BLW vs Purées: What Should You Start With When Starting Solids

An honest, evidence-based look at both approaches, and why a combination may work best for many families

Elise Pope - Paediatric Dietitian

If you’ve spent any time in parenting groups or scrolling social media lately, you’ve probably noticed that starting solids can feel surprisingly overwhelming. As a Paediatric Dietitian, one of the most common questions I hear is:

“Should I start with BLW or purées?”

And the answer is often far less black-and-white than social media makes it seem. Both approaches can support healthy feeding development, and for many families, a combination of the two works incredibly well. Let’s break down the evidence, the pros and cons of each method, and what actually matters most when introducing solids.

What Actually Is Baby-Led Weaning (BLW)?

Gill Rapley popularised the term “baby-led weaning” in the early 2000s. BLW involves offering babies soft, appropriately prepared finger foods from the beginning of solids, usually around 6 months of age, rather than spoon-feeding purées. The idea is that babies lead the feeding process themselves. They explore food with their hands, bring it to their mouth independently, and decide how much (if any) they want to eat.

Traditional spoon-feeding, on the other hand, typically begins with smooth purées offered by a caregiver, with textures gradually progressing over time. And importantly? Many families naturally use a mix of both approaches, sometimes without even realising there’s a name for it.

Baby-Led Weaning: The Pros & Cons

There is a growing body of research exploring BLW, and while it does offer several potential benefits, there are also some important considerations.

Potential Benefits of BLW

·       Encourages self-regulation of appetite and responsiveness to hunger/fullness cues

·       Supports development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and chewing skills

·       Provides early exposure to a variety of textures, flavours, and colours

·       Allows babies to participate in family meals more easily

·       Can reduce the need for preparing separate “baby foods” if family meals are appropriate

 

Considerations With BLW

·       Iron intake can be more challenging to meet if meals are not carefully planned

·       It can be difficult for parents to gauge how much food is actually being consumed

·       Gagging (which is developmentally normal) can feel very confronting and anxiety-provoking for some caregivers

·       Mealtimes can feel messier initially (although mess is a very normal and important part of learning when starting solids)

·       BLW may not be appropriate as the sole feeding method for some babies with developmental delays, growth concerns, or feeding difficulties

Purées: The Pros & Cons

Purées have been used for generations and remain a completely valid way to introduce solids.

Potential Benefits of Purées

·       Can be easier to incorporate iron-rich foods during early complementary feeding

·       Can provide reassurance for parents who feel anxious about intake

·       May feel less intimidating for nervous eaters or caregivers

·       Flexible and easy to combine with finger foods

·       Often less messy in the beginning (again mess is still very normal and important)

It’s also important to remember that between 6–12 months, milk feeds remain the primary source of nutrition. During this stage, the focus is often more on exposure, variety, and skill development rather than the volume eaten.

Considerations With Purées

·       Staying on smooth purées for too long may increase the risk of later texture aversion

·       Over-spoon-feeding can unintentionally override a baby’s hunger and fullness cues

·       Delayed exposure to textures may impact oral motor skill development in the short term

·       Separate meal preparation is sometimes required making it more time-intensive

·       Some babies show a clear preference for independent self-feeding

An Important Note on Texture Progression

Regardless of whether you start with BLW or purées, texture progression is still important. Research suggests that introducing textured and lumpy foods before before 9 months of age is associated with:

• Better acceptance of a wider range of foods later in childhood

• Reduced feeding difficulties at school age

• Improved oral motor development and chewing skills

So, if you choose to begin with smooth purées, that’s absolutely okay, but gradual texture progression towards mashed textures, minced foods, soft lumps and soft finger foods is still important. The goal isn’t perfection or rushing ahead before your baby is ready. It’s simply about continuing to move forward with texture exposure over time, rather than remaining in the “smooth purée phase” for too long.

My Professional Take

Here’s something I wish more parents heard: There is no single “right” way to start solids. In clinical practice, I often find that families thrive using a combination approach, and the evidence supports this as a perfectly valid option.

A mixed approach may look like:

• offering a spoon-fed purée alongside soft finger foods

• allowing your baby to self-feed some foods while also helping with others

• rotating between BLW-style meals and purée-based meals depending on the day

This approach can provide the reassurance many parents need while still supporting independence, self-feeding skills, texture exposure, and family mealtime participation.

Using BLW Principles Alongside Purées

One of my favourite things about BLW is actually the philosophy behind it, and many of those principles can absolutely be used even if your baby is eating purées.

1. Follow Your Baby’s Lead

Rather than focusing on finishing a bowl or pouch, pay attention to your baby’s cues and stopping when they are finished. Signs they may be full include:

• turning their head away

• closing their mouth

• losing interest

• becoming unsettled

Responsive feeding means trusting your baby to decide how much they want to eat rather than encouraging "just one more bite."

2. Encourage Exploration

Let your baby hold a pre-loaded spoon and bring to their own mouth or explore textures with their hands. This builds the same sensory familiarity and independence that BLW promotes, even with smooth foods.

3. Use Family Foods Where Possible

You don’t always need separate “baby meals.” Many family meals can simply be modified appropriately. A mild lentil curry, casserole, pasta sauce, or soup can still expose babies to a wide variety of flavours and nutrients. And realistically? It can save parents a huge amount of time and mental load.

4. Offer Finger Foods Early

Even if purées are your main starting point, you can still offer soft finger foods alongside them from the beginning. Examples may include, soft steamed broccoli, ripe avocado slices or banana fingers. This allows babies to practise self-feeding skills from early on.

5. Eat Together When Possible

Babies learn so much through observation. Sitting together at mealtimes and modelling eating behaviours can positively influence your child’s mealtime experiences from a very early age.

6. Avoid Pressure & Distractions

Whether using BLW or spoon-feeding try to avoid pressuring or relying on distractions for your child to eat more. Calm, responsive mealtimes matter far more than getting a certain amount eaten.

Before You Begin Solids

Regardless of the feeding approach you choose, current guidelines recommend waiting until around 6 months of age (and not before 4 months) and looking for developmental signs of readiness.

Signs of readiness generally include:

• good head and neck control

• ability to sit upright with some support

• showing interest in food

• bringing objects to their mouth

• reduced tongue-thrust reflex

  
  

The Bottom Line

Both baby-led weaning and purée-based approaches have legitimate benefits, and neither method is universally “better” for every baby or family.

The evidence suggests the most important factors are:

• Responsive feeding: following your baby’s hunger and fullness cues

• Texture progression: gradually introducing more challenging textures by around 8-9 months

• Dietary variety: offering a broad range of flavours, colours, and food groups

• Positive mealtimes: keeping feeding relaxed, calm, and pressure-free

Starting solids does not need to feel all-or-nothing.

Want More Support With Starting Solids?

You can learn more about starting solids, allergen introduction, gagging vs choking, responsive feeding, baby first aid and CPR inside our Starting Solids & Baby First Aid Course available HERE.

If your baby has additional medical needs, feeding concerns, allergies, growth issues, or developmental differences, seeking individualised support from a Paediatric Dietitian can be incredibly valuable. You can reach out to Paediatric Dietitian Elise, from Hera Nutrition at hello@heranutrition.com.au or find out how we can help you HERE

DISCLAIMER: The information in this blog post is intended for general educational purposes only and does not constitute personalised medical or nutrition advice. Hera Nutrition and the author assume no liability for how this information is interpreted or applied. Every baby is different, and feeding journeys can vary widely. If you have concerns about your child’s feeding, growth, development, or nutritional intake, please seek personalised support from a qualified healthcare professional. All information is current as of May 2026; however, nutrition research and feeding guidelines continue to evolve over time. Repurposing or reproducing this content without written permission from the author is prohibited under copyright law.

References

1.     Rapley G, Murkett T. Baby-Led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food. Vermilion; 2008.

2.     Fangupo LJ, et al. Baby-led weaning and complementary feeding approaches: A review of the evidence. Nutrients. 2025.

3.     Brown A, Lee MD. A descriptive study investigating the use and nature of baby-led weaning in a UK sample of mothers. Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2011;7(4):408–422.

4.     Taylor RW, et al. Baby-led weaning compared with traditional spoon-feeding: A systematic review. Nutrients. 2017.

5.     Dogan E, Yilmaz G, Caylan N, Turgut M, Gokcay G, Oguz MM. Baby-led complementary feeding: Randomized controlled study. Pediatrics International. 2018;60(12):1073–1080.

6.     Birch LL, Savage JS, Ventura A. Influences on the development of children’s eating behaviours: From infancy to adolescence. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. 2007;68(1):S1–S56.

7.     Coulthard H, Harris G, Emmett P. Delayed introduction of lumpy foods to children during the complementary feeding period affects child’s food acceptance and feeding at 7 years of age. Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2009;5(1):75–85.

8.     World Health Organization. Complementary Feeding: Report of the Global Consultation. Geneva: WHO; 2001.

9.     WHO Guideline for Complimentary Feeding of Infants and Young Children 6-23 Months of Age

10.  ASCIA Infant Feeding Advice 

11.  NHMRC Infant Feeding Guidelines 

12.  Cameron SL, Taylor RW, Heath AM. Parent-led or baby-led? Associations between complementary feeding practices and health-related behaviours in a survey of New Zealand families. BMJ Open. 2013;3(12):e003946.

13.  D’Andrea E, Jenkins K, Mathews M, Roebothan B. Baby-led weaning: A preliminary investigation. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. 2016;77(2):72–77.