First Bites: Baby-Led Weaning & Beyond

We all know that our little ones are listening to every word we say. Even when they aren’t able to fully understand words, they’re able to begin picking up on mood and emotions, and get a general sense of how we’re feeling.   It can be so important to model a positive relationship with our own health and wellness journey when we are wanting the same for our little ones. Tune in to hear the convers...

Will baby love solids? Will they know what to do right away What if they gag?   This episode goes though my 5 top conversation pieces in the early days of BLW. These pointers are things I discuss with parents in my First Foods Academy program regularly, and I wanted to share them with all of you too! Let’s dive in!    || LINKS ||   Take $10 off Thrive Training Institute’s CPR/Choking Awareness cou...

You may have heard of sensory play, but what exactly does it entail and how can it impact early childhood feeding and food acceptance? In this episode I interview guest Jenny Sessums to discuss the following: Why sensory play can be so beneficial for childhood development and feeding How Jenny has seen sensory play manifest into better food acceptance for her son How we can simplify the concept of...

So maybe baby isn’t quite ready for solids yet… are there things we can do to help prepare them? Or should we just show up one day and do it?   Either can work, but this episode sheds light on some activities that can help to prepare baby to be better equipped and more comfortable at the start of their solids journey!   Let’s dive in!   || LINKS ||   Shop EZPZ Oral Development Tools to use as earl...

Sickness can really throw us, and our little ones for a loop. We often want to provide the best care, but it can be a little unnerving when our child won’t eat . We wonder if they’re getting enough nutrition and fluids to help them get better.   This episode dives into:   ·     Changes in mealtime that you might notice during times of illness ·     Tips and tricks for keeping your child nourished...

Iron is a vital nutrient that our babies and toddlers need to grow, develop, and thrive. But how, exactly do we make sure we’re giving them enough? And where does it come from?   This episode covers: -what iron is and why we need it -how much our little ones need in their diet, and how exactly we can give them adequate amounts -what we can do to ensure our child has enough iron to support their gr...

Ever wonder the ‘why’ around baby-led weaning? Why do it? What are its benefits? Tune in to hear this conversation between Hilary and Dr. Breanna Powderly, where we talk about all things baby-led weaning and development, and make the connections between the two. Dr. Bree shares a plethora of knowledge about building neuropathways in our little one’s brain, as well as how chiropractic care can make...

Ahhh, the unsolicited comments we all experience at some time or another during our journey as a parent. It can come from a stranger or someone very close to you! And it’s not always meant with bad intention, but it can be perceived that way. It feels like an attack on us and our ability to parent/raise a well-nourished child. This episode dives deep in handling the tough comments and conversation...

This festive episode shares 4 different recipe ideas for creatively (& safely) serving pumpkin to your baby and/or toddler. Oh – and they’ll betasty for you too! Enjoy!   SHOW NOTES:   Get the recipes from this episode here!    Get your copy of Your BLW Serving Guide e-book   Follow on Instagram @nutrition.mamma   Visit the Nutrition Mamma website   Learn more about  First Foods Academy   Lear...

Added sugars in foods can be SUCH a confusing and frustrating world to navigate with a baby or toddler. Tune in to this week's episode to learn more about what it can look like to be conscious of minimizing added sugar while still keeping food neutral and enjoying family favorites. LINKS: Sneak peek of ' Your BLW Serving Guide' e-book - buy it here ! Learn more about  ⁠First Foods Acad...

Have others helping to feed your child? Maybe a daycare setting or even babysitters? This episode guides you through navigating the ins and outs of getting clear on your expectations in those times, how to trust others to feed your child, and looking at ways to meet in the middle when met with resistance. This episode covers:  My top tips to guide you to success with meshing daycare rules with a b...

A follower recently asked me: “What’s it like for your husband to have the responsibilities of being Dad in the feeding journey while also being married to a dietitian who specializes in baby-led weaning (BLW) and toddler nutrition?” It was such a great question that I brought him on the podcast to chat about this exact topic, and provide his insight! He’s here answering your questions!     We tal...

We often set high expectations for ourselves when it comes to certain parenting techniques, like starting solids. Sometimes these expectations we set are helpful but sometimes they just don’t serve us well. It's hard to be confident in the BLW/starting solids journey if we feel high levels of pressure and overwhelm. This episode dives into: How many foods you should (or shouldn’t) reach before...

<Just sharing my unedited thoughts around baby-led weaning and feeding little ones. Check it out.>     Follow on Instagram @nutrition.mamma   Follow on Threads   Visit the Nutrition Mamma website   Learn more about  First Foods Academy   Learn more about  Toddler Foods Academy

Summer is such a fun time to play with flavor and get your little ones excited about fresh fruits/veggies. Even if you’re past the baby-led weaning (BLW) and starting solids stage, you can still use the summer to increase that curiosity by continuing to try new foods and flavors, as well as talk about them or have your toddlers help prep them, cook them, whatever! This episode will cover 10 summer...

Summer weather has officially arrived, and I’ve been getting lots of questions lately about how much water babies need. As we navigate starting solids and baby-led weaning (BLW), we of course have so many questions about the food choices we make for our little ones, but what about drinks? Hydration is very important for babies, but hydration doesn’t just come from plain water.   This episode dives...

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Don’t play with your food!” But…there are reasons maybe we *should* be allowing play at the table as we introduce solids, do baby-led weaning (BLW) and during toddlerhood as well! This episode dives into the benefits of bringing play to mealtime, and how this can look in your family. Tune in for more! ----------------- SHOW NOTES:   Web MD article on food play - https:...

Navigating the world of starting solids can feel daunting when we have our own personal fears as parents: choking, baby not gaining enough weight, doing it wrong, being judged by others, not giving baby the right nutrients, you name it.   In this episode I talk with first-time mom Jessica, about her experience with baby-led weaning (BLW). We talk about: why she chose it as the best option for her...

Confused about how to actually start baby-led weaning (BLW)? This is week is all about the “how-to” of starting out and feeding a baby using a baby-led approach to solids. Because quite frankly, it can be overwhelming and a lot to process for new parents and for anyone!   It’s almost every day that I have people telling me they don’t know where to start, or what to start with, or how many meals, o...

You know how you always compare yourself to other moms? Yep, this episode is all about that. And how that plays a role in our confidence when it comes to important things like feeding our child! Baby-led weaning can be a challenge no matter who you are. And so can feeding a toddler! In this episode we cover: Why we're wrong when we compare ourselves to other moms Why I can't stand the term...

BLW is a common buzz word in the starting solids world, but there are a lot of misconceptions, and confusions around it. While I couldn’t fit all that in one episode what I did bring you here is 4 great benefits of BLW you may not have even known about! In this episode we discuss: How purees can be incorporated in a BLW approach to solids Why babies gag and how we can use that to actually help the...

Hey, it's me, Hilary! Episode 01 of the podcast shares a little bit about my journey and why I do what I do. Tune in to hear about what my baby-led weaning experience was like with my daughter, and why it led me to pursuing helping parents with the starting solids process, as well as navigating the challenges that baby and toddler mealtimes entail. Even pros never have it all together, and I s...

Welcome to the First Bites: Baby-Led Weaning & Beyond podcast! If you’re hoping to master baby-led weaning and help your little one learn to eat successfully, then you’re in the right place. I believe that every child may respond differently to food, but that all children have the ability to have a positive relationship with food, when given the opportunity. Every week we’ll explore practical...