Baby-Led Weaning Does Not Increase Choking Risk: Here's What You Need To Know | HuffPost Life

Do you let your little ones get messy in the kitchen?

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Life editor at HuffPost UK

Baby-led weaning - allowing little ones to feed themselves rather than you feeding them - doesn’t increase the risk of choking, a study has found.

More than 1,000 babies were involved in a study by Swansea University that revealed letting them feed themselves from six months old made “no difference” to how often they choked.

Dr Amy Brown, associate professor in child health at Swansea University, said: “This study adds to previous research conducted in smaller sample groups that also showed this approach does not increase the risk of a baby choking, and indeed in the UK, supports the Department of Health recommendation that babies can have finger foods from six months old.”

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Dr Brown, author of ‘Why Starting Solids Matter’, said the baby-led weaning approach has been growing in popularity over the last 10 years in the UK and other countries, although some people have previously “expressed concerns” over whether it is safe.

The study involved questionnaire open to anyone with a baby aged four to 12 months who had started solid foods. Parents indicated how they were currently giving their baby solids e.g. baby-led weaning, spoon feeding or in the middle.

Parents were were given a definition about what choking was (as opposed to gagging) and asked whether their baby had ever choked, how many times they had choked and on what foods. They also reported whether the food was a finger food, lumpy puree or smooth puree and then also what the food was.

The study found that those babies who fed themselves were not more likely to choke than the babies who were spoon fed. The foods that were commonly choked on included slippery, sticky foods or those with a skin.

“These foods make intuitive sense to avoid in the first stages of weaning or to give in a less risky form,” Dr Brown told HuffPost UK.

“For example, giving an infant a thin slice of melon that they can suck or chew is likely to be less of a hazard than giving melon chunks, which could slip out of a hand and get stuck in the throat.

“Banana and avocado were also mentioned, although these are less likely to cause such a problem as they can be squashed and removed from an airway more easily. However, again, giving a whole banana may be more appropriate than giving chopped chunks that can block an airway.

“Interestingly, drier and stickier foods also posed a problem, likely because they may stick in the throat. However these findings need to be taken with caution because it was unknown how often these foods were offered.”

“Think about introducing solid foods as about experience rather than getting lots of food into your baby."”
- Dr Amy Brown, associate professor in child health at Swansea University

Speaking to HuffPost UK about what advice she’d give to parents who were yet to start baby-led weaning, Brown said: “I would advise them to think about introducing solid foods as about experience rather than getting lots of food into their baby.

“Offer babies foods that they can pick up easily and focus on offering lots of different tastes and textures rather than one or two things. Milk should still be the main part of the diet until twelve months.

“If you’re going to give your baby finger foods, make sure you let them pick it up and put it in their mouths themselves. Don’t put solid pieces in their mouth for them. Let them go at their own pace and don’t rush them.

“Also try not to worry too much about the mess, it’s all part of the learning experience and playing with food is an important part of learning, both in terms of what food feels and tastes like but also in helping develop fine motor skills such as picking things up and squashing them. Messy but educational!”

Previously blogging on HuffPost UK, Dr Brown talked about further benefits of baby-led weaning.

“Mealtimes can be different when you have a baby who is following baby-led weaning,” she wrote.

“They’re more likely to join in family meals rather than being fed separately, which helps babies to learn about mealtimes and coming together.

“It also means the pressure is off and they can eat at a more leisurely pace, copying those around them.

“When a baby picks up a food they don’t just learn what it tastes like but what it feels like, how it smells and what happens if they squish or break it. It’s likely this makes them keener to try it again.”

The NHS advises parents to feed babies milk until six months, before allowing them to feed themselves solids, using their fingers.

Before You Go

22 Foods You Don't Have To Keep In The Fridge

Butter(01 of22)

General guidance around butter is that you can store it in or outside of the fridge. If you store it at room temperature, you're advised to only store small amounts at a time (keeping the rest in the fridge) as it will go off quicker.

Salt in salted butter makes it less susceptible to bacterial growth, so it should be fine out on the kitchen counter.

Consider keeping butter in an airtight container like a crock, as it will increase the time it will last for. (credit:Riou via Getty Images)

Melon(02 of22)

Melons should be stored on the kitchen counter or in a cupboard. Once sliced, you should keep the remaining pieces in the fridge. (credit:Jingjing Song / EyeEm via Getty Images)

Hot Sauce(03 of22)

While hot sauce like Sriracha keeps for longer in the fridge, there's no reason why you can't keep it out on the kitchen side or in a cupboard. On the bottle itself, it says: 'Store in a cool dry place.' (credit:asiantiger247 via Getty Images)

Chocolate Spread(04 of22)

Chocolate spreads like Nutella should always be stored in the cupboard. In fact, on the packaging, it specifically says: 'Do not store in the fridge.' This is because the chocolate solidifies and becomes no longer spreadable. (credit:AlexPro9500 via Getty Images)

Apples(05 of22)

Storing apples in the fridge will help them keep for longer, however if you plan on eating them within a week then the kitchen counter is the perfect place for them.

It's worth keeping apples in a separate area to other fruits and vegetables, as they give off ethylene gas, which makes surrounding produce ripen more quickly. (credit:Calin Niculescu / EyeEm via Getty Images)

Cake(06 of22)

According to Buzz60, most cakes are best stored outside of the fridge, in an airtight container.

Stella Parks, pastry chef at US-based restaurant Table 310, told The Kitchn that cakes which are both frosted and unfrosted, cut and un-cut, are perfectly fine at room temperature for several days. She added that refrigeration is only necessary if your home gets very hot during the day or if you're making a cake that won't be served for more than three days. (credit:zia_shusha via Getty Images)

Basil(07 of22)

Basil is sensitive to the cold and produces ethylene gas, which is what ripens fruit but deteriorates leafy greens. So putting it in the fridge probably isn't the best idea.

To keep it fresh for more than a few meals, Bon Appetit recommends trimming the stems to remove any dried-up ends and then popping the basil in a tall glass of water. Loosely cover the basil with a plastic bag and keep it on the counter. (credit:HandmadePictures via Getty Images)

Honey(08 of22)

Honey will never spoil, which means you can keep it in the kitchen cupboard until it's all used up.

Plus, sticking it in the fridge will make it harder. (credit:Materio via Getty Images)

Soy Sauce(09 of22)

Soy sauce should be stored in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. This is to preserve the flavour. (credit:Tuntep via Getty Images)

Avocado(10 of22)

Avocado should actually be stored in an open brown bag, outside of the fridge for best results. (credit:Floortje via Getty Images)

Onions(11 of22)

When an onion is chilled in the fridge, the cold, humid temperatures convert the starch to sugars, which means they often become soft or soggy a lot faster. They are also prone to making everything else in your fridge smell like onion.

To tackle the issue, keep onions in the mesh bag they came in (or in a bowl) in a cool, dry, ventilated place. (credit:Creative-Family via Getty Images)

Bread(12 of22)

Bread actually goes stale faster if stored in the fridge, so you should keep it wrapped in its original packaging, in a bread bin or cupboard. (credit:JamieB via Getty Images)

Coffee(13 of22)

If you store coffee in the fridge, it will absorb the smells of the foods around it. Alternatively store in a cool, dry place. (credit:EzumeImages via Getty Images)

Peanut Butter(14 of22)

While peanut butter keeps fresher for longer in the fridge, it can also be stored in a cupboard.

According to PureWow, you should store it upside down to keep it fresh, as otherwise the oil tends to gather at the top of the jar. (credit:Glow Cuisine via Getty Images)

Tomatoes(15 of22)

The colder tomatoes are, the more taste they lose.

According to Food52, they need to stay at room temperature, ideally in a single layer out of direct sunlight. To keep them fresher longer, store them stem side down while they finish ripening. (credit:zeleno via Getty Images)

Garlic(16 of22)

Garlic doesn't need to be stored in the fridge and can quite happily live out its days in a cool dry place.

Avoid storing fresh garlic bulbs in plastic bags or sealed containers, as this can cause mold and sprouting. (credit:fatihhoca via Getty Images)

Potatoes(17 of22)

The best place to store potatoes is in a cool, well ventilated place. If you store them in the fridge, the cold temperatures begin to convert the potato starch into sugar, resulting in a sweet taste and discolouration when cooked. (credit:Gen Sadakane / EyeEm via Getty Images)

Bananas(18 of22)

Bananas grow in hot climates, so they are not used to cold temperatures, such as the fridge. General advice around storing bananas is to keep them in a fruit bowl, out of direct sunlight. If you want to ripen them quicker, store next to other fruit such as tomatoes. (credit:bhofack2 via Getty Images)

Chocolate(19 of22)

While some people keep chocolate in the fridge, it's actually best to store it at room temperature, as that is when the flavour tastes best according to Mondelez chocolate tasters. (credit:digihelion via Getty Images)

Jam / Marmalade(20 of22)

Surprisingly, jam and marmalade is best stored in the kitchen cupboard, not in the fridge. This is because, thanks to its fruit content, it is naturally acidic and therefore less likely to grow any unwanted bacteria.

Dr Peter Barratt, a microbiologist for Initial Hygiene, previously told The Daily Mail: "Normally jam does not need chilling if it is consumed within three to six months. However, always use clean utensils to remove jam from the pot. Dirty knives or spoons can spark mould growth - which, even if removed, can diffuse into the jam beneath, leading to stomach upsets or, in some cases, an allergic reaction." (credit:alvarez via Getty Images)

Oranges(21 of22)

While refrigerating oranges can extend their shelf life, they're better off being stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight - preferably in a fruit bowl or net bag, so air can circulate freely around them. (credit:Rene Schulz / EyeEm via Getty Images)

Marmite(22 of22)

The divisive spread is best stored in the cupboard, as otherwise it goes quite hard. It contains salt, which helps to preserve it. (credit:stevekeall via Getty Images)

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