

Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro
Katie Ferraro
Is your baby ready to start solid foods but you’re feeling overwhelmed or confused about baby-led weaning? Babies can eat so many more foods than we give them credit for and you don’t have to force-feed or spoon-feed to get them to eat real food!I’m Katie Ferraro, Registered Dietitian specializing in infant feeding and baby-led weaning. I’m a college nutrition professor and mom of 7, and my goal is to help you start solid foods safely using baby-led weaning.On this podcast I share practical tips on safe food preparation and starting solid foods, as well as in-depth interviews with other feeding experts. Listen to learn how you can get your baby to safely enjoy real food so that you can start enjoying mealtimes again too!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 26, 2024 • 38min
Milk Banks and Moms: How Your Extra Breastmilk Can Save Lives with @ucmilkbank Alison Wolf, CPNP, IBCLC
#470: Your baby starts drinking less breastmilk when they start solid foods…but your breastmilk can help other families beyond your own baby. Alison Wolf, Executive Director of the University of California Milk Bank explains how donating human milk works, who it benefits, why it’s safe and perhaps possibly something you could consider doing.Listen to this episode to learn:
How just one bag of your pumped breastmilk (4-6 oz) can feed a premature baby for a whole day
Why donor milk is essential for premature babies in preventing NEC - a devastating bowel disease
What you can do if you want to become a breastmilk donor…even if you don’t live near a milk bank
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/470Links from this episode:
University of California Health Milk Bank website
UC Health Milk Bank Cherry Blossom Program for bereaved mothers
HMBANA - donate breastmilk here
Other Episodes Related to this Topic
Episode 459 - Donor Milk: How Donating and Receiving Breastmilk Helped These Moms
Episode 436 - How Long Can I Breastfeed? with Ronietra Stewart, RDN, IBCLC
Episode 424 - Breastfeeding & Starting Solid Foods: When Will My Milk Supply Drop Off? with Jessica Smith, MSN, RN, 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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 23, 2024 • 19min
Breaking Off a Small Bite: Is This a Choking Risk?
#469: What if your baby bites off a small piece of food from the adult pinky sized shape of food you offer? Is this small bite a choking risk? In this episode we explore what to do when your baby bites off a piece of food and you are worried the baby is going to choke.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why longer pieces of food are safer for early eaters to pick up
What happen when your baby bites off a small piece of the longer piece of food
What to do when you baby takes a small bite and how to lower choking risk
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/469Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 6 - Safe Food Sizes for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 194 - BLW Food Size: Why Do Early Eaters Need Big Pieces of Food? with @msdawnslp Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP
Episode 254 - How Babies Learn to Chew and Swallow with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP @msdawnslp
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 19, 2024 • 31min
Oral Food Challenges: Try Allergenic Foods at Home vs. the Doctor's Office? with @allergykidsdoc David Stukus, MD
#468: Should you drive to your local hospital and sit outside the emergency department when you offer your baby a potentially allergenic food in case they have a food allergy reaction? Pediatric allergist Dr. David Stukus is here to talk about oral food challenges and introducing new foods to your baby at home vs. in the doctor’s office.Listen to this episode to learn:
What to do if your baby has an allergic reaction to a food…or just a non-allergic topical rash
Which subset of children may benefit from oral food challenges done in a supervised environment
How to get prepared to offer your baby an allergenic food…even if you’re terrified to do so
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/468Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 376 - Are Food Sensitivity Tests Bogus? with David Stukus, MD
Episode 366 - Oral Immunotherapy: Helping Babies Become Less Reactive to Allergenic Foods with David Stukus, MD
Episode 227 - When Does the Food Allergy Prevention Window Close? with @allergykidsdoc David Stukus, MD
Episode 125 - Why are False Positive Results in Food Allergy Testing so Common? with David Stukus, MD
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 16, 2024 • 19min
5 Seemingly Healthy Baby Foods to Avoid
#467: Food manufacturers love to make “healthy” sounding products for babies to eat and you to buy. In this episode I’m looking at 5 seemingly healthy foods for babies that are actually unsafe…along with substitutes for other foods that are better for your baby.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why manufacturers don’t make baby food desserts anymore…except for baby yogurt
Why this type of sugar is not more “natural” for babies…and what natural foods have sugar
Why to steer clear of non-fat and low-fat versions of this food category…and what to buy instead
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/467Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 157 - Yogurt: How to Choose the Right Yogurt for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 27 - Honey: Why Honey is Dangerous for Babies
Episode 360 - What's Wrong with Rice Cereal for Babies?
Episode 246 - Arsenic in Baby Food with Charlotte Brody, RN and Jane Houlihan
Episode 461 - Are Deli Meats Safe for My Baby to Eat?
Episode 256 - What Type of Oil Should I Use for Baby-Led Weaning?
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 12, 2024 • 49min
Beginnings of a Bad Bite: How Purees Impact Jaw Growth with Ben Miraglia, DDS
#466 - Reliance on liquified and pureed foods in place of harder foods negatively impacts jaw growth in babies and young children. Ben Miraglia, DDS is here to talk about how earlier introduction of harder foods for babies helps improve jaw growth, airway health, sleep patterns, tooth spacing and behavior outcomes later in life.Listen to this episode to learn:
WHY purees were not historically fed to babies and why they’re not necessary
HOW the jaw develops when it’s exercised appropriately with breastfeeding and harder finger foods
WHAT to do if your babies teeth are spaced too close together so you don’t have to pay for braces down the road
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/466Links from this episode:
The original Baby-Led Weaning book co-authored by Gill Rapley, PhD
Tooth Pillow website: https://www.toothpillow.com/ - code BABYLED will give you a free evaluation from a highly trained Airway dentist and $250 off treatment if submitted by September 12 - 19, 2024. After that date code BABYLED works for 50% off the consultation and $100 off treatment (note this is not an affiliate offer and I do not receive any affiliate revenue from Toothpillow)
Other Episodes Related to this TopicEpisode 446 - Are Purees Making Our Babies Jaws Weak? with Nicole Goldfarb, MA, CCC-SLP, COM
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 9, 2024 • 16min
Fluoride: Is It Safe for My Baby and Do Babies Need Fluoride?
#465: Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral compound that can contribute to the prevention of tooth decay. But does your baby need supplemental fluoride, or fluoridated toothpaste…and why do people on the internet distrust fluoride in the water supply? Listen to learn about fluoride and is it safe for your baby?Listen to this episode to learn:
Why fluoride is added to the community water supply and how it impacts tooth decay rates
Whether your baby needs supplemental fluoride or should be using fluoridated toothpaste
Why people on the internet distrust fluoride…and what the data shows about its safety
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/465Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 438 - How to Brush Your Baby's Teeth with @firstgrin Ashley Lerman, DDS
Episode 406 - Baby Tooth Brushing and Oral Care with @firstgrin Ashley Lerman, DDS
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 5, 2024 • 51min
How 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 since its inception…and why it’s better than the knockoffs
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/464Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 431 - Why Your Baby’s High Chair Needs a Footrest
Episode 492 - How to Choose a Safe Seat for Your Baby to Eat with Kirsti Vandraas
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 3, 2024 • 27min
6 Words I Never Say When Babies are Starting Solid Foods
#463: I know you talk to your baby when they’re eating…and even though they’re more focused on the food than your words, language does matter. In this episode I’m sharing 6 words I no longer use when talking to or about babies who are learning to eat and starting solid foods (and why).Listen to this episode to learn:
Which word dietitians say all the time without realizing how it harmful it can be (...even though it’s a medical diagnosis)
Which word parents use to describe problematic toddler eating patterns…even though it’s developmentally appropriate
Which word I had to scrub from hundreds of baby-led weaning recipes because of social media influencers
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/463Links from this episode:
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 206 - Stay in Your Lane: Parent & Baby Roles in Infant Feeding with Marsha Dunn Klein OTR/L, MEd, FAOTA
Episode 215 - Portion Distortion: Why Aren't There Set Portion Sizes for Baby-Led Weaning?
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 31, 2024 • 38min
Is this Picky Eating or ARFID? with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD
#462 - Where does typical picky eating stop and problematic restriction start? Internationally renowned pediatric dietitian and professor Rosan Meyer is here to explain what ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) is and why your baby does not have ARFID.Listen to this episode to learn:
What “normal neophobic disgust” is so that you know what’s typical behavior in toddlerhood
Which symptoms need to be present for ARFID diagnosis and why babies don’t have ARFID
Why feeding therapists recommend against “contaminating” a safe food for a child with ARFID
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/462Links from this episode:
Visit Rosan’s Website - https://www.rosan-paediatricdietitian.com/
Follow Rosan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rosanpaediatricdietitian/
Twin Study Rosan mentioned in the interview: Dinkler, Lisa et al. “Etiology of the Broad Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Phenotype in Swedish Twins Aged 6 to 12 Years.” JAMA psychiatry vol. 80,3 (2023): 260-269. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-56913-007
Diagnosing and Managing ARFID - An Online Course (University of Winchester): https://www.winchester.ac.uk/study/Short-courses/Courses/ARFID/
Other Episodes Related to this Topic
Episode 266 - Infant Weight Loss: What to Do When the Doctor Says Your Baby Isn’t Gaining Weight with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD
Episode 110 - Catch-Up Weight: Why Starting Solids Early Will Not Help Your Baby Gain Weight with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD
Episode 230 - FPIES: How Do I Know if My Baby Has Food-Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome? with Marion Groetch, MS, RDN
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 30, 2024 • 24min
Are Deli Meats Safe for My Baby to Eat?
#461: Can babies eat lunch meat? In this episode we’ll look at deli meats and explore whether cold cuts like turkey, ham, roast beef or salami are safe for your baby to eat. Listen to this episode to learn:
How the texture and nutrient profile of deli meats differs…and which ones to avoid
Why deli meats are susceptible to foodborne illness…and how to reduce your baby’s risk
Which preparation methods of whole cut meats you can swap for turkey, ham and roast beef
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/461Links from this episode:
How to make a whole chicken for baby-led weaning: Cheap Protein to Cook for Your Baby in 30 Mins | Step-by-Step Instructions
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: https://babyledweaning.co/program
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 193 - Protein: How Much Protein Does My Baby Need?
Episode 19 - Meat: How to Prepare Meat Safely for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 383 - Beef: How to Safely Offer Beef to Babies
Episode 33 - Salt: 3 Easy Ways To Minimize Sodium For Your Baby
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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.👀 👀 👀 👀 👀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 and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive BLW community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


