Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro

#450: Your baby being able to sit relatively on their own is an important sign of readiness to eat. Pediatric occupational therapist Emma Hubbard explains how to help your baby get prepared to sit along with exercises and tips for reducing choking risk when you start solid foods. Listen to this episode to learn: Why your baby needs the head control associated with independent sitting to support a...

#449: What is the best baby-led weaning food to start solid foods with? Are some starter foods safer for babies than others? In this episode I’ll share 10 of my favorite easy starter foods for baby-led weaning that your baby can start eating at or around 6 months of age. Listen to this episode to learn: How to move on the from the simple starter foods of avocado, banana and sweet potato Which meat...

#448: Even if you make your baby’s food, there’s still a risk of plastic chemicals making their way in there too. Dr. James Rogers from Consumer Reports recently tested a bunch of baby foods and formulas for plastic chemicals and the results will surprise you…even if you eat organic. Listen to this episode to learn: What plasticizers are and why they are disruptive to the human body’s endocrine sy...

#447: What if your baby is allergic to eggs? The only way to know if your baby has an egg allergy is to offer them egg. In this episode I’ll share some easy ways to make eggs safe for babies so your baby can start learning how to safely eat eggs. Listen to this episode to learn: Which part of the egg contains the potentially allergenic protein: the egg white or the egg yolk? How to safely prepare...

#446: What if pouches and purees are the problem? Limited texture opportunities can compromise infants’ oral facial development and negatively impact bone development in the mouth. Nicole Goldfarb is an orofacial myofunctional therapist here to talk about maximizing your baby’s potential by pushing their palate past purees. Listen to this episode to learn: What your baby’s mouth should look like a...

#445: How do you know if your baby is allergic to peanuts? The only way to know is to offer your baby peanut. In this episode I’m sharing 3 easy ways to safely offer your baby peanut with tips on how to reintroduce peanut early and often to help lower the risk of peanut allergy. Listen to this episode to learn: Whether or not your baby is at high risk for peanut allergy When to start offering pean...

#444: What if my baby isn’t eating? Is there something I can do to make my baby eat? Heidi Moreland is here to help us stop providing external motivation at mealtimes and start supporting our baby’s internal motivation to feed themselves solid food. Listen to this episode to learn: What you’re unconsciously doing at mealtimes that pressure your baby to eat…and how to stop How to help your baby suc...

#443: What if my baby has a milk allergy or can’t eat dairy foods? The only way to know if your baby is allergic to cow’s milk protein is to offer them that food. In this episode we look at milk allergy and how to prevent it, including the easiest way to offer your baby this potentially allergenic food and why it’s particularly important for exclusively breastfed babies. Listen to this episode to...

#442: Is my baby eating enough and what if they start falling off their growth curve? Dietitian Kat Mikelaites talks about failure to thrive, growth faltering and helping babies get enough nutrition, iron and energy to thrive. Listen to this episode to learn: What parents accidentally do to compromise growth and how you can avoid this stress How to interpret a growth chart…and what to do if your b...

#441: You do not need to wait 3-5 days between offering new foods to your baby. In fact, waiting that long can actually slow down your baby’s progress and prevent diet diversity. In this episode we look at the research that supports quicker introduction of new foods; it is safe to offer 1 (or more) new food(s) per day and this approach can help reduce the risk of severe picky eating and help your...

#440: How did you pick your prenatal vitamin? A new report found that prenatal vitamins might contain more or less of their stated nutrients like folic acid and iron. Helena Bottemiller Evich joins me to talk about how to choose a prenatal vitamin and why there aren’t clear agreements on what should even be in these supplements. Listen to this episode to learn: Which prenatal vitamins may have mor...

#439: What if your baby has an allergic reaction to a food? The only way to know if your baby is allergic is to offer them that food…but there are some safety guidelines you want to know about. In this episode we’ll look at the recent research and updated guidelines that support early introduction of potentially allergenic foods and then how to safely prepare those foods to help lower your baby’s...

#438: Oral care is important but how do you actually brush an infant’s gums or teeth? Pediatric Dentist and mom Ashley Lerman explains the best positioning and technique for brushing your baby’s teeth. Listen to this episode to learn: How to brush your baby’s gums with a muslin cloth…even if they’ve already fallen asleep How to position your baby to brush their teeth…and how that position changes...

#437: We all make mistakes when we start learning something new - and the same goes for starting solid foods. In this episode I’m sharing 5 common feeding mistakes (full disclosure: I’ve made ALL of these)...and how you can avoid them! Listen to this episode to learn: Why bringing a hungry baby to the table doesn’t work and how to schedule solid food with infant milk Why waiting 3-5 days between n...

#436: Worldwide, the average age of weaning from the breast is 4 years. Why do we stop breastfeeding so soon in the US? When should you stop breastfeeding? Can you or should you keep breastfeeding after your baby starts solid foods? In this episode Ronietra Steward talks about the benefits of continued breastfeeding in later infancy and for toddlers. Listen to this episode to learn: Why the averag...

#435: Is it ever safe for babies to start solid foods before 6 months of age? In one instance: yes…but for the remainder of babies, there is no upside - and only potential harm - in starting solid foods too early. In this episode we look at reasons why parents are pressured to start solid foods early as well as the data supporting the one instance when it might be appropriate to begin prior to 6 m...

#434: Do certain foods trigger colic or gut symptoms in your baby? Eliminating FODMAP foods can help adults with irritable bowel syndrome, but should babies be on a low or no FODMAP diet? Kate Scarlata joins me to talk about whether or not a low FODMAP diet can help with colic for colicky babies. Check out Kate Scarlata online at https://www.katescarlata.com/ and on Instagram @katescarlata  Showno...

#433: Which foods should babies avoid? Babies can eat so many more foods than we give them credit for - but certain foods are choking risk foods or are harmful to developing babies for other reasons. This episode contains 15 foods to not feed your baby in order to preserve their health. Listen to this episode to learn: Which foods are choking foods…and how to modify them so they are safe for your...

#432: Can you potty-train your baby? Is a life without diapers doable? Elimination Communication (EC) is a gentle, non-coercive way to respond to your baby’s natural hygiene needs…and nobody knows EC ike Andrea Olson from @godiaperfree. In this episode Andrea’s teaching us how babies can learn to self-potty from birth and if you’re currently using diapers, how you can stop a lot sooner than you mi...

#431: How does an adjustable footrest on your baby’s high chair help reduce the risk of choking? In this episode we’ll look at how your baby’s feet resting flat helps stabilize their core and support a safe swallow…and how to fix your high chair if it doesn’t have a footrest or if your baby’s feet don’t reach the footrest yet. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. Why your baby’s feet resting flat o...

#430: Worried that your baby isn’t eating enough or getting enough nutrition from food? Being worried that your baby is going to lose weight is a real fear. There’s some data to suggest that infant massage can actually help increase your baby’s weight. Baby massage expert Helen Thompson is here to teach about baby massage and if it is a way you can help your baby gain weight. Check out Helen’s web...

#429: Contrary to common belief, cutting food into tiny pieces can actually heighten choking risk for early eaters. In this episode, learn why longer, spear-like shapes of soft foods (pinky finger size) are safer for self-feeding and other safe food cuts that reduce choking risk during the introduction of starting solid foods using baby-led weaning. Listen to this episode to learn: Why small piece...

#428: Is your baby ready to eat just because they bring objects to their mouth. How is mouthing related to your baby’s readiness to eat and what is mouthing telling you about your baby’s ability and desire to self-feed. Celebrated pediatric feeding expert Marsha Dunn Klein is here to explain all about mouthing and why this is an important first step in starting solid foods. Marsha’s Get Permission...

#427: Baby-led weaning does not mean skipping purees. In this episode I’ll help you bridge your baby’s transition from an infant milk liquid diet to soft solid strips of food using my unique Purees for a Few Days™ approach to starting solid foods with baby-led weaning.  Listen to this episode to learn: Why combo feeding finger foods + adult-led spoon feeding is not baby-led weaning How you can hon...

Episode 426: Is it safe for your dog to eat food your baby drops on the floor? Should the dog even be around your baby in a high chair? In this episode certified dog trainer Jake Schneider from @ondogtrainingacademy shares tips on establishing boundaries and rules for your dog when your baby starts eating solid food.  Check out Jake’s On Dog Training Academy, listen to his podcast Learn, Laugh, Ba...