How many types of weaning are there

There is no single 'right' way to start weaning. The guidelines today value flexibility: each family can choose or combine different approaches, while respecting the child's times and signs.1. Traditional weaning You start by offering the first soft baby food with a teaspoon (soups, creams, broths). It is the most common approach and is still recommended by many Italian guidelines, such as those of the Milan Polyclinic and the Italian Society of Pediatrics. Advantages: - allows precise control of quantities and nutrients; - ideal for children who gradually accept new textures; - allows accurate monitoring of the introduction of foods.2. Baby-Led Weaning (self-weaning) The child eats alone, sitting at the table with the family, grabbing small pieces of soft food (finger food) with his hands. Advantages: - promotes autonomy and coordination; - helps to develop a sense of hunger and satiety; - promotes a serene and shared relationship with food. The most recent research does not show an increase in the risk of suffocation, if the adult is always present and attentive and the food is cut safely.3. “Responsive” weaning It is a flexible approach that respects the child's signals: you can alternate the baby's baby food with food to take with your hands, following the child's curiosity, hunger and satiety. Advantages: - combines nutritional security and autonomy; - allows you to adapt to the needs of the child and the family; - reduces anxiety and stiffness, transforming the meal into a moment of relationship.