Food for Tot: Feed Your Baby and Toddler with Confidence

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice about starting solids and wonder which baby feeding recommendations you should actually be following? From starting purees at four months to waiting for teeth before offering finger foods, parents are often given feeding advice that has been passed down for generations or even recommended by healthcare professionals. But infant feeding res...

Do you ever find yourself relying on pouches, bottles, or the same few “safe” foods because you’re worried your baby or toddler won’t eat anything else? When you know your little one will happily eat a pouch, crackers, or another familiar food, it can feel scary to change what’s working—especially when the alternative might mean they refuse dinner altogether. But transitioning toward family meals...

Do you ever find yourself saying, “Just try one bite,” “Three more bites,” or “Finish your yogurt first” because you’re worried your baby or toddler isn’t eating enough? It’s completely understandable to want your little one to eat a balanced meal and get the nutrition they need. But pressure around food can start much earlier than many parents realize, and even well-intentioned encouragement can...

Do you feel like feeding your baby or toddler has quietly become a test of how “clean” you can make every meal? Reading every ingredient label, avoiding certain foods, and constantly wondering if you’re making the healthiest choice? If you’ve ever felt pressure to buy only organic foods, eliminate anything processed, cook everything from scratch, or follow strict food-rating apps and social media...

Do you ever wonder if your toddler is drinking too much milk or feel confused about how milk is supposed to fit into their diet after the first birthday?  The transition from infancy to toddlerhood can make it difficult to know where milk fits. After the first birthday, food should gradually become your little one’s primary source of nutrition, while cow’s milk becomes an optional beverage rather...

Do you ever wonder why some children seem to adapt so easily to eating on the go, trying new foods, or sitting down at restaurants… while others struggle with every change in routine? If you've found yourself avoiding restaurants, feeling anxious about traveling with your little one, or wondering if you're somehow setting the stage for picky eating, you're not alone. So many parents...

Does dinner time feel like the moment everything falls apart? The food gets rejected, the meltdowns start, and you're left wondering how your toddler can survive on three bites and a strawberry? If you've ever felt frustrated when your little one refuses dinner, worried they're going to bed hungry, or found yourself offering snacks after meals just to get something in their belly, y...

Has your baby or toddler ever seemed uncomfortable, gone days without pooping, or struggled with constipation, and you’ve been left wondering if there’s something deeper going on than just a digestive issue? If you’ve ever been told to immediately start a medication, cut out dairy, or eliminate foods from your child’s diet without really understanding why constipation is happening in the first pla...

Starting solids can feel like one giant question mark… wondering if you’re offering the “right” foods, stressing about portion sizes, and constantly questioning whether your baby is getting what they need. If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking every feeding decision, comparing your baby’s meals to what you see online, or wondering if you’re somehow falling behind in the feeding journey, you’r...

Do you feel like feeding your baby or toddler has quietly become a math problem… counting bites, measuring portions, and constantly wondering if they’re getting “enough”? If you’ve ever found yourself stressing over how much your little one is eating, feeling tempted to track every ounce or bite, or worrying that their growth chart is somehow a reflection of your success as a parent… you’re not al...

Do you feel like everything falls apart the second your baby or toddler gets sick… especially when it comes to food? If you’ve ever found yourself stressing about what they’re eating (or not eating), wondering if you should be doing more, or feeling like you’re undoing all your progress… you’re not alone. When sickness hits, it can feel like you’re just trying to survive the day, let alone make th...

Do you feel like sugar is this big, confusing thing you have to “get right”… or risk raising a sugar-obsessed toddler? If you’ve ever worried about introducing sweets, setting limits, or wondering if you’re doing too much (or not enough), you’re in the right place. With so many messages around sugar, it can feel like one wrong move could shape your child’s relationship with food forever. In this e...

Do you constantly wonder if your baby is actually getting enough… or are you just overthinking every feed, diaper, and bite? If you’ve ever found yourself second-guessing how much your baby is eating or stressing over whether they’re getting enough milk, you’re not alone. With so many moving pieces in the first year, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing something or doing it wrong. In this episod...

Do you actually need to introduce 100 foods before your baby turns one… or is this just another overwhelming parenting trend? If you’ve spent any time on social media as a parent, you’ve probably heard about the “100 foods before one” trend. But is it really necessary for your baby’s development or just adding pressure to an already overwhelming season? In this episode, Kathy breaks down where the...

Ever feel like your toddler runs the day and you’re just trying to keep up? In this episode, Kathy sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Jessica Irwin, OT, to talk about the powerful role routines play in early childhood development, especially when it comes to mealtimes, behavior, and everyday family life. Jessica shares how her work inside hundreds of family homes shifted her perspecti...

Ever feel like you’re doing “all the healthy things” but still wondering if there’s more to the story when it comes to your family’s health? In this episode, Kathy sits down with functional medicine PA and registered dietitian Erin Walkley for a grounded, practical conversation about what whole body wellness actually looks like in real life, especially in the thick of motherhood.  Together, they u...

Feeling like you’re doing everything “right” with feeding… and still ending each day frustrated, second-guessing, and mentally drained? You are not alone.   In this episode, Kathy speaks directly to the mom who is following the schedule, offering balanced meals, and trying all the tips… yet still feels like feeding is running her life. She gently unpacks why more effort isn’t always the answer and...

Starting table foods is often imagined as a joyful, picture-perfect milestone. But when babies spit, play, throw food, or barely swallow a bite, many parents are left feeling unsure and overwhelmed. In this episode, Kathy brings clarity and calm to the early feeding journey by breaking down what’s actually normal when babies start solids.   Kathy walks through the five most common mistakes parents...

Feeding anxiety has a way of creeping in the moment someone says, “Just wait until they get picky.” In this episode, Kathy gently challenges that narrative and reframes what’s actually happening when toddlers begin to change the way they eat.   Kathy breaks down why the word picky is often applied far too early and how normal developmental and physiological shifts after the first birthday can dram...

Ever feel like feeding your toddler should be intuitive… but instead feels confusing, chaotic, and overwhelming? You’re not alone and this episode is proof of that.   In today’s conversation, Kathy sits down with Jamie, a registered nurse and first-time mom, who shares her honest experience navigating the transition from bottles to meals, managing food throwing and refusal, and trying to meet her...

Have you heard that fruit has “too much sugar,” should be limited, or might make your baby only like sweet foods later on? It's time to clear the noise.   In this episode, Kathy tackles one of the most persistent pieces of nutrition fear-mongering parents face: fruit. From social media headlines to well-meaning advice, fruit has somehow become controversial and Kathy breaks down why that narr...

Ever sit down to feed your baby or toddler and immediately feel your chest tighten, your mind race, or your patience evaporate before the food even hits the table? In this episode, Kathy invites pediatric OT–turned–nervous system coach Jessica Addeo to unpack why so many modern parents feel overwhelmed at mealtimes and why it has far less to do with your child’s eating and far more to do with your...

Think your toddler’s relationship with food “just is what it is”? In this episode, Kathy opens up about one of the most emotional conversations she’s had with a client and why so many millennial parents are carrying invisible wounds from diet culture that now show up at their toddler’s table.   Through the story of a two-year-old who went from eating only beige foods to confidently listening to he...

Ever wondered why feeding yourself feels ten times harder after having a baby right when you need nourishment the most? In this episode, Kathy sits down with postpartum nutrition expert and registered dietitian Kait McConnell to explore the deeply overlooked connection between a mom’s relationship with food and her child’s. Together, they unpack why postpartum nutrition feels so confusing, how die...

Think your toddler is “picky”? In this episode, Kathy shares a truth most parents never hear: your toddler isn’t picky—they’re overwhelmed, and they need support, not pressure.   From asking them to “just take one bite” to playing airplane with the spoon, many of the strategies parents use to get food in actually make eating harder for toddlers—and more stressful for you. Kathy breaks down why the...