When your baby is around four to six months old, a new chapter begins: introducing solid foods. And as always during this phase of life, the motto is: anything goes, nothing is mandatory.
Whether you start with purees, offer small pieces, or combine both, starting solids is a developmental milestone. And diapers also take on a new role.
🥦 What does baby-led weaning actually mean?
Baby-led weaning (BLW) is about babies eating independently from the very beginning. They eat with their hands, at their own pace, and without a spoon. The advantage: babies not only train their chewing muscles, but also their motor skills and their relationship with food.
Baby-led weaning (BLW) works best when the food is soft, easy to grasp, and nutrient-rich. Iron, in particular, plays an important role now.
Five simple and practical recipes to get you started
Here you will find three BLW-compatible ideas and two classic porridge recipes – selected according to the principle: easy to implement, easily digestible and full of nutrients.
🍠 1. Baked sweet potato sticks (BLW)
Peel the sweet potato, cut it into finger-length sticks, rub with a little rapeseed oil, and bake at 180°C until soft. The sticks are easy to grip and contain beta-carotene and valuable carbohydrates.
🥒 2. Steamed zucchini slices with oat flake coating (BLW)
Cut the zucchini into thick slices, roll them in rolled oats, and steam gently. This keeps them soft yet firm to the touch. The rolled oats provide iron and fiber.
🥕 3. Carrot and oat cakes (BLW)
Mix 1 grated carrot with 2 tablespoons of rolled oats, 1 tablespoon of applesauce, and 1 teaspoon of rapeseed oil, form small cakes, and bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes. Soft, sweet, and easy to handle.
🥣 4. Red lentil and coconut porridge (porridge)
Cook 2 tablespoons of red lentils in water until soft, purée, and mix with 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Optionally, combine with some cooked carrot. Rich in iron and very filling.
🥣 5. Millet porridge with pear and almond butter (porridge)
Cook millet with water or unsweetened plant-based milk until soft, then stir in grated or cooked pear and a teaspoon of almond butter. This porridge is mild, nutritious, and goes well with vegetables or fruit.
💩 Coming-home food changes diapers and what you should know now
With the first spoonful, the stool changes: from liquid to mushy, from odorless to... well, definitely smelly. Now is the ideal time to use toilet paper:
🧻 Here's how:
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Simply place it inside the diaper. The absorbent paper lies directly on the inside of the insert.
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When you have a bowel movement, you remove it along with its contents and dispose of it either in the toilet or in the trash.
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Please do not wash the diaper itself, but put it into the wet bag as is.
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For larger residues, you can roughly remove them with some toilet paper or shake them out. That's perfectly sufficient.
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Then, put the diaper in the washing machine as usual. Please remember the pre-wash cycle, which hygienically cleans the diapers.
This method makes cloth diapering practical and hygienically simple, even with firmer stools.
🧡 Our conclusion:
Starting solids isn't just about learning to eat, but also about a new perspective on care, closeness, and independence. It's okay if it's messy, it's okay if it takes time, and it's okay if things change, even in the diaper.
