enjoy the experience.
When I read that message, I wanted to jump up and shout: YES. That’s what it’s about.
Not how much he ate.
Not whether it was a purée or a finger food.
But the fact that he was in it — exploring and enjoying.
And she felt more relaxed, too.
It’s not about perfect feeding.
It’s about peaceful feeding.
And that shift? That’s baby-led.
Baby-led weaning is about who’s in control, not just texture.
A lot of people think baby-led weaning means skipping purées and going straight to finger foods. And it can mean that.
But really? BLW is about who’s in charge.
And in baby-led weaning, the baby leads.
(It’s literally in the name.)
So yes — you can offer purées and still be baby-led.
It’s all about how you offer them.
For example:
Instead of spooning food into your baby’s mouth, try pre-loading a spoon and letting them grab it.
Or let them dip their hands in and explore on their own terms.
The mistake some parents make is thinking that if they’re using purées, they have to do the feeding. But that’s just not true.
You can use a spoon and still be responsive.
What happens if you don’t?
Feeding starts to feel like a task instead of a connection.
And that’s where guilt, stress, and frustration start to creep in.
Purées and finger foods work beautifully together.
Here’s the magic: it doesn’t have to be either/or.
You can totally start with purées and offer soft finger foods alongside them.
This gives your baby the chance to practice all kinds of important skills:
Grasping and bringing food to their mouth
Moving food around their mouth
Exploring textures
Self-regulating intake
One meal might look like:
Preloaded spoonfuls of mashed avocado
Soft, steamed zucchini sticks on the side
You’re giving your baby the chance to try both — and that’s amazing.
One common mistake is waiting too long to introduce finger foods because purées feel safer. But readiness signs — like sitting upright, fading tongue thrust, and interest in food — apply no matter what texture you offer.
If we delay finger foods too long, babies miss out on practicing the skills they’ll need for chewing and self-feeding later on.
And here’s the cool part:
When we let babies lead — whether with hands or spoons — they often move through the purée stage much more quickly.
Here’s the heart of the matter:
No matter what you serve — purées, finger foods, yogurt, or steak — it all comes down to responsive feeding.
That means:
Watching your baby’s hunger and fullness cues
Letting them explore at their own pace
Offering — not forcing
If your baby turns away from the spoon, respect it.
If they’re more into squishing than swallowing? Great — that’s still learning.
If they want to try feeding themselves? Let them try.
When we get stuck in rigid feeding rules, mealtimes stop being fun.
But when we stay responsive, we build trust.
And that’s what baby-led weaning is really about.
Responsive feeding is the real foundation.
So… what does baby-led actually look like in real life?
Some days, baby-led means your little one is joyfully double-fisting banana and sweet potato and making a glorious mess.
Other days, it might mean they’re fussy, teething, and only want you to hold the spoon while they mouth the end of it.
Both are okay.
The truth is: baby-led feeding isn’t rigid. It flexes with your baby — and with you.
It honors their cues, but also your real life.
If your baby had shots that morning… or you’re solo parenting through dinner… there’s zero shame in offering a cozy bowl of purée and letting them hold the spoon.
It still counts.
It’s still connection.
It’s still building trust.
Why does this matter?
Because baby-led feeding is the start of something bigger.
It lays the foundation for how your child relates to food for years to come.
When we give babies the chance to:
Explore
Participate
And listen to their own hunger cues from the start…
We’re not just raising adventurous eaters.
We’re raising confident ones.
Whether it’s broccoli trees or blended pears — the goal isn’t a perfect meal.
The goal is a feeding relationship rooted in trust and mutual respect.
Here’s your permission slip to keep it simple.
If you need someone to say this out loud:
You are allowed to be flexible.
You don’t have to follow someone else’s idea of “true BLW” to raise a healthy, happy eater.
You don’t need to do it all — or all at once.
If you’ve been feeling pulled between doing it “right” and doing what actually works…
Let this episode be your permission slip.
You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re feeding with heart — and that matters more than anything.
✨ Want more support with this?
Grab my free guide, Purée the Baby-Led Weaning Way — it’s like a big hug and a step-by-step plan rolled into one.
You’ll learn how to:
Offer purées in a baby-led way
Combine finger foods with purees
Build confidence without rigid rules
➡️ Download it here or check the link in the show notes.
You’ve got this moment — and I’ve got you.
Here’s to the power of a preloaded spoon.