“FROM FIRST BITE TO RIGHT START: ENHANCING MATERNAL READINESS FOR BABY-LED WEANING THROUGH WEB-BASED LEARNING”

Abstract

Introduction: In many communities, infants aged 6–12 months are traditionally fed spoon-fed
porridge, considered easy to digest and nutritionally balanced. In contrast, Baby-Led Weaning
(BLW) encourages self-feeding of chopped family foods from six months, promoting
independence, self-regulation, and active engagement during meals .Objectives: To assess the
pre- and post-test levels of knowledge and readiness regarding Baby-Led Weaning (BLW)
among mothers of infants, evaluate the effectiveness of web-based learning on enhancing this
knowledge and readiness, examine the correlation between mothers’ knowledge and readiness,
and determine the association of knowledge and readiness with selected demographic variables.
Materials and Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental one group pre-test and post-test
design was conducted among 100 mothers of infants (5-8 months) in selected community areas
of Chennai, India, using purposive sampling. Web-based learning (self-made video) was
provided via a YouTube link. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire and a
5-point Likert scale and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The study
found significant improvements in mothers’ knowledge and readiness after web-based learning.
Initially, 56% had moderately adequate knowledge. Post-intervention, 95% achieved an
adequate level of knowledge. Regarding readiness, 83% had a moderate level of readiness pre-
test, while post-test, 97% exhibited complete readiness. The paired t-test analysis revealed
statistically significant improvements (t = 30.036 for knowledge, t = 39.336 for readiness, p <
0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggest that web-based learning is an effective tool to
enhance mothers’ knowledge and readiness regarding BLW.