Baby TikTok has been awash with educational videos of mothers encouraging their babies to self-feed. One of the most popular is Baby Rue, whose virality reached South African shores
The TikTok is run by baby Rue’s mother from the UK, who started her off on baby-led weaning at 6 months, and the pair soon became viral sensations thanks to adorable baby Rue’s antics and drama while eating
Dr Gill Rapley, with over thirty years in infant feeding, shared insights on why it may be a good idea to get babies to self-feed in her book on the topic

TikTok baby-led weaning parent becomes viral sensation
@moonandrue on TikTok, baby Rue’s mother used baby-led weaning, which is a feeding method where the baby is encouraged to eat by themselves. The viral mommy served a variety of dishes to her baby, Rue, in wooden and silicone utensils since her kid was 6 until 11 months old.
As baby Rue grew bigger, she got more adventurous and in most viral videos of her mealtime show, she was able to explore and play during mealtime. In one viral clip, Rue tried chia pudding which she played with and ended up getting her hands on the plate, making a big mess.
Rue’s mom relies on silicone bibs to catch any food items that are guaranteed to be smothered all over with this self-feeding technique.
Watch the video below:
South Africans gush over viral baby
Many commented that they loved watching baby Rue’s self-feeding journey until 11 months. The adorable kid became a viral hit with South African TikTok users who thought she was the cutest.
Is baby-led weaning a good idea?
Other parents were inspired and hopped on the trend. Baby-led weaning pioneer and nurse Gill Rapley posits that baby-led weaning can have benefits beyond food in her book, Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods-and Helping Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater
Dr Gill Rapley, renowned expert with a PhD in infant feeding, argues that baby-led weaning allows children to explore using their hands and mouths to learn about things, including food. This allows them to learn about what they are eating more naturally.
The less restrictive the baby’s eating experience the better, as they get to feel textures, using all their five senses at once. Self-feeding, according to Gill Rapley, allows the child to learn about their world through full immersion.
Improving the baby’s environment to self-feed means they can practice hand-eye coordination through gripping different-sized foods and textures, as argued by Gill Rapley. Choosing the right utensils for a baby can make all the difference. For example, a silicone spoon can also serve as a soothing aid for teething babies. Flexible silicone plates make mealtime messes a breeze to clean as they are easily wiped, and the malleable texture can handle baby’s random grasping.
Parents who opt to let mealtime turn into playtime make small adjustments like switching utensils to make their lives and their baby’s life easier.
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