Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro How Babies Learn to Chew and Swallow with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP
Aug 11, 2022
Dawn Winkelmann, a Baby-led weaning expert and speech-language pathologist, shares her insights into how babies learn to chew and swallow. She discusses the critical role of tongue movements and the surprising fact that teeth aren't necessary for starting solids. Dawn introduces innovative feeding products she's designed, which support developmental milestones. Addressing parent concerns, she reassures them that gagging is normal and emphasizes the benefits of early exposure to various textures for fostering independent eating skills.
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Teeth and Starting Solids
- Teeth are not required for starting solids at six months.
- Babies use their gums and developing oral motor skills to manage soft foods.
Starting Solids
- Babies don't need knives or forks initially.
- Focus on soft, strip-shaped foods they can grasp and gum.
Learning to Chew
- Babies learn to eat through mastication, involving jaw, tongue, cheek, and lip movements.
- These skills develop with practice using finger foods, open cups, and baby-led spoons.