Table 1: A brief description of the references included in the systematic review.
| Author(s) (year)* | Title | Location of the study | Objectives | Design and sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown & Lee 10 (2011) | A descriptive study investigating the use and nature of baby-led weaning in a UK sample of mothers | Swansea, United Kingdom | To characterize a sample of mothers who adhered to BLW as a strategy for feeding their children, as well as to describe attitudes and behaviors associated with the practice of this method | Cross-sectional study 655 mothers of babies 6 to 12 months old |
| Wright et al. 11 (2011) | Is baby-led weaning feasible? When do babies first reach out for and eat finger foods? | United Kingdom | Describe the age range in which children first reached out to pick up food, relating this to self-feeding, aspects of child development, and socioeconomic status | Cohort study 510 mothers of babies born in 1999 and 2000 |
| Brown & Lee 12 (2011) | Maternal control of child feeding during the weaning period: differences between mothers following a baby-led or standard weaning approach | United Kingdom | To compare the feeding profile between BLW-adhering infants and infants following traditional feeding behavior | Cross-sectional study 604 mothers of babies 6 to 12 months old |
| Townsend & Pitchford 13 (2012) | Baby knows best? The impact of weaning style on food preferences and body mass index in early childhood in a case-controlled sample | Nottingham, United Kingdom | To compare the dietary profile and the BMI of children who adhered to BLW and others who followed traditional eating habits | Case-control study 155 mothers of children between 20 and 78 months old |
| Rowan & Harris 14 (2012) | Baby-led weaning and the family diet. A pilot study | United States and United Kingdom | To investigate whether the implementation of the BLW method affected the mother’s diet and whether the same family foods were offered to the babies | Cross-sectional study 10 mothers of babies approximately 6 months old |
| Cameron et al. 15 (2012) | Healthcare professionals’ and mothers’ knowledge of, attitudes to and experiences with, baby-led weaning: a content analysis study | Dunedin, New Zealand | To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of health professionals, as well as mothers of babies following BLW, about this method | Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews 31 health professionals and 20 mothers of babies 8 to 24 months old that adhered to BLW |
| Brown & Lee 16 (2013) | An exploration of experiences of mothers following a baby-led weaning style: developmental readiness for complementary foods | United Kingdom | To examine the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors adopted by mothers who have opted for using BLW to feed their children | Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews 36 mothers of babies between 12 and 18 months old |
| Cameron et al. 17 (2013) | Parent-led or baby-led? Associations between complementary feeding practices and health-related behaviours in a survey of New Zealand families | New Zealand | To compare feeding practices and health behavior between BLW adherents and others who have followed traditional feeding behavior | Cross-sectional study 199 mothers of babies between 6 and 12 months old |
| Brown & Lee 18 (2015) | Early influences on child satiety-responsiveness: the role of weaning style | United Kingdom | To compare feeding behavior between babies weaned with the BLW method and those following traditional feeding behavior | Cohort study 298 mothers of babies between 18 and 24 months old |
| Arden & Abbott 19 (2015) | Experiences of baby-led weaning: trust, control and renegotiation | United Kingdom | To investigate the experiences reported by mothers who chose to practice BLW in order to understand the benefits, challenges and beliefs about this method | Qualitative study with semi-structured interview 15 mothers of babies between 9 and 15 months old |
| Morison et al. 20 (2016) | How different are baby-led weaning and conventional complementary feeding? A cross-sectional study of infants aged 6-8 months | New Zealand | To compare the feeding profile between BLW-adhering infants and infants undergoing traditional feeding behavior | Cross-sectional study 51 mothers of babies between 6 and 8 months old |
| D’Andrea et al. 21 (2016) | Baby-led weaning: a preliminary investigation | Canada | To investigate the practice of BLW with regard to the knowledge and perceptions of mothers and health professionals about the method | Cross-sectional study 33 health professionals and 65 mothers |
| Brown 22 (2016) | Differences in eating behaviour, well-being and personality between mothers following baby-led vs. traditional weaning styles | United Kingdom | To compare the demographic and socioeconomic profiles of mothers who used BLW and others who chose traditional feeding behavior | Cross-sectional study 604 mothers of babies between 6 and 12 months old |
*Studies are ordered chronologically; BLW: baby-led weaning; BMI: body mass index.