Colt Cresswell loves peaches like any other seven-month-old.

The sweet, ripe fruit is not only in its prime during this time of the year, it’s a suitable first food for babies beginning to eat solids.

But unlike most babies, Colt will pass on the pureed and mushy version.

Instead, he enjoys the same foods he sees on his older sister’s plate, especially pasta with tomato sauce.

His mom, Mandi Cresswell, chose self-feeding, also known as baby-led weaning to introduce him to solid food. That means Colt feeds himself suitably sized pieces of food his mom especially prepares for his tiny hands and mouth.

North Americans understand weaning as the end to breastfeeding; however, the term baby-led weaning originated in Britain and means the transition to solid foods. The idea is that babies at six months are developmentally capable of feeding themselves.

Mandi used the book Baby-Led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food as a reference point. The book is written by Gill Rapley, a pioneer of baby-led weaning in the U.K. who is also a nurse and midwife.

When Mandi decided to use this feeding method with her first born, Aubrey, who is now three-years-old, she started posting pictures of her daughter eating French-fry sized pieces of food on Facebook. Moms started asking questions. Many parents ask her whether her baby gags when eating.

“The gag reflex is closer to the mouth in a baby than it is with an adult,” she says. According to the baby-led weaning method, gagging is a way baby moves food around in his mouth.

“I tell other moms that this is the best decision I ever made as a mom,” says Mandi. “It has made dinners so easy. When we go out to eat or eat at a friend’s house for dinner, it’s so easy. They eat the same food as we do.”

For the first few weeks, the baby explores the food, finds his mouth and learns how much food to take at a time.

“My son just turned seven months and he loves food so much,” says Mandi.

“He’s so skilled at holding on to slippery foods and learning how to bring everything up to his mouth.”

Much has changed in the world of baby feeding. Decades ago, parents were encouraged to introduce solids at three months, while Carnation milk was the formula of choice. Earlier this spring, Health Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada, and Breastfeeding Committee for Canada released updated guidelines for feeding babies six to 24 months.

The organizations don’t really recommend baby-led weaning – but recognize it as an alternative feeding method. But experts on both sides agree on a few concepts, and one in particular: At six months, babies are capable of eating more than just mush.

Now, parents are encouraged to introduce different textures to babies that are six months. So, essentially foods don’t need to be silky smooth when they meet baby’s lips.

“Now at six months, a baby is developmentally ready for a variety of textures,” says Shannon Labre, a dietician with the Sudbury and District Health Unit. “That includes purees, minced, mashed, ground, lumpy and soft finger foods.”

Labre uses the term “responsive feeding,” explaining how it’s important to follow baby’s cues to determine the texture they are ready for, how much and how often they should eat.

“Spoon feeding is an option at six months,” says Labre. “It’s not the only way, but it certainly is one of the ways. You can still be responsive when using a spoon. If the baby spits it out, they are clearly done. Or if they grab it, maybe you let them feed themselves for that period of time.”

Health Canada also recommends babies start learning to drink from an open cup rather than a sippy cup.

“Sippy cups don’t necessarily teach drinking skills,” says Labre. “They’re very handy and definitely have their place for spills when you’re on the go – and it doesn’t mean they can’t have a role – but parents should find opportunities to use an open cup.”

Expect spills and messes, but that is part of the process.

This is a learning period for babies, says Labre; they’re learning how to participate in a meal.

Proponents of baby-led weaning are big on including babies in the family mealtime ritual.

Health Canada thinks this is important, too.

“Whatever the family is eating, the baby can eat, as well,” said Labre.

The new guidelines incorporate the latest scientific evidence, but maintain the importance of breastfeeding and formula while introducing solids.

Iron-rich foods like meat, eggs, tofu and legumes should be introduced as first foods, and fed baby a few times a day.

Parents may be surprised how guidelines have changed in less than a few years, especially when it comes to introducing allergens. Before, parents were advised to introduce eggs yolks first, then whites at one year to prevent allergic reaction. Now parents can give their six-month old the whole egg (cooked, of course).

“Previous advice said that allergenic foods should be delayed to prevent allergies,” Labre said. “But there’s not enough scientific evidence to suggest that is a message that should be promoted.”

This applies to even babies at risk of developing a food allergen. However, Labre suggests talking this over with your family doctor.

So, you can feed your six-month-old allergens like peanuts, eggs and fish. But, Labre warns parents to do so with caution because some of those foods could be a choking hazard.

When introducing a common allergen, wait two days before introducing another one. This rule was once applied to all foods, but now this only applies to allergens under new guidelines.

The only exception to the rule is to wait until at least nine months to introduce cow’s milk (it can reduce iron absorption) and a year until honey, the only food that has been associated with infant botulism.

“At the end of the day it’s up to a parent to make the choice as to what works best for their baby,” says Labre.

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca