

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

Nov 22, 2021 • 13min
Which 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 great food for baby-led weaning, just steer clear of the sodium + avoid skins
Vegetables - ideas on some roasted veggies that work great for baby-led weaning, plus the drawbacks of green beans and cranberry sauce for babies
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/181Links 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
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Nov 18, 2021 • 35min
Food 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 food allergy in infancy and why the percent of babies at high risk for peanut allergy is lower than you think
The difference between sensitization and desensitization and why your baby doesn’t react to a food on the first exposure
Why babies eating MORE foods MORE frequently can help prevent food allergy and how you can make this happen in your family!
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/180Links from This Episode:
Northwestern University Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research is here
Dr. Ruchi Gupta’s research and faculty page at Northwestern University is here
Her new book FOOD WITHOUT FEAR website is here
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
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Nov 15, 2021 • 18min
Why 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 episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/179Links 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 75 - Canned Foods that CAN Work for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 4 - Gagging vs. Choking: What is the Difference?
Episode 19 - Meat: How to Prepare Meat Safely for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 24 - Water: When to Offer Your Baby Water and How Much
Episode 101 - Straw Cup vs. Open Cups: Which Comes First? with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Nov 11, 2021 • 14min
White 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 turkey wings, legs and thighs has more fat which equates to more moisture and helps reduce choking risk
Whie meat from chicken and turkey breast is lean and lacks fat, which lends to a more dry outcome and this can increase choking risk
Fish:
Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, anchovy, tuna, herring among others have higher fat content (ideal for babies) and essential omega-3 fatty acids
Flaky white fish: cod, tilapia, pollock, grouper, halibut - these are more lean and lack fat but you can add oil or butter to make easier for baby to safely swallow
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/178Links 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 31: Fish: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Nov 8, 2021 • 15min
Red 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 veal. I’m covering my favorite cuts of each for BLW including:
Beef: brisket, chuck roast, beef style country ribs and ground beef
Lamb: leg of lamb (boneless or bone-in), shank and ground lamb
Pork: pork butt (aka Boston butt), pork shoulder, pork country style ribs and ground pork
Why pork sometimes gets called “the other white meat” but it’s technically red meat from a classification standpoint
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/177Links from This Episode:
Pork Board “Pork: The Other White Meat” campaign overview
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 175 - Pork: How to Safely Prepare Pork for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 19 - Meat: How to Prepare Meat Safely for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 153 - Zinc: How to Get Enough Zinc with Baby-Led Weaning Foods
Episode 137 - Iron: Can My Baby Get Enough Iron from Baby-Led Weaning Foods?
Episode 165 - Lamb: How to Safely Prepare Lamb 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 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

Nov 4, 2021 • 30min
BLW 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 steer clear of when choosing meats to safely offer baby
The difference between moist vs. dry cooking methods and how low and slow breaks down muscle fibers in meat and can make it safer for your baby to eat
Why you might consider grinding your own meat and what cuts of meat are best to do so
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/176Links from This Episode:
Seemore Meat & Veggies website: https://eatseemore.com/
Follow Cara on Instagram: her personal page is @caranicoletti and her work page is @eatseemore
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 19 - Meat: How to Prepare Meat Safely for Baby-Led Weaning
Episode 103 - Liver: How to Offer Liver Safely to Babies
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Nov 1, 2021 • 22min
Pork: 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 introducing your baby to pork
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/175Links 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 2: 5 Things Your Baby Should Be Able to Do Before Starting Baby-Led Weaning
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 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

Oct 28, 2021 • 20min
Fostering 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 many children are exposed to very early in life. You CAN create a food neutral household in YOUR house and it can start as early as when your baby is beginning solid foods with baby-led weaning. Listen to this episode to learn:
Food Neutrality: what it is and how we can make a food neutral household
Language: words to use and not use when describing food for your baby
Body image: how our words can impact our children’s perceptions of themselves
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/174Links from This Episode:
Follow Riley on Instagram @bodypositivekids
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
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Oct 25, 2021 • 17min
More 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 “picky eater” toddler who didn’t do BLW? Is it ok to offer snacks? How do I encourage new foods?
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/173Links 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 90: Picky-Eater Siblings + BLW Babies feat. Molly Ferraro
Episode 55: How to Drop A Milk Feed
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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

Oct 21, 2021 • 31min
High 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 with your baby from first bites through adolescence can support your baby and older child’s development and success at mealtimes
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/172Links 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 92: How to Choose a Safe Seat for Your Baby to Eat with Kirsti Vandraas
Episode 7: Why Your Baby’s High Chair Needs a Footrest
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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 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


