Shows
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroA Big Sister’s Perspective on Picky Eating with Molly Ferraro#90: If you’re starting solid foods with your baby and feeding an older child who’s more selective, this episode is for you.
In this throwback conversation, I’m joined by my oldest daughter Molly, who was six years old at the time of this recording (and is now eleven). As the big sister to six younger siblings who learned to eat using baby-led weaning, Molly had a front-row seat to what it looks like when babies are allowed to feed themselves, while older kids are still figuring out their own relationship with food.
We talk a...
2026-02-0516 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroOverstuffing: What If My Baby Takes Big Bites? with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP#54: Is your baby an overeager eater who stuffs too much food in at once? Overstuffing is actually pretty typical - but it’s also a little scary when you’re worried about choking. In this episode, pediatric feeding expert Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP shares practical tips for managing overstuffing, big bites and fast eaters. You’ll learn what’s developmentally appropriate, how to respond in the moment, and when it’s time (and not time) to worry about overstuffing.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. Why babies overstuff and how to determine if your baby’s overstuffi...
2025-08-0723 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPreventing Severe Picky Eating from Your Baby's First Bites with Dr. Katja Rowell#36: How does typical picky eating differ from severe picky eating and are both or either preventable?In this episode family doctor turned child feeding specialist Katja Rowell, MD walks us through steps to helping babies develop a foundational love of food from their first bites, along with tips on differentiating between typical and extreme picky eating, and what to do and where to go if you do think your baby’s feeding behavior is not typical.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. How does typical picky eating differ from severe picky eating?
2. Which pr...
2025-05-0843 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroUnderstanding the Gag Reflex and Why Babies Gag on Food with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP#496 - The gag reflex is a natural and necessary part of your baby’s feeding development, but it can be a source of anxiety for parents starting solid foods. In this episode, Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and pediatric feeding expert, breaks down what the gag reflex is, why babies gag on food, and how to distinguish between gagging and choking. Learn practical strategies to support your baby through this phase and build confidence in their ability to learn to safely eat real food.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why ba...
2024-12-2738 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroRegaining Your Identity After Motherhood with @shamelessmomacademy Sara Dean#476: How were you different before you had a baby? Are there parts of your pre-kids life that you’d like to go back to? Sara Dean is here with actionable exercises, talking points and activities to help you regain your identity after motherhood.Listen to this episode to learn:
How to stand up for yourself and voice dissenting opinions without sounding like a whiner
How to relate to children without friends when you want to talk about your baby all the time
How to show up and speak up at work and in yo...
2024-10-2442 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro6 Amazon Cutting Tools that Will Make Baby-Led Weaning Easier & Faster for You#475: Cutting soft foods into finger food shapes is a surefire way to help your baby safely learn to self-feed. In this episode I’m sharing 6 Amazon cutting tools that will expedite and simplify your food prep time for baby-led weaning.The 6 cutting tools covered in this episode are available on Amazon here (these are affiliate links):
https://amzn.to/4a3ux7G
https://amzn.to/3LkhN0c
https://amzn.to/4a3fkTT
https://amzn.to/3BWff8H
https://amzn.to/3UbiYWn
https://amzn.to/42BhpT7
Listen to this episode to lear...
2024-10-2117 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow to Make the Ikea Antilop High Chair Safer with @yeahbabygoods Katie Kruithof#464: The $20 Ikea Antilop high chair is ubiquitous and universally loved for its low price…but it’s not a safe seat for your baby to eat. Yeah Baby Goods co-founder Katie Kruithof is here to talk about how to make this high chair safer for baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why the Ikea Antilop high chair is unsafe as it is sold…and how to fix that
Why Katie and her husband Brent started Yeah Baby Goods…and what businesses they ran before that
How their high chair footrest has evolved...
2024-09-0551 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroTools For Safe BLW Food Prep: In the Kitchen with Katie#251: Cutting foods the right shape and size is important for safe swallowing in baby-led weaning. In this episode I’m sharing some convenient kitchen tools for making BLW foods safe - many of which you probably already have in your kitchen! Cutting Products Mentioned in this Episode include:
OXO grape cutter
Crinkle cutter
Pineapple corer
Egg slicer
Pizza cutter
Other BABY-LED WEANING MADE EASY podcast episodes mentioned in this episode: Episode 37 “Soy: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food”
📲 📲 📲 📲 The shownotes for this...
2022-08-0112 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBLW Grocery Haul: Go Grocery Shopping with Katie Ferraro#245: Interested in going on a BLW grocery haul with ME? This is your opportunity to plan ahead and shop for groceries that are the most appropriate to offer your baby during baby-led weaning. In this episode, we will be touching on WHAT to look out for when you are at the grocery store, HOW to plan and WHERE to start on the list of foods that you can offer to your baby…I have to say that I also have a surprise for a couple of you, so listen in to enter the special giveaway! Get...
2022-07-1121 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBest BLW Advice from Parents & Caregivers Who Have Been There!#222: Ever wondered what helped other parents and caregivers be successful at baby-led weaning? It is often common for all parents to experience the same feelings of stress and fear while introducing their babies to solids but what better thing than to ask the parents who have been there for their best piece of advice? In this episode, I will share a number of great suggestions from parents to parents!
Shownotes with all the links mentioned in this episode are here: https://blwpodcast.com/222
Links from this episode:
• Ezpzfun.com ezpz cup tiny...
2022-04-2122 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroFood Allergy & Kids: What’s New and Notable with Ron Sunog, MD#216: Just in case you are wondering if there are any updates in the pediatric food allergy world…Dr. Ron Sunog, who is a pediatrician specializing in preventing food allergy with food, joined me in this episode to give us an update on food allergy in babies. He discusses recent studies that have been published and also talks about the recently added ninth major food allergen: sesame.
Shownotes with all the links mentioned in this episode are here: https://blwpodcast.com/216
Links from this episode:
• Dr. Sunog’s book “EAT THE EIGHT: Preventing Food Medicine...
2022-03-3138 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy This Mom Decided to do BLW After Spoon-Feeding Her First 3 with Arlene Peck#190 - Can you imagine an 8 ½ year gap between your 3rd and 4th babies? My friend Arlene Peck did just that…and as soon as she found out she was pregnant, Arlene 100% on board wanting to do baby-led weaning. Now Jacob is 6 months old, sitting on his own and she’s about to start his 100 FIRST FOODS with baby-led weaning journey. Listen in as we learn from a mom who did not do BLW with her first 3, but is sharing her before and after concerns, comments and insight during day 1 of baby-led weaning with her 4th baby Jacob.
2021-12-2420 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro10-11 Months Old Babies: Sample BLW Schedule#189: How often should babies who are 10-11 months old eat solid foods? Should they be allowed to feel some “casual hunger”, do we drop another milk feed? What about transitioning off of the bottle and onto the open cup. In this episode I am joined by TWENTY moms of babies 10-11 months old who are graciously sharing their schedule and what’s going on with their older babies…this is a little bit of a longer episode, but hoping you can learn from some of their shared experiences about feeding babies who are 10-11 months old.Li...
2021-12-2243 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBreastmilk Testing: Why Measure the Quality of Your Breastmilk? with @lactationlab Stephanie Canale, MD#188: Is your breastmilk the same as my breastmilk? What if my breastmilk is lacking in nutrients that are compromising my baby’s growth? And can I measure the quality of my breastmilk? These are questions that Dr. Stephanie Canale wondered as a new mom and is now working to answer through her work as the founder of Lactation Lab.In this episode Dr. Canale is explaining her breastmilk testing technology and services that are helping moms get a more clear understanding of the quality of their breastmilk and how that impacts their baby’s heal...
2021-12-1736 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro8-9 Months Old Babies: Sample BLW Feeding Schedule#187: How often should babies who are 8-9 months old eat? And what foods should they be eating? Is it time to drop a milk feed yet? Inside of this episode I’m joined by 5 moms of babies who are 8-9 months old and they’re sharing their current baby-led weaning feeding schedules. Some are struggling, some are succeeding, but all are doing a great job leaning into their baby’s ability to self-feed...and I hope you can glean some insight on possible schedule setups for YOUR 8-9 month old baby from this episode. Listen...
2021-12-1624 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhat if I Don't Eat the Same BLW Foods as My Baby? with Katelynn Sasaki, MS, RDN#186: How bad is it if you don’t eat the same food your baby eats? Are you doing irreparable baby-led weaning damage if you don’t want to or can’t model eating BLW foods with your baby? Registered Dietitian Katelynn Sasaki is joining me on the podcast to break down a few scenarios where you might not want to or can’t eat the same foods as your baby, and what that means (and doesn’t mean) for your baby’s self-feeding success.Listen to this episode to learn:
The benefits of modeling sel...
2021-12-0932 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro6-7 Months Old Babies: Sample BLW Feeding Schedule#185: What feeding schedule should my 6-7 month old baby be on if we just started solid foods? How many times a day should I try food...am I doing it too much? Or too little? In this episode we’re looking at some baby-led weaning scheduling ideas for babies who are 6-7 months old. I’m being joined by 4 moms of babies who are 6 and 7 months old and are sharing their current feeding schedule to hopefully give YOU some ideas!Listen to this episode to learn:
Why there is no WRONG way to sche...
2021-12-0719 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPositive Parenting: Staying Upbeat When You're Feeling Defeated about Baby-Led Weaning with Candice Jones, MD#184: Ever have any clouds of doubt hanging over your head with regard to feeding your baby? Like maybe you were all gung-ho about baby-led weaning at the beginning, but pushback from family and friends or fears about feeding are getting in the way of your success.It’s one thing to say “be positive”, but it’s another to learn the skills that will really help you do so! In this episode I’m interviewing pediatrician, author and parenting expert Dr. Candice Jones about positive parenting and how we can stay upbeat even when feeling de...
2021-12-0224 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBread: When Can Babies Safely Eat Bread?#183: Is bread the best food for early eaters to eat? When can babies safely eat bread? In this episode we’re diving into bread for baby-led weaning, looking at sodium levels, swallowing safety and some simple ideas for non-bread carbohydrate foods your baby can more safely eat early on in BLW.Listen to this episode to learn:
The nutrition benefits of bread....basically it boils down to carbohydrate and there are safer starchy foods your baby can eat early on besides bread
Why low sodium bread is not the answer for early eaters an...
2021-11-2919 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroGERD: Does Starting Solids Early Help Babies with GERD? with Peter Lu, MD#182: What do babies with reflux or GERD need to do differently when it comes to starting solid foods? In this episode pediatric gastroenterologist Peter Lu, MD is joining me to run through how having GERD affects a baby's ability to do baby-led weaning. Dr. Lu specializes in motility disorders and is a real life first time dad of baby Emma. They’re doing baby-led weaning with her, so he knows exactly what you’re going through too!If you’ve ever been told that starting solid foods early will help manage a baby's GERD, Dr. Lu...
2021-11-2527 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhich Thanksgiving Foods Can Babies Safely Eat?#181: Bring that baby up to the table for Thanksgiving! In this episode we’re digging through the Thanksgiving menu to find foods that babies can safely eat for baby-led weaning. From turkey to mashed potatoes and roasted veggies on the side, I’m sharing my favorite Thanksgiving foods for babies (plus advice on which holiday meal foods to pass on too).Listen to this episode to learn:
Turkey - and why we prefer the dark meat (legs, wings, thighs) over turkey breast...plus what to do about the gravy
Potatoes - mashed potatoes are a...
2021-11-2212 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroFood Allergies FAQs with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH#180: Does feeding allergenic foods to your baby freak you out? In this episode we are joined by leading food allergy researcher and author Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH for a food allergy question and answer session.From timing of introduction of allergenic foods for babies, to the amounts of protein to be feeding and whether foods are better than supplements for preventing food allergy, Dr. Gupta is answering all of your most frequently asked questions about introducing allergenic foods for babies.Listen to this episode to learn:
Prevalence of...
2021-11-1835 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy I Wait to Feed These 5 Foods#179: Babies can eat MOST foods if they’re prepared safely...but there are a few baby-led weaning foods I prefer to wait to feed. Inside of this episode I’m breaking down 5 foods that I wait on when teaching babies how to eat...and why!Listen to this episode to learn:
Meat on the bone for baby-led weaning
Corn on the cob for baby-led weaning
Watermelon (and why babies don’t need extra water early on in self-feeding)
Canned beans for baby-led weaning
Bread for baby-led weaning
Shownotes for this e...
2021-11-1518 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhite Meat Your Baby Can Safely Eat#178: What is white meat and is it safe for babies to eat? In this episode we are exploring various types of white meat: poultry and fish, including ideal cuts and preparation methods of each that are safest for baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
How red meat and white meat differ because of the amount of myoglobin, a protein in blood that carries oxygen to the cells of the body
White meats include poultry and fish, and a few tips about selecting each for BLW:
Poultry:
Dark meat from chicken and tu...
2021-11-1114 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroRed Meat Your Baby Can Safely Eat#177: Red meat vs. white meat: what’s the difference when it comes to feeding your baby? In this episode we’re looking at some ideal cuts of red meat for baby-led weaning. From classification to nutrition and fat content, this episode explores your best bets when it comes to red meat and feeding babies.Listen to this episode to learn:
How red meat and white meat differ because of the amount of myoglobin, a protein in blood that carries oxygen to the cells of the body
Red meats include livestock: beef, lamb, pork and...
2021-11-0814 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBLW at the Butcher: Identifying Ideal Cuts of Meat for Babies with 4th Generation Butcher Cara Nicoletti#176: Can babies safely eat meat? You bet! In this episode Cara Nicoletti, a 4th generation butcher is helping to identify some ideal cuts of meat for baby-led weaning. Not all meat cuts are safe for babies, and not all meat preparation methods are either...but once you know the few key cuts, your baby can certainly safely self-feed a variety of meats!Listen to this episode to learn:
How to select different cuts of meat from different animals...and why the round and loin are 2 cuts we generally s...
2021-11-0429 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPork: How to Safely Prepare Pork for Baby-Led Weaning#175: If your family eats animal products, pork can be a great first food for baby-led weaning. In this episode I’m walking you through the meat counter at your store identifying cuts of pork that are easy to make safe for baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
Benefits of offering baby pork from nutrition, taste, texture and iron standpoint too
What cuts of pork are ideal for baby-led weaning (as well as the cuts of pork that I steer clear of when feeding babies and why)
Some easy ideas for safely in...
2021-11-0122 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroFostering Food Neutrality from Baby's First Bites with @raisingbodypositivekids Riley Peterson, RD#174: Do you ever catch yourself saying negative things about food at mealtime even when you don’t realize you’re doing it? Our babies and kids are watching and listening and our words are shaping their relationship with food even from their first bites. In this episode I’m interviewing dietitian and body positive coach Riley Peterson from @raisingbodypositive kids about how we can create a more food neutral household.Using this positive language and avoiding certain words about food can go a long way in helping to avoid the charged associations with foods that m...
2021-10-2820 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroMore BLW Q&A: Ask Me Anything with Katie Ferraro#173: In this part two episode, I’m answering your called-in baby-feeding questions that you just can’t find the answer to anywhere. We will cover exposure to allergens, what “counts” as a food exposure and how to expand baby’s palate.Listen to this episode to learn:
Exposure to allergens: how many times does a baby need to be introduced to the top allergens before it counts as “safe”?
Counting introductions: What “counts” as an introduction to food? Does it count if the baby doesn’t eat it?
Toddler’s palate: How to expand the palate of a...
2021-10-2516 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHigh Chair Positioning: Reduce Choking Risk Using This One Simple Move with Jeff Durkee of Nomi High Chair#172: Positioning your baby properly in a high chair is easier than you think! In this episode we’re joined by Jeff Durkee from Nomi High Chair who is sharing some simple tips for helping your baby get seated safely in the high chair. One trick in particular can drastically reduce your baby’s risk of choking too!Listen to this episode to learn:
Why most high chairs do not come with an adjustable footplate (the Nomi does) and how this feature helps reduce baby’s choking risk
How using a feeding chair that grows...
2021-10-2130 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBLW: Ask Me Anything Q&A with Katie Ferraro#171: Ever had one of those burning baby-feeding questions and you just can’t find the answer anywhere? In this episode I’m tackling a few of your called-in questions about baby-led weaning...the ones that are really stumping you or that you’re just plain stuck on. Listen to this episode to learn:
Restaurant management of baby-led weaning: what do you do to allow your baby to self-feed at a restaurant but not bug the heck out of everyone with the mess your BLW baby makes?
Starting solid food timelines: what are some ideas o...
2021-10-1817 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroSensory 101: What Motivates Babies to Eat? with Marsha Dunn Klein, OTR/L, MEd#170: If “learning to eat is a sensory experience,” ...what does that really mean? In today’s episode renowned pediatric feeding expert Marsha Dunn Klein is teaching us all about Sensory 101 and what motivates babies to eat.Marsha Dunn Klein wrote the first book on pediatric feeding. She is known for her “Get Permission Approach” which teaches us how to offer and not demand performance at mealtimes with our babies. In this episode she’s sharing the sensory aspects that babies experience during baby-led weaning and how they are tied to intrinsic motivations to self-feed.
2021-10-1433 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroIron: Does My Baby Really Need to Eat 11mg Iron Per Day?#169: Does your baby need to be eating 11 mg iron per day? If you look quickly at the recommendations for infants you’ll see 11 mg per day for babies 6-12 months. So do you need to be counting mg of iron for your baby? And can babies even get enough iron from the foods they eat? Inside of this episode we’ll be looking at iron needs for babies and how you can easily help your baby meet iron needs by offering a variety of real, wholesome foods using baby-led weaning.More in depth iron food...
2021-10-1122 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBLW Fears: Advice for Overcoming Infant Feeding Fears from 5 BLW Experts#168: What’s holding you back from going FULL ON with baby-led weaning? Maybe you’re on the fence about whether you can truly skip traditional spoon-feeding...or you’re nervous about gagging and choking, or you’re worried your baby will have an allergic reaction when you try allergenic foods.Today I’m interviewing 5 feeding experts about overcoming feeding fears. They’re talking you down from all the biggest BLW worries with expert advice The expert guests addressing your feeding fears in this episode are:
Amy Brown, Ph...
2021-10-0721 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPreventing Processed Food Addiction from Baby's First Bites with Joan Ifland, PhD#166: Can you become addicted to processed foods? Dr. Ifland is the world’s leading expert in processed food addiction & the co-Author of the textbook Processed Food Addiction: Foundations, Assessment & Recovery. Today’s guest, Dr. Joan Ifland speaks to us about processed food addiction while sharing her own experience. Listen to this episode to learn:
Why processed food addiction occurs and what we can do to prevent it from baby’s first bites
Tips for dealing with overwhelm when faced with food purchase decisions at the grocery store
How to make peace with the presenc...
2021-09-3016 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroLamb: How to Safely Prepare Lamb for Baby-Led Weaning#165: Your baby can safely eat lamb. Lamb is one of my favorite baby-led weaning foods and in this episode I’m sharing how you can safely prepare lamb so that your baby can self-feed this important food from 6 months of age on.If you’re intimidated by cooking meat - especially roasts - or if you’re not entirely convinced your baby can eat lamb, take a listen and learn how. I promise lamb is going to be one of your favorite go-to BLW foods!Listen to this episode to lea...
2021-09-2720 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroElimination Communication: Can Your Baby Go Diaper Free? with Andrea Olson#164: Did you know babies can potty from birth? I had no idea until my guest Andrea Olson from @godiaperfree came on the podcast to educate us about Elimination Communication (EC). EC is a gentle, non-coercive way to respond to a baby’s natural hygiene needs...and Andrea is the diaper free GURU here to teach us how and why!Just like babies have the desire and ability to feed themselves solid food when the time is right, babies are instinctual when it comes to pottying. Andrea argues that pottying your baby can make baby-raising cl...
2021-09-2323 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow to Use Sign Language to Improve Mealtime Communication with @signngrow Mary Smith#162: Curious about communicating with your baby… especially during meal time? Today’s guest Mary Smith shares how sign language can be a fun and educational learning experience for both parent and baby!Mary Smith @signngrow is a Licensed Educational American Sign Language Interpreter in Colorado with a degree in Deaf Studies. She is the founder and instructor at Sign ‘n Grow where she teaches parents how to communicate with their babies early. Listen to this episode to learn:
Signing does not delay speech; using sign language with hearing childre...
2021-09-1623 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy White Rice Cereal Should Not Be Your Baby's First Food with Alan Greene, MD#160: Did your doctor tell you to start solid foods with iron-fortified white rice cereal? Today’s guest Dr. Alan Greene is working hard to change the way physicians talk to parents and caregivers about starting solid foods...and he wants everyone to stop recommending white rice cereal as a first food for babies!Dr. Alan Greene founded the White Out movement in 2010 to educate pediatricians and parents about the drawbacks of reliance on white rice cereal. In this episode he’s explaining the history of the White Out movement, the negative impact white rice cere...
2021-09-0923 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow Premature Babies Can Succeed with BLW with @doctorterrimd Terri Major-Kincade, MD#158: Calling all preemie parents. Have you been told that premature babies can’t do baby-led weaning? Well it’s not true and premature babies CAN successfully start solid foods using the baby-led weaning approach.In this episode I’m joined by neonatologist and pediatrician Dr. Terri Major-Kincade. She provides critical care services to preterm and term infants in the NICU. Dr. Kincade runs a NICU follow up program where she sees premature babies getting ready to make the transition to solid foods.Dr. Kincade is talking about the unique nutrie...
2021-09-0234 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroYogurt: How to Choose the Right Yogurt for Baby-Led Weaning#157: Can babies eat yogurt? And why is yogurt ok if babies should not have fluid cow’s milk until they turn 1? In this episode we’re exploring the yogurt aisle, with tips on what to look for - and what to leave out - when you’re looking for a yogurt to offer your baby for baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
WHAT type of yogurt babies can eat...and spoiler alert: you don’t have to be buying baby yogurt. Babies can eat regular yogurt, but there are a few tips in...
2021-08-3013 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroI Didn't Do BLW with My First Baby(ies)...but Now I Want to with @theperfectmom Desiree Fortin#156: What if you didn’t do BLW with your oldest baby or babies but now you want to try it out with this baby? Baby-led weaning is one of the VERY FEW things that appeals to a second-time mom...because oftentimes you’re working with a picky eater toddlers and you’d like to avoid that with your current baby.Desiree Fortin was in the exact same boat: she did not do BLW with her triplets...heck, she didn’t even KNOW what baby-led weaning was. But when it came time for her daughter Cambria...
2021-08-2627 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBitter Vegetables: How to Safely Feed Bitter Vegetables for Baby-Led Weaning#155: Can babies eat bitter vegetables? Or is it dangerous to offer bitter foods to your baby? Babies benefit from a variety of taste and flavor exposures, including bitter vegetables. And a baby may need to see a food 10-15 times before he or she likes or accepts it...so don’t turn your back on bitter vegetables just because your baby has rejected these foods a few times!In this episode we’re exploring bitter vegetables: why should we feed these foods to babies? How do you make bitter vegetables safe for babies to self...
2021-08-2324 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPregnant and Starting Solids: Juggling Back-to-Back Babies with @mommylabornurse Liesel Teen, RN#154: This one’s for the mamas who are doing that back-to-back baby thing! What if you’re pregnant but you’re still working on transitioning your existing baby to solid foods? Moms who find themselves in this situation have a unique set of needs as they need to nourish themselves, their growing baby and their older baby too!Liesel Teen, RN from @mommy.labornurse is joining me in this episode to talk about what pregnant moms can do if they’re also dealing with an existing baby and trying to figure out baby-led weaning at the s...
2021-08-1940 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroZinc: How to Get Enough Zinc with Baby-Led Weaning Foods#153: Zinc is kind of like iron’s lesser known micronutrient sibling. It’s not as talked about, but it’s role in growth and development for babies is really important. And while breastmilk and/or formula will meet your baby’s zinc needs for the first 6 months or so of life...it is important to start including zinc containing foods when you start baby-led weaning.In this episode we’re looking at zinc and what it does for babies’ growth and health...but also how you can offer foods that contain zinc to ensure your baby is...
2021-08-1716 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow Do I Know if My Baby Needs Feeding Therapy with @msdawnslp Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP#152: When does a baby need feeding therapy? And how do I know if my baby needs feeding therapy? Even the phrase “feeding therapy” strikes fear into the hearts of parents and caregivers…but feeding therapy is not a bad thing! In this episode I’m interviewing baby-led weaning expert and feeding therapist Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP to explore feeding therapy for infants.Dawn and I co-teach a number of baby-led weaning programs together, but in this interview we’re exploring feeding therapy for babies. What are the signs of feeding disorders? Is my baby’s feeding is...
2021-08-1221 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhole Grains: How to Safely Feed Whole Grains for Baby-Led Weaning#151: Can babies eat whole grains? Can they digest whole grains? Is it safe to offer whole grains? Yes, yes and yes! In this episode we’re looking at why whole grains are why they are an ideal alternative to refined grains for babies who are just starting solid foods with baby-led weaning.If you are curious about how to make whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat, millet and kamut safe for babies to eat...this episode explains why you want to feed these foods, ideas on how you can make whole grains for babies to ea...
2021-08-1121 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPouches: Why Your Baby Doesn’t Need to Suck Pureed Food Out of Pouches with @msdawnslp Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP#149: What are the drawbacks of using baby food pouches? In this episode I’m joined by pediatric swallowing expert and speech language pathologist Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP to talk about why your baby does not need to suck puree food out of a pouch. Ms Dawn and I are breaking down the limitations of pouches from cost, developmental and nutrition standpoints. While pouches are certainly convenient, their persistent use can actually inhibit your baby’s ability to achieve certain growth, nutrition and developmental milestones.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why we want babi...
2021-08-0223 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroAvocado Day: How to Safely Feed Avocados for Baby-Led WeaningAvocados are the ideal first food for baby-led weaning. That’s because when ripe they are the perfect texture for starting solid foods, you can cut them into strips that babies can pick up and self-feed and avocados are packed with nutrition. In this episode we’re celebrating National Avocado Day with a rundown of how to safely feed babies avocados for baby-led weaning. Listen to this episode to learn:
How to expedite ripening of your avocados
How to safely cut an avocado so you don’t slice your hand
How to serve the avo...
2021-07-3118 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow Cleft Lip & Cleft Palate Babies can Succeed in Self-Feeding with Vikash K. Modi, MD#148: Can babies with cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate successfully do baby-led weaning? July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness month and in this episode I’m joined by Vikash K. Modi, MD. Dr. Modi is a Pediatric Otorhinolaryngologist and Co-Director of the Cornell Cleft & Craniofacial Program.He’s explaining the difference between cleft lip and cleft palate and why cleft lip babies will have no difficulty with baby-led weaning and starting solids. For babies with cleft palates, there may be more challenges but Dr. Modi shares tips for promoting self-feeding succ...
2021-07-2921 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHelp! Nobody Around Me Understands Baby-Led Weaning#147: What if you are the only one who wants to do baby-led weaning? It can feel isolating when other people don’t understand why you are choosing to skip traditional spoon-feeding with your baby. There are many benefits to baby-led weaning, but helping others understand what those are can feel overwhelming.In this episode I’m helping walk you through 4 essential steps for helping those around you understand the WHY when it comes to baby-led weaning. These are my “4 E’s for Easing Others into BLW”: Educate, Experience, Explain & Exhibit...and once you have them down...
2021-07-2617 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroSetting Your Baby's Sleep Schedule when Starting Solids with @babysleepdr Aubrie DeBear, PsyD#146: Should your baby be sleeping through the night before you start solid foods? And how does a baby's sleep schedule adjust when you begin feeding real food? Sleep is SO important for babies (...and by extension, their parents!) but what comes first: setting your baby’s sleep schedule or starting the transition to solid foods?In this episode I’m joined by Aubrie DeBear from @babysleepdr. Aubrie is a sleep consultant with a doctorate in psychology and she’s answering all of your questions about setting your baby’s sleep schedule when making the transiti...
2021-07-2222 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhat Did Babies Eat Before Baby Food was Invented? with Amy Bentley, PhD#144: Do you ever take a look at all of the crazy baby food items for sale today and wonder: how did they get here? What did people feed their babies before the advent of commercial baby foods? Do babies need to eat pouches? Do I need to buy baby food?As a new mom who also happened to be a food historian, my guest Amy Bentley definitely did. She is a professor in the department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University and author of the book “Inventing baby Food: Taste, Health an...
2021-07-1537 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow to Make Fritters for Self-Feeding Babies#143: Fritters are an easy way to help your baby safely eat smaller pieces of food early on in baby-led weaning. You can incorporate cooked whole grains, proteins and various types of cooked vegetables in fritters that your baby can then self-feed. In this episode we’re talking about the components of a basic baby-led weaning fritter recipe as well as substitution ideas if your baby doesn’t eat eggs. Listen to this episode to learn:
What are the basic ingredients of a fritter? ...including ratios of ingredients and egg substitution ideas if baby is al...
2021-07-1219 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBLW Basics: Is My Baby Ready to Start Solid Foods?#141: How do I know if my baby is ready to start solid foods with baby-led weaning? What are the reliable signs of readiness to self-feed that we should be looking out for as the baby approaches 6 months? In this episode as part of our BLW Basics series we’re going through the signs of readiness to start solid foods for babies.Listen to this episode to learn:
What if my baby isn’t sitting independently at or around 6 months of age?
How do I adjust my baby’s age if the baby was born p...
2021-07-0512 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroNational Baby-Led Weaning Day: It's a Thing with Gill Rapley, PhDThe first ever NATIONAL BABY-LED WEANING DAY is July 1, 2021. But why? Well, July 1 is right at the 6 month mark in the calendar year. If your baby was born January 1, on July 1 your baby would be 6 months of age. In this episode Gill Rapley is going to explain the other reliable signs of readiness to eat that your baby should be demonstrating, but with BLW day we’re driving awareness to the importance of waiting until the 6 month mark to start solid foods.We’re also chatting about the history of introducing solid foods and why...
2021-07-0127 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroMy BLW Baby at 12 Months Old: What Comes Next?#139: What nutrition and feeding changes happen when your baby turns 1 year old? What foods should a toddler eat that are different than in infancy? In this episode we’re looking at your 12 month old baby-led weaning baby, who is about to not be a baby anymore! This episode covers topics about monitoring growth in the 2nd year of life, how to wean your baby off the bottle, how calorie and nutrient needs change (slightly) and the 2 biggest things that sabotage the toddler’s diet: milk and snacks.Listen to this episode to learn:
When...
2021-06-2818 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroMom-Shaming: How to Deal When Others Don't Get Your Feeding Choices with Chriselle Lim#138 What do you do if other people don’t agree with the way you have decided to feed your baby? It can be especially hurtful when you’re feeling judged by other moms about doing baby-led weaning or bypassing traditional spoon-feeding.In this episode Chriselle Lim is joining me to talk about how to deal when others don’t get why you are choosing to feed your kids a certain way. Chriselle is a stylist and digital content creator in the fashion, family and lifestyle space. Whether you have 1 follower or millions like Chriselle, it sti...
2021-06-2430 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroIron: Can My Baby Get Enough Iron from Baby-Led Weaning Foods?#137: Will my baby get enough iron if I do baby-led weaning? And what are the best high iron foods for babies to eat? Your baby can eat real foods that have iron (and you do not have to feed iron-fortified baby foods foods if you don’t want to!)Babies CAN get adequate iron from natural food sources of iron, including both plants and animal foods. In this episode we’re looking at some of the myths and facts about high iron foods for baby-led weaning. Also covered is a list of high iron food...
2021-06-2121 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPeanut Butter Puffs for Safely Introducing Peanuts to Babies: A Conversation with @puffworks founder Greg Murphy#136 Early introduction of peanut protein for babies helps prevent against peanut allergy. But how do you safely introduce peanuts if thick globs of peanut butter are a choking hazard for babies? Greg Murphy, serial entrepreneur and food allergy dad is the founder and President of Puffworks, a company he started when he decided he wanted to improve on existing puffed peanut butter snack foods. Little did Greg know how important Puffworks Baby would become as an ideal way to use food to help prevent food allergies in babies! In ad...
2021-06-1725 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroToddler Milks: Why You Don't Need to Buy These Formulas##135: Does my baby need a toddler milk or a toddler formula after turning 1? What if you’re worried about growth or brain development or immunity, do these products make toddlers healthier? The answer is no, you don’t need to be buying these formula products and I’m breaking down every reason why.In this episode we’re looking at toddler milks, the fastest growing sector of the US formula market...and for good reason. The marketing behind these products is INSANE and you’ll be amazed at how brazen the formula companies are in pushing...
2021-06-1426 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroSauces, Dippers & Toppers for Making BLW Foods Safe with @babyledfeeding Aileen Cox Blundell#134 - Dry meats and breads can be a choking hazard...but adding sauces, dippers and toppers is an easy way to make these foods safer for baby-led weaning. I’m joined by Aileen Cox Blundell of @babyledfeeding who is sharing some super sauce ideas for BLW.The commercial sauces you buy at the store also tend to be too high in sodium for babies to eat, so Aileen is dishing on making dips and homemade sauces that are affordable, easy to put together and that you can freeze for future use....
2021-06-1024 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroDon’t Drip Food: How to Pre-Portion for Baby-Led Weaning#133: What’s the deal with dripping food? Dripping food is our control-freak way of regulating the pace of baby’s eating...and while it may seem harmless (and cleaner!) dripping can actually interfere with your baby’s ability to learn HOW to eat independently and to recognize and respond to their own hunger and fullness cues.In this episode we’re talking about the draw-backs of dripping food piece by piece for baby-led weaning. Learning how to appropriately pre-portion your baby’s food is a better alternative to dripping and here’s how you do it!
2021-06-0716 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroCPR Skills that can Save Your Baby's Life when Choking with Brandon & Caitlyn Doersken#132: What can you do to get ready for starting solid foods before your baby is ready? Take an infant refresher CPR course. Getting your infant CPR skills up to snuff is incredibly important when preparing to start solid foods and baby-led weaning. Choking is a very rare - but real - risk, and knowing CPR can save your baby’s life.In this episode I’m interviewing Brandon Doersken, who along with his wife Caitlyn run an online CPR training institute. I’ve been a huge fan of their courses since COVID forced all learni...
2021-06-0324 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroDairy Free Cooking for Food Allergies Babies with Kathlena The Allergy Chef#131: Are you struggling to cook for your family with food allergies? In this episode, I’m joined by Kathlena who is The Allergy Chef to talk all about dairy-free cooking. Kathlena has almost 200 allergies and intolerances and created The Allergy Chef to help families navigate cooking while considering food allergies. She and her team have published cookbooks, do nation-wide outreach, create free resources and recipes, and have a bakery! She dives into cross-contamination, substitutes for cooking, her own family food allergy story, and more!Listen to this episode to lea...
2021-05-3114 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy Benadryl is Not the Best Idea when Introducing Allergenic Foods with @raisinggoodparents Phil Boucher, MD#130: Do you need to have Benadryl at the ready when introducing your baby to solid foods? I’ve always recommended parents discuss with their pediatrician and know their baby’s Benadryl dose in the event they need to use it when introducing allergenic foods. But Dr. Phil Boucher has a much different take. He does NOT recommend using Benadryl and has some very good reasons why he prefers an alternative to have on hand when you’re starting solid foods.In this episode I’m joined by pediatrician Phil Boucher, MD from @raisinggoodparents talking about al...
2021-05-2736 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroExploring the Eczema & Food Allergy Risk Link with Rebecca Hartman, MD MPH#129 Did you know that varying degrees of eczema in your baby can impact food allergy risk? In this episode dermatologist, BLW and food allergy mom Rebecca Hartman, MD, MPH is joining me to talk about how eczema and food allergy risk are linked.Dr. Hartman is part of the Evereden skincare brand’s team of “Moms in Medicine”. She helps co-create formulas and in this episode is also breaking down what ingredients you want to look for when selecting skincare (...and what to skip) because what you put ON your baby’s body is just as...
2021-05-2428 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroIntroducing Allergenic Foods: Ask Us Anything with Ron Sunog, MD and Katie Ferraro, MPH, RDN, CDE#128: There are no dumb questions when it comes to food allergy awareness! In this episode my colleague pediatrician Ron Sunog, MD and I are answering YOUR questions about introducing allergenic foods to your baby.What if the parent has a food allergy, will the baby inherit it? How much of an allergenic food do you introduce in order for it to “count”? What about feeding babies with peanut allergy peanut oil, how to handle reintroducing cow’s milk foods if baby had cow’s milk intolerance and lots more!Dr. Suno...
2021-05-2020 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow Do Vegan Families Introduce Potentially Allergenic Foods? with @plantbasedjuniors Alexandra Caspero, MS, RD and Whitney English, MS, RD#127: How can babies be plant based and still meet their nutrient needs? In this episode I’m joined by Whitney English, MS, RD and Alexandra Caspero, MS, RD - two dietitians known collectively as @plantbasedjuniors.Whitney and Alex are sharing their expertise about raising plant-based children, including how families who don’t eat animal products can introduce allergenic foods. The Big 8 allergenic foods (the 8 foods that account for about 90% of food allergy) include 4 animal foods...and whether or not and how to feed for vegan families can be a stick...
2021-05-1736 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroEAT THE 8: How to Use Food to Prevent Food Allergy (...and skip the supplement powder stuff!)#126: When did allergenic food introduction become about feeding babies supplements and powders and stick-packs? What about good old fashioned food? Research demonstrates that early introduction of allergenic foods helps prevent food allergies...but those studies were done with FOOD - not gimmicky subscription model supplement programs!My fellow FOOD FIRST colleague, Dr. Ron Sunog and I have teamed up to bring you a really novel approach to preventing food allergy in your baby...wait for it...feed your baby actual FOOD! And our new program EAT THE 8: Preventing Food Allergy with Food shows you...
2021-05-1307 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy are False Positive Results in Food Allergy Testing so Common? with David Stukus, MD#125: Did you know that up to 50% of positive food allergy test results are false positives? Parents are ALREADY anxious about introducing allergenic foods and widespread testing when not indicated is making anxiety worse.In this episode, leading allergist Dr. David Stukus is bringing us the TRUTH about food allergy testing: why it’s so rampant, why in most cases it’s not indicated and why FOOD and in-home oral food challenges are the best bet for “testing” whether or not your baby is allergic to a food.Listen to this epi...
2021-05-1029 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroInterviewing my Mom: How She Didn’t Like BLW at First & Why She ChangedBONUS 6: Ever been told by your mom, “Well, you were spoon-fed and you turned out just fine?!” SAME. It took my mom a LONG time to come around to baby-led weaning. In this special Mother’s Day episode I’m interviewing my own mom, Mary Clark, RD - aka Granny. We’re chatting about how she introduced solids with me 42 years ago, how that changed for her next 5 kids and what she REALLY thinks about baby-led weaning 20 grandkids later.Happy Mother’s Day to all of you...you are doing a FABUL...
2021-05-0722 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHELP! My Baby has a Contact Rash from a New Food with Ron Sunog, MD#123 What if your baby gets a red rash or a contact rash around the mouth or lips when trying a new food? Is this something to worry about? Will it go away on its own? Or is it a sign of a bigger problem?Pediatrician Dr. Ron Sunog who specializes in preventing food allergy with food is joining me to teach about what to do if your baby gets a contact rash from new foods. He’ll explain why this happens, what causes it and what to do when your baby does have a ra...
2021-05-0321 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroNon-toxic Household Cleaners that Actually Clean Food Mess with Branch Basics Co-Founder Allison Evans#122: The MESS associated with baby-led weaning can be very off putting for parents. Although we can’t avoid the mess and getting messy is part of how your baby learns to eat, we can be selective in what cleaning products we choose for cleaning up food mess.In this episode I’m interviewing Branch Basics Co-Founder Allison Evans. Branch Basics makes a line of non-toxic household cleaners that ACTUALLY effectively clean food mess!Allison is a mom of 2 who found improved health outcomes for her whole family once she “tossed...
2021-04-2933 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroAcidic Foods for Babies: Does the pH of a Food Matter?#121: What’s up with the pH of baby foods? Can babies eat acidic foods? Should I avoid acidic foods for babies? Does the pH of the foods we feed our babies even matter? In this episode I’m diving into the data about acidic foods and feeding them to babies. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it safe for babies to eat tomatoes?” or “Is the alkaline diet safe for babies?” check out this episode for all the info you need to know on the pH of foods that we offer to babies.L...
2021-04-2612 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhen Cow's Milk Doesn't Cut it with Simona Irwin of Kabrita USA#120: Ever heard of a formula company who lists “generosity” as one of their corporate values? I hadn’t either, until I discovered Kabrita. As part of our series spotlighting female-run feeding companies, in this episode I’m interviewing Simona Irwin, the General Manager of Kabrita USA.Kabrita USA makes gentle goat milk nutrition products for little ones who don’t do well with cow’s milk. Maybe your baby has eczema or gut problems with cow’s milk foods...well in that case you might be interested in exploring goat milk as an...
2021-04-2226 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroPremature Babies: How to Estimate & Adjust Age for Starting Solids#119: When can premature babies start solid foods? If your baby was born before 40 weeks gestation you might have heard the term “adjusted age”. In this episode we’re analyzing this concept of adjusted or corrected age and determining what it’s telling us about your baby’s readiness to start solid foods.Babies who were born early need additional time to catch up developmentally before they are safe to start solid foods. Learn how to calculate your baby’s adjusted age, how long you need to use this corrected age for and the other signs to loo...
2021-04-1914 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWhy I Built a Better Bib with Bapron Baby Founder Kelsey Larsen#118: Everybody knows a good bib is essential for starting solid foods. But not all bibs are really the best bets for babies. Kelsey Larsen’s first baby had a lot of sensory issues with standard bibs and that inspired her to create her signature Baprons and start her company Bapron Baby. Baprons are a pinafore-style bib that tie in the back under your baby’s shoulder blades. They’re a baby-led weaning bib that keeps your baby clean, but don’t restrict your baby’s movement and development like other full-coverage bibs with sleeves do. ...
2021-04-1537 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroGame Meat: How to Offer Game Meats Safely to Your Baby#117: Is it safe for babies to eat game meat? We’re talking about venison and deer, elk, moose, wild boar and other wild animals and birds...how do you make them safe for babies to eat?Game meat offers unique taste and texture opportunities for your baby...but there are some safety precautions to take to ensure the meat is being handled and prepared in a way that does not harm the baby.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why game meats are more lean than domesticated animal me...
2021-04-1215 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroEczema Management and Skincare Made by Moms in Medicine with Evereden Founder Kimberley Ho#116: Kimberly Ho quit her job as an investment banker after seeing some of the shadier sides of so-called green and clean cosmetic and skin-care companies. She launched Evereden with the belief that there could be a truly clean line of skin-care for babies and moms.What we put ON our babies’ skin and why it’s just as important as what we put IN their bodies. Kim’s company Evereden employs a “Moms in Medicine” team of highly respected leading pediatric dermatologists who are also moms and involved in choosing every aspect of what goes IN (a...
2021-04-0833 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBRAT Diet for Babies with Diarrhea: Does it Work?#115: The BRAT diet has been recommended for decades as a way to combat diarrhea. BRAT is an acronym standing for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. But does BRAT work and should it be used for babies?In this episode we’re looking at diarrheal disease in babies: what causes it and what steps should be taken to help babies who have diarrhea. Do you need to cut out milk and dairy if your baby has diarrhea? What types of foods can babies who have diarrhea eat? ...and is the BRAT diet safe for babies?
2021-04-0514 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroTransitioning to Cow's Milk: How Do I Do This?#113: How do I transition to cow's milk from breastmilk or formula? What age do I make the switch? What are the nutritional benefits of cow's milk?In this episode, I'll walk you through the transition (hint: it's not for the beginners!) to cow's milk IF that's what is right for your family. I also cover cow's milk as an allergenic food and how the introduction is different from fluid cow's milk. Lastly, I touch on how milk might be affecting your toddler's hunger during mealtime. Happy listening!Shownotes for...
2021-03-2915 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroDitching Diet Culture: Fostering Your Baby’s Healthy Food Relationship with Vanessa Rissetto, MS, RD#112: If you’re feeling stressed about feeding your baby, I’ve got an interview that’s going to set your mind at ease. Vanessa Rissetto, MS, RD is joining me to talk about ditching diet culture and how you can help foster your baby’s healthy relationship with food.Vanessa is a mom of 2 and a Registered Dietitian in private practice and also the dietetic internship director at New York University. Essence Magazine named her “one of the top nutritionists who will change the way you think about food”, and she does not mince words when i...
2021-03-2541 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroCatch-Up Weight: Why Starting Solids Early Will Not Help Your Baby Gain Weight with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD#110: Will starting solid foods early help your baby with catch-up weight? What if your baby is small or low on the growth chart, will solid foods help regaining weight? In today’s episode I’m joined by pediatric dietitian, Rosan Meyer, PhD, MSc to talk about why we don’t use food early on to support weight gain.Rosan is a researcher and practitioner specializing in childhood nutrition, growth faltering, failure to thrive and pediatric allergies. In our interview she’s breaking down topics like how to interpret your baby’s growth chart and why starti...
2021-03-1836 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroI Started Purees Too Early: Should I Stop Before Switching to BLW?#109: If you started purees and you want to switch to baby-led weaning should you stop purees? Or how do you make the transition to baby-led weaning if you began solids before 6 months of age? In this episode we’re breaking down what to do if you started solids too early and are now wondering whether you should stop before beginning baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
How the guidance about when to start solids has shifted wildly over the decades...but why every major health body now advises waiting until baby is...
2021-03-1517 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroProbiotics: Should Your Baby Be Taking Probiotics? with James Marin, RD, EN and Dahlia Marin, RDN, LD of @marriedtohealth#108: What’s up with your baby’s gut? Do babies need probiotics to help make their belly health better? In this episode I’m joined by James Marin, RD, EN and Dahlia Marin, RDN, LD of @marriedtohealth. They’re a plant-based dietitian team who help parents and clients with their unique approach to integrative medicine.In this episode we’re chatting about your baby’s microbiome (...and also your gut health!) How can foods provide the probiotic bacteria a healthy gut needs, and what foods babies can eat to make this happen. James & Dahlia also speak a...
2021-03-1131 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroCorn: How to Offer Corn Safely to Your Baby#107: Can babies eat corn? Is corn good for babies? How do I safely offer corn for my baby? In this episode we’re talking all things corn for baby-led weaning: why corn kernels are a choking hazard early on in BLW, when it’s safe to offer your baby corn on the cob, how to use cornmeal for self-feeding and how to adapt a recipe for cornbread to make it ok for your baby to eat.Listen to this episode to learn:
Corn kernels - why babies should not be fed small individual corn...
2021-03-0812 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroOne Pot or Pan Dinner Ideas for Baby-Led Weaning with Ellie Krieger, MS, RDN#106: Yes, making wholesome food for your baby from scratch sounds amazing...but who has all day to do it?! Babies can eat modified versions of the same foods the rest of the family eats, and Ellie Krieger is going to show you how to do it using only one pot or one pan! Ellie Krieger, MS, RDN is a culinary nutritionist who helps you find the sweet spot where delicious and healthy meet. She’s the host of public television series “Ellie’s Real Good Food” and previously hosted “Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger” on the Food N...
2021-03-0435 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow the Lucky Iron Fish Can Increase Iron Absorption with Founder & CEO Gavin Armstrong, PhD#104: The Lucky Iron Fish is a unique kitchen tool, a piece of iron carved in the shape of a fish that you cook with for 10 minutes to release a significant amount of iron. This product is safe for babies aged 7 months+ to use and in this episode I’m interviewing the founder and CEO of Lucky Iron Fish Gavin Armstrong, PhD to learn more!If you’ve ever worried about your baby getting enough iron, or if babies who do baby-led weaning can meet their iron needs, you’re going to love what Gavin has to...
2021-02-2524 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroLiver: How to Offer Liver Safely to Babies#103: If you’re not a liver lover, then you need to listen to this episode! Liver is one of the most nutrient rich foods you can feed your baby. It’s packed with iron and fat-soluble vitamins, not to mention a really unique taste and texture experience for your baby.But how do you make liver safe for babies to eat? And how much and what type of liver is best for babies? In this episode we’re talking all about liver: what type of liver, how to prepare it, when it’s safe to feed...
2021-02-2213 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroThe Future of BLW with its Founding Philosopher Gill Rapley, PhD (Part 2)#102 Gill Rapley is the co-author of the original baby-led weaning book and the founder of the BLW movement. In this second part of our 2-part interview series, Dr. Rapley is looking ahead at where she sees the BLW movement going in the future. (In episode 100 Gill Rapley discussed the earlier stages and the history of baby-led weaning.)In this interview we’re talking about the future of baby-led weaning, including the research being done on BLW, the role of social media and how it has helped but also hindered the BLW philosophy. Dr. Rapley sh...
2021-02-1837 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroStraw Cup vs. Open Cup: Which Comes First? with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP#101: Which comes first for babies who are weaning: straw cup or open cup? Both are important when weaning off the breast or bottle and in this episode I’m joined by pediatric swallowing expert Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP who is going to talk about the importance of each, in their due time.Dawn is the designer of the new ezpz Mini Cup + Straw Training System. She is the creator of the 3-Phase Developmental Drinking System that helps transition babies through their developmentally appropriate phases of learning how to drink. In this episode she’s brea...
2021-02-1520 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroThe History of BLW with its Founding Philosopher Gill Rapley, PhD (Part 1)#100: Gill Rapley will be the first to tell you she didn’t “invent” baby-led weaning. But if you’ve read Rapley’s original baby-led weaning book, you’ll agree that she did a lot more than, as she so modestly claims, “...just gave it a name and a theoretical base”. As the founder of the baby-led weaning philosophy, GIll Rapley opened our eyes to the reality that when it comes to feeding: babies can do so much more than we give them credit for. To celebrate the 100th episode of the BABY-LED WEANING MADE EASY podcast, I’m...
2021-02-1144 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroAre Organic Foods Better for My Baby?#99: Does my baby need to eat organic foods? Are organic foods “healthier” than their conventionally grown counterparts? If you can only afford or get access to certain types of organic foods, which ones should you offer to your baby?In this episode we’re looking at organic foods to determine if they are inherently better choices for babies than are non-organic foods. We’re analyzing the nutrition, taste, environmental impact and economic considerations of selecting or not selecting organic foods when starting solids with your baby.Listen to this episode...
2021-02-0818 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroMushrooms: How to Offer Mushrooms Safely to Babies#97 Babies can eat so many more foods than we give them credit for...like mushrooms! Mushrooms are one of those foods that adults love to hate, but babies...babies will eat anything, including mushrooms! In this episode we’ll take a look at how to feed mushrooms safely to your baby for baby-led weaning. Mushrooms are a surprising source of nutrition, not to mention a unique taste and texture experience for your baby. In this episode I’m sharing a number of ways to prepare mushrooms and mushroom recipes that work well for baby-led weani...
2021-02-0115 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroHow to Talk to Your Pediatrician About BLW with Mona Amin, DO#96: What if my doctor isn’t on board with baby-led weaning? How do I talk to my pediatrician about baby-led weaning? Help! My doctor said baby-led weaning isn’t safe or it doesn’t work!! If you’ve dealt with or wondered about any of these scenarios, fear not because pediatrician Mona Amin is here to help you sort things out!In this episode Dr. Amin is sharing some practical tips for talking about baby-led weaning with your doctor. If you’re worried about choking or how to introduce allergenic foods safely to your baby, she’...
2021-01-2836 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroMake Slippery Foods Easier to Pick Up (+ Add Iron) with these 5 Ingredient Hacks#95 What if your baby has trouble picking up some of the more slippery foods with baby-led weaning? When you make soft, cooked foods for your baby they can be hard to pick up. But you can help by rolling some of the slippery foods in ingredients that not only add traction but also add iron to your baby’s diet.In this episode I’m sharing 5 ingredient hacks for rolling slippery foods in for your baby. These will help your baby pick up foods more easily while also adding some of that all-important iron. ...
2021-01-2510 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroFamily Feeding Gift Guide: Katie's BLW Gift Picks#78: If there’s a little one on your gift list (...or if you’re looking to buy for the person who helps feed that baby!) this episode is a roundup of some of my favorite family feeding gift ideas.Inside of this episode I’m sharing feeding gear & goods for different ages & stages of feeding, like what to buy before you start solids, some helpful gear for once you get going, what you need to transition to toddlerhood and ideas for moms, dads & caregivers too! Shownotes for this episode can be...
2020-11-2726 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroBONUS 3: Celebrating Dads Who Do Baby-Led WeaningBONUS #3: This one is for all of the dads who do baby-led weaning. Just in time for Father’s Day, I wanted to spotlight dad’s role in helping to raise an independent eater.For this special bonus episode I am joined by a number of BLW dads who are sharing what they have learned about baby-led weaning and why they love this approach to helping their baby start solid foods.Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there!Listen to this e...
2020-06-1920 min
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroWelcome to the Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro PodcastBabies can eat so many more foods than we give them credit for! Katie Ferraro, Registered Dietitian, baby-led weaning expert and mom of 7 helps you get a SAFE start to solid foods using baby-led weaning. Baby-led weaning helps your baby become an independent eater & prevents picky eating. Join Katie for easy-to-implement infant feeding tips and tricks that will build confidence in your baby’s ability to safely start solid food and self-feed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-04-2303 min