To feed or let eat! A scale of independence, exploration, and family to measure baby-led weaning as a complementary feeding approach

BackgroundThis article reports the development and validation of a measure of parents' use of baby-led weaning (BLW). BLW is a child-centred approach to complementary feeding where the infant is allowed to eat whole foods (rather than purees) and explore a variety of foods and textures. To date, parents' use of BLW has been assessed using either single items or a wide variety of measures. MethodIn this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on independent samples supported three BLW subscales: independence, exploration, and family. ResultsThe final 13-item scale showed adequate fit statistics and good reliability (chi(2)(62) = 115.02, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.06; exploration a = 0.738; family a = 0.715; independence a = 0.809). In addition, the scale demonstrated good external validity and related in theoretically expected ways to an infant feeding-style measure and parent report of complementary feeding approach. This study was limited as it was mostly white parents, and the scale should be validated on a more diverse sample. ConclusionsFuture research can use this scale to examine if BLW relates to infant taste preferences, parenting styles, and child eating behaviours to improve child nutrition and health outcomes.

Automated summary

This article reports on the development and validation of a measure for assessing parents' use of baby-led weaning (BLW). The study found that the measure demonstrated good reliability and external validity. However, further research is needed to validate the measure on a more diverse sample.