Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro

#94 Around 8 months, many babies start eating more confidently, drinking a little less milk, and transitioning from 3 naps to 2…so it can feel like your whole routine suddenly stops working. In this interview, pediatric sleep specialist Alejandra Zúñiga explains what’s happening during this “8-month reset,” how sleep impacts your baby’s attention at the table and family mealtimes, and what to tweak so sleep and starting solid foods can work together. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. How to recognize the signs your baby is ready to move from 3 naps to 2 around 8 months 2. Why solid foods, milk intake changes, and sleep shifts can affect each other. 3. How to improve mealtime attention and family dynamics by understanding the role sleep plays at the table. Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/94 Links from This Episode: • Visit Alejandra’s website for sleep help at https://www.easynightsgsc.com/  • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program and save $50 when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners Other Episodes Related to This Topic: • Episode 17 - Feeding Schedules: How Often Should I Feed My Baby? • Episode 146 - Setting Your Baby's Sleep Schedule when Starting Solids with @sleepfullbaby Aubrie DeBear, PsyD 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called ⁠BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS⁠. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. ⁠CLICK HERE TO JOIN⁠ and use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow ⁠@babyledweanteam⁠ on Instagram and our ⁠Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel⁠ for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. ⁠Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts⁠ or ⁠rate this show on Spotify podcasts⁠ and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing new foods to your baby doesn't mean you can't bring back familiar ones! Repeated exposure helps build comfort with a variety of tastes, particularly allergenic foods, which can reduce the risk of allergies. An effective mealtime strategy includes letting your baby explore a new food while also enjoying familiar favorites. Practical tips emphasize structured meal approaches and engaging activities that support toddlers beyond screens. Discover how small changes can make a big difference in your baby's feeding journey!

#92: Ever wonder why some high chairs seem to “work” for starting solid foods while others leave your baby slumped, feet dangling, and frustrated? In this episode, I’m joined by physiotherapist and ergonomist Kirsti Vandraas to break down what a safe, supportive baby seat should actually do. We cover the key features that matter most for independent eating—like a stable base, an adjustable footrest, and a setup that lets your baby move their arms freely. Kirsti also explains why high chair designs and safety standards can vary between countries, and what parents can do to create a safer, more comfortable eating setup at home. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. Why high chair expectations differ in the U.S. vs. Europe, and how that shapes designs that bring your baby right up to the table for family meals (often without a tray). 2. How straps and restrictive setups can get in the way of functional movement at meals—and when kids are developmentally ready for more freedom in their seat. 3. Why a truly adjustable footrest matters for stability and torso control, supporting an upright “ready-to-eat” posture from your baby’s first bites. Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/92 Links from This Episode: • Get a free $80 tray for the Stokke Nomi High Chair or the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair (or free $70 Tripp Trapp cushion) when you purchase either high chair using the code BLWTEAM here • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program and save $50 when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50  • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners Other Episodes Related to This Topic: • Episode 7 - Why Your Baby’s High Chair Needs a Footrest • Episode 488 - Best High Chairs for Baby-Led Weaning • Episode 490 - Tripp Trapp vs. Nomi High Chair: Which One is Better? 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. CLICK HERE TO JOIN and use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow @babyledweanteam on Instagram and our Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts or rate this show on Spotify podcasts and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover how to effortlessly start baby-led weaning with pantry staples you likely already own. Learn about safe spices, canned fruits and vegetables, and versatile legumes perfect for little ones. Get inspired by practical strategies from a 10-day pantry challenge and tips on reading labels. The importance of nutrition and proper preparation methods shines through, making mealtime enjoyable and safe for your baby. Plus, receive helpful resources for easy meal planning and ideas to incorporate into your kitchen routine!

#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 about why baby-led weaning doesn’t promise to prevent picky eating (but can help make it less intense) and share practical ways to involve older siblings in the kitchen and at the table when your baby is learning how to eat. This episode is especially helpful if you’re worried about “messing it up again” with your baby or wondering how to manage different eating stages under the same roof. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. Why baby-led weaning doesn’t prevent picky eating—but can make it less intense and easier to manage 2. How to involve older siblings in the kitchen and at the table when your baby is starting solid foods 3. Practical ways to support a more selective eater without pressure while your baby learns to self-feed Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/90 Links from This Episode: • Little Partners Learning Tower - we have 2 of these that you pull up to the counter so your toddlers and bigger kids can safely help you cook. Linking to this tower on Amazon here (this is an affiliate link). • Check out Dani Lebovitz’s books about fruits and vegetables… she has tons of resources for getting kids more aware about produce, teaching them in age appropriate ways & her site with all of her resources is here and she’s on Instagram @kids.food.explorers  • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program  and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. CLICK HERE TO JOIN and use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow @babyledweanteam on Instagram and our Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts or rate this show on Spotify podcasts and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#89 The freezer aisle isn’t off-limits when you’re starting solid foods…you just need to know what to look for. In this episode, I’m breaking down 5 freezer aisle finds that actually work for baby-led weaning, including what to check on labels and how to serve these foods safely to your baby. If you’ve been avoiding the middle of the store because you thought frozen foods were packed with junk your baby shouldn’t eat, this episode just might change how you shop! Listen to this episode to learn: 1. Which frozen foods are actually safe for baby-led weaning…and how to spot low-sodium, no–added sugar options without overthinking labels 2. How to save time and mental energy while starting solid foods, using freezer aisle staples that work for real life, not just Pinterest boards 3. What it’s like to feel more confident at the grocery store, knowing what to buy, what to skip, and how frozen foods can fit into feeding your baby safely Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/89 Links from This Episode: • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 •  Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners Other Episodes Related to This Topic: • Episode 33 - Salt: 3 Easy Ways to Minimize Sodium for Your Baby • Episode 75 - 10 Safe Canned Foods for Baby-Led Weaning: What to Buy (and What to Avoid) • Episode 111 - Grocery Shopping for BLW: Stocking Up Smart & What to Skip 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. CLICK HERE TO JOIN and use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow @babyledweanteam on Instagram and our Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts or rate this show on Spotify podcasts and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#88: Many parents come into starting solid foods carrying their own food baggage harboring worries about picky eating, pressure at the table, or repeating patterns from their own childhood. It’s easy to fear projecting those concerns onto your baby before they’ve even taken their first bites. In this episode, pediatrician and trained chef Dr. Julia Nordgren shares how to write your family’s food story from a blank slate. We talk about reducing pressure, focusing on exposure over perfection, involving kids with food at every age, and building a positive, confident relationship with eating from the very beginning. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. Learn how to start solid foods with a blank slate, even if you’re worried about picky eating or repeating unhealthy food patterns from your own childhood. 2. Get practical, pressure-free strategies for building a positive relationship with food from your baby’s first bites through the toddler years. 3. Feel reassured and supported by a pediatrician who understands real family life — and shows you how small, intentional choices around food can make a big difference. Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/88 Links from This Episode: • Dr. Julia Cooks website is here: https://www.drjuliacooks.com/  • The New Family Table: Cooking More, Eating Together, and Staying (Relatively) Sane is available on Amazon (this is an affiliate link) here https://amzn.to/3gOipwB  • The Great Courses’ How Superfoods Work audiobook with Dr. Julia Nordgren https://www.audible.com/pd/How-Superfoods-Work-Audiobook/B08B46DVWW   • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program and save $50 when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. CLICK HERE TO JOIN and use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow @babyledweanteam on Instagram and our Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts or rate this show on Spotify podcasts and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this enlightening discussion, a seasoned mom shares her top seven baby-led weaning mistakes, aiming to ease the journey for new parents. Discover the dangers of dangling feet during meals and why messy experiences are vital for babies. Learn how feeding directly on the table can frustrate little ones and the importance of practicing with an open cup. The podcast also debunks common myths surrounding purees and emphasizes a relaxed approach to feeding. Get ready to navigate the world of infant feeding with newfound confidence!

#86: The real foods your baby learns to eat don’t just provide nutrition, they also help build the jaw, shape the airway, and influence how your baby breathes and sleeps. When babies learn to chew real, safe foods instead of relying only on soft purées, they’re doing important developmental work with their mouths that supports healthy jaw and facial growth. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Kevin Boyd, DDS, MS, a board-certified pediatric dentist with a background in human nutrition who specializes in airway-focused dentistry. We talk about how early feeding experiences influence jaw and airway development, why food texture matters when starting solid foods, and how these ideas align with baby-led weaning. You’ll learn what to watch for as early signs of airway or jaw development concerns, what evolutionary data tells us about how babies were meant to learn to eat, and simple ways to support healthy oral development from the very beginning. If you’re starting solid foods and want to understand how feeding impacts more than just nutrition, this episode offers a whole new perspective on first foods. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. How chewing real, safe foods actually does for your baby’s jaw and airway development and why this matters far beyond nutrition 2. Why the textures your baby is exposed to when starting solid foods can influence breathing patterns, sleep quality, and long-term oral health 3. Which types of real, safe first foods best support chewing skills and healthy jaw development when starting solid foods Shownotes for this episode can be found here: ⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/86⁠ Links from This Episode: • Find an Airway Health Solutions Airway Dentist near you using this locator: https://airwayhealthsolutions.com/locator • Watch this training video by Ben Miraglia, DDS about Intercepting Sleep Disordered Breathing: https://airwayhealthsolutions.com/video • Children's Airway First Foundation website is at: • CAFF Website: https://www.childrensairwayfirst.org/ • REBIS Integrated Multidisciplinary Sleep Health Website: https://www.rebishealth.org/ • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠  and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: ⁠https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners⁠ Other episodes related to this topic: • Episode 144 - What Did Babies Eat Before Baby Food was Invented? with Amy Bentley, PhD • Episode 466 - Beginnings of a Bad Bite: How Purees Impact Jaw Growth with Ben Miraglia, DDS •  Episode 260 - Adapted Baby-Led Weaning for Children with Developmental Delays with Gill Rapley, PhD and Jill Rabin, MS, CCC-SLP/L, IBCLC 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called ⁠BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS⁠. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. ⁠CLICK HERE TO JOIN⁠ and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow ⁠@babyledweanteam⁠ on Instagram and our ⁠Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel⁠ for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. ⁠Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts⁠ or ⁠rate this show on Spotify podcasts⁠ and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#85: Sardines are one of the best baby foods out there. You might personally not like sardines...a lot of people don’t, but don’t discount sardines for baby-led weaning. Sardines are packed with nutrition, they represent unique taste and texture opportunities for your baby, plus sardines are an easy way to introduce your baby to one of the potentially allergenic food categories: fish. I’m going to make a sardine lover out of you in this episode! Join me as I walk you through the best ways to select and serve sardines to your baby safely. I’m also sharing some of the exact types of canned sardines you can get for your baby and additional baby-led weaning recipes for safely feeding your baby fish, including sardines!  Listen to this episode to learn: 1. WHY sardines are a nutrition powerhouse and how they contain 2 specific nutrients that you can’t get almost anywhere else in the diet 2. HOW to select sardines because there are a lot of options on the shelves at your grocery store, but just a few of them really are appropriate for baby-led weaning 3. HOW to offer baby sardines: do you add extra oil, serve in marinara sauce, spread on low sodium sauce. And what about eating the bones and the skin? Spoiler alert: you can! Shownotes for this episode can be found here: https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/85 Links from This Episode: • FDA Advice for Fish for Pregnant Women and Small Children: https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish • Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Water, No Added Salt: https://wildplanetfoods.com/product/wild-sardines-in-water-no-salt-added/ • Wild Planet Wild Sardines Skinless & Boneless Filets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil https://wildplanetfoods.com/product/wild-sardines-skinless-boneless-filletsin-extra-virgin-olive-oil-4-25oz/   • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program  and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. CLICK HERE TO JOIN and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow @babyledweanteam on Instagram and our Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts or rate this show on Spotify podcasts and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices