

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

Mar 25, 2021 • 41min
Ditching 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 it comes to chilling OUT about food and feeding.In this episode we’re talking about what “diet culture” even is, why parents feel so much pressure about feeding “healthy” and “wholesome” foods and what words and terms to use (and avoid) when we’re trying to raise kids that don’t have messed up relationships with food!Listen to this episode to learn:
How to lay off the pressure around kids eating...and practical tips for being less food focussed around children
What words to use when discussing food with your babies and children to help them have POSITIVE associations with food instead of food-related phobias
Why do parents feel pressure from outside sources to give in to the diet culture...with a discussion on what the diet culture really even is (and isn’t!)
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/112Links from This Episode:
Follow Vanessa Rissetto on FB here
Follow Vanessa on Instagra at @vanessarissetord
Follow Culina Health (her private practice) on Instagram at @culinahealth
Read Blog here
Learn more about the NYU dietetic internship where Vanessa is the director 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

Mar 22, 2021 • 26min
Grocery Shopping for BLW: Stocking Up Smart & What to Skip
Explore smart grocery shopping strategies for baby-led weaning. Discover nutritious essentials like fruits, vegetables, and proteins that every parent should consider. Learn how to introduce allergenic foods safely while avoiding choking hazards. Find out why whole milk and full-fat yogurt are essential for your baby's brain development. Plus, get practical tips for budgeting while ensuring your little one enjoys safe and healthy meals. It's packed with insights to streamline your shopping experience!

Mar 18, 2021 • 36min
Catch-Up Weight: Why Starting Solids Early Will Not Help Your Baby Gain Weight with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD
Rosan Meyer, a pediatric dietitian with a PhD specializing in childhood nutrition, joins the discussion on the misconceptions surrounding early solid food introduction. She explains why starting solids won't help infants gain catch-up weight and highlights the importance of focusing on developmental readiness. Rosan offers practical advice for parents on interpreting growth charts and emphasizes the need for communication with healthcare professionals to ensure proper feeding plans. Parents will appreciate her insights into nutrition without compromising safety or health.

Mar 15, 2021 • 17min
I Started Purees Too Early: Should I Stop Before Switching to BLW?
Wondering if you should stop purees before transitioning to baby-led weaning? The conversation dives into changing guidelines on when to start solids, highlighting the recommended six-month mark. It also clarifies that using spoons is fine but suggests a preference for the pre-loaded method. The podcast discusses the importance of allowing babies to self-feed, challenges myths about early feeding, and reassures parents considering a switch from purees. Tune in for practical insights on navigating this crucial stage of feeding!

Mar 11, 2021 • 32min
Probiotics: 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 about what supplements babies should (and should not) take as well as their evolution to a 100% plant based diet for their family and how that worked when they were doing baby-led weaning.Listen to this episode to learn:
Your baby’s sterile gut environment and how environmental and dietary factors can contribute to both a healthy and unhealthy gut environment
Being a plant-based family and raising their daughter 100% plant-based. Dahlia shares about her own upbringing in a family that celebrated the “clean plate club” and how she’s reframing a healthy relationship with food for her own daughter
Working together in nutrition practice as a married couple and how James and Dahlia deal with requests from parents about supplements for gut issues that can be solved with a food-first approach
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/108Links from This Episode:
James & Dahlia’s website MARRIED TO HEALTH is here
Follow @marriedothealth on Instagram 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

5 snips
Mar 8, 2021 • 12min
Corn: How to Offer Corn Safely to Your Baby
Discover the ins and outs of introducing corn to your little one! Learn why corn kernels can pose a choking hazard and when it's safe to offer corn on the cob. Explore fun recipes like homemade polenta and adapted cornbread that are perfect for baby-led weaning. Plus, get tips on enhancing flavors with ingredients like agave syrup. This guide is packed with essential safety advice and delightful ideas for making corn a nutritious addition to your baby's diet!

Mar 4, 2021 • 36min
One 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 Network. She’s written for the Washington Post and has authored 7 award winning cookbooks...and Ellie’s latest book “WHOLE in One: Complete Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan, or Skillet” is great for cooking wholesome meals but not needing all day (or to dirty all the dishes!) while doing so.In this episode Ellie is sharing how you can help your baby learn to taste the flavors and seasoning of food (...and not the salt) and make complete meals for your family and your baby using just one sheet pan, pot or skillet.This episode is part of our National Nutrition Month series highlighting the work of Registered Dietitians in the field of food, nutrition and feeding.Listen to this episode to learn:
Some of her favorite convenience foods that will save you time in the kitchen...it’s ok to cut corners with these wholesome ingredients!
Why she values family meals - and how you can make them a reality even if you’re a working parent or don’t consider yourself that great of a cook.
How being a Registered Dietitian has shaped her unique position and career in the culinary world and why that credential sets her apart from other cookbook authors or food journalists
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/106Links from This Episode:
To read more about Ellie Krieger HERE
Follow on IG HERE, FB HERE, Twitter HERE, Pinterest HERE
Link to a list of all books HERE
Link to “Ellie’s Real Good Food”’s, EPISODE RECIPES
Link to articles HERE
Join Ellie’s online Crafty cooking classes HERE
Purchase Ellie Krieger’s book: Whole In One: on Amazon 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

Mar 1, 2021 • 20min
5 Survival Skills for Managing the BLW Mess
#105: In this episode I’m sharing 5 survival skills for MANAGING the BLW mess! We’re chatting about bibs (including the types you DON’T want to use with your baby that are dangerous or interfere with their development), splash mats (what works and what falls apart in the washing machine), best baby plates and bowls for keeping things clean-ish, as well as my kitchen sink soak method for quick cleanup. Listen to this episode to learn:
Use a full coverage bib (but not the restrictive tent-type contraptions that limit baby’s range of motion as he or she is learning how to eat)
Use a splash mat under the baby’s high chair or table
Use a silicone suction mat or bowl when feeding baby and refrain from feeding off the high chair tray or the table
Try the kitchen sink quick soak method I mention in the episode
Get to the BLW mess when it’s wet (before it dries!) using a non-toxic household cleaner that ACTUALLY gets food mess out!
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/105Links from This Episode:
Bapron Baby bapron bibs are here.
The “toddler” size says it’s for 6 months to 3 years; I’ve never had babies be able to wear this size after 2 but this is the size you get for infants starting solids
The “preschool” sizes says it’s for age 3+ but again, my kids and families usually transition to this seize around age 2
The code KATIE10 gets you 10% off everything at bapronbaby.com
Bapron Baby splash mats are here. These are pricier than other splash mats, but definitely worth it. The material is really durable, non-plastic, can rinse in your kitchen sink & reuse and they’re huge, can put under 2 high chairs at a time or use as a picnic blanket. Code KATIE10 works for 10% off at bapronbaby.com for these too.
The silicone suction mats and bowls I use are from ezpz. The products I like most for BLw are:
The ezpz First Foods Set: everything you need to get a safe start to solid food, includes a Tiny Bowl, 2-pack of Tiny Spoons and the Tiny Cup
The Mini Bowl & Mini Mat.
Everything at ezpzfun.com is 10% off with code KATIE10
The best non-toxic household cleaners I have used are from Branch Basics. I love that they use the same concentrate to make every product in their lineup. You can get 15% off their starter kits with the code KATIE15 (spend a little more for the premium starter kit with the oxygen boost, it’s AMAZING for getting food stains out of clothes!)
Blog Post: 5 Benefits of Using a Suction Mat or Bowl 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

Feb 25, 2021 • 24min
How 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 say. The Lucky Iron Fish is easy to use, it’s proven safe and effective and this company and product are working to reverse the devastating effects and global impact of iron deficiency.Listen to this episode to learn:
How the concept of the Lucky Iron Fish evolved out of Armstrong’s research time spent in Cambodia and how it’s helping communities around the world alleviate the impact of iron deficiency.
How to use the Lucky Iron Fish when cooking foods and recipes for your baby to help increase the amount of iron in their weaning diets.
The impact of iron deficiency and how a few dietary tweaks can help increase the amount of iron release from foods and iron absorption in your baby’s body.
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/104Links from This Episode:
Learn more about Founder & CEO Gavin Armstrong on his Webpage and Linkedin here
Additional information about the clinical research related to the Lucky Iron Fish is here
Check out the Lucky Iron Fish on their website - they ship to over 88 countries!
Follow Lucky Iron Fish on IG and Twitter
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

Feb 22, 2021 • 14min
Liver: 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 babies and how much they can have.Listen to this episode to learn:
Why even if you don’t personally love liver, it’s still a great food to feed to your baby
How to choose what liver to serve...and why you might want to give chicken livers a second look
When it’s safe to feed your baby and how much is ok to serve each week
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/103Links 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 21: 3 Easy Ways to Boost Your Baby's Iron Absorption is available here
🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱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


