By Cathy Monaghan MSc, H.Dip, RD & Nicola O’Byrne IBCLC. Are you struggling to find the right balance between breastfeeding and introducing solids to your baby? Our new online course, where we dive deep into the topic of balancing breastfeeding and solids is exactly what you need! You get instant access here and you are also invited to a free live webinar to ask the questions that matter to you! We want to ensure that both breastfeeding and introducing solids go smoothly for you and your baby. Learn more WHAT HAVE OTHER PARENTS SAID? This was such an incredibly useful class. I thought I ..read more

This blog is written by Catherine Shortall, Registered Paediatric Dietitian. Catherine will be delivering our Plant Based Weaning Webinar in, you can learn more here. We are all aware of the rising popularity of plant based eating and reducing animal product consumption. I’ve made an active effort to reduce my consumption of red meat and animal products and increase plant based alternatives.  I really enjoy the taste of many (not all!) the different plant based meal options, I’ve definitely increased the variety in my diet and tried new recipes. So when I became pregnant, I started to thi ..read more

By Cathy Monaghan RD MINDI Paediatric Dietitian. It's perfectly natural to worry about your child's health and lots of parents worry about gut symptoms. But when does a symptom need investigation?   Let's talk about the possibility of your child having Coeliac disease Could my Child have Coeliac Disease?   What is Coeliac Disease?  Coeliac disease is not your run-of-the-mill tummy ache. It's an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system, triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.  When someone with Coeliac disease eats gluten, th ..read more

By Cathy Monaghan RD MINDI Paediatric Dietitian.   With the arrival of Autumn there has been an exponential increase of the number of people recommending nutritional supplements on social media. In my opinion we tend to forget about the impact of this mass supplementation. The environmental impact of nutritional supplements can vary widely depending on several factors, including the source of the ingredients, the manufacturing processes involved, and the packaging used.  As a Registered Dietitian I am concerned with the mass supplementation of the general public. Supplements sh ..read more

By Cathy Monaghan RD MINDI Paediatric Dietitian. It can be challenging when a child becomes reliant on screens during mealtimes, but there are steps you can take to address the issue and promote more family focused mealtimes.  Here are some tips to help your child eat without a screen. Many of these are age dependent so please make choose age appropriate tips!   Every child is different, and it may take time to transition away from screen reliance during meals. Engage in Conversation: Encourage conversation during meals. Ask open-ended questions about your child's day, interests, o ..read more

By Cathy Monaghan RD MINDI Paediatric Dietitian. What is Child Autonomy? Child autonomy refers to the idea of allowing children to make age-appropriate decisions and have some level of control over their own lives, within the boundaries set by parents or caregivers.  This concept recognises that children have their own preferences, desires, and needs, and it encourages parents to respect and support their child's growing independence.  When it comes to helping fussy eaters, child autonomy can be a valuable approach. Here's how child autonomy can help with fussy eaters: Empowerment: A ..read more

That don't INVOLVE extra cooking! Sharing a meal with a picky eater can take some of the joy out of family meals.  Are your family meals based around what your kids eat rather than easy meals that all the family can enjoy together? Would you like to help your extreme picky eater move away from chicken nuggets and start to get adventurous with the foods that will feed their gut bacteria? You are not alone and I am here to help!   As a registered Dietitian I have spent nearly 20 years helping 1000's of families navigate mealtimes with picky eaters!   Here are my proven top tips ..read more

By Cathy Monaghan RD MINDI Paediatric Dietitian.   I’m a little later than planned but March 4th was World Obesity Day. A recent prediction is that almost 400 million children around the world will be living with obesity by 2035, that’s 100% more than in 2020.   I don’t talk about ‘obesity’ often. But, I have been contacted by a lot of parents looking for help for their overweight child or a child ‘above a healthy weight’ as I prefer to say. I also happened to be in a fast food/ garage forecourt as a nearby secondary school closed recently. I sat and watched the young teens descend u ..read more

I’ve had lots of messages from people confused about what intuitive eating is. To help you understand we have adapted the quiz below from Tracy Tylka’s research on Tribole & Resch’s model of Intuitive Eating. Loading ..read more

What is vegetable led weaning? Click Here to find out more! Please see the infograph below for ideas on introducing vegetables ..read more