Navigating the transition from baby feeding to toddler feeding can be both exciting and daunting for parents.  So much happens at one time! Just when you think you had it all figured out…your baby turns one and ventures into the world of toddlerhood with evolving nutritional needs.  This is exciting, but can also be slightly frustrating because new challenges may arise. In this blog post, I’ll dive into the essentials of feeding your one-year-old, covering everything from caloric requirements to building balanced meals and snacks so you can get a good handle on nutrient needs for a t ..read more

Picky eating can be a huge stressor for many families. It seems incredibly common, yet on social media we see many posts about how to prevent picky eating. Moreover, we see videos of babies and toddlers eating food we can’t even pronounce and wonder what we are doing wrong because our baby or toddler has strong food preferences. I want to dive into the topic of typical infant eating patterns, typical toddler eating habits, picky eating, and what to do about it. If you’re looking for more information on the topic, check out the podcast I recorded with Jessica Irwin, OT, from Rooted in Routine ..read more

Starting your baby on solid foods is such an exciting milestone. Many families put a lot of thought into a baby’s first food, though there is another important milestone that is often overlooked - introducing cups to your baby. In this blog post, we will dive into why introducing cups is important early on, the best age to start introducing cups to your baby, how to choose a cup for your baby, and practical tips to make the transition as easy as possible. Why Cup Introduction is Important Cup introduction plays a crucial role in a baby's developmental milestones. While bottles are a helpful to ..read more

Baby-led weaning is a great approach for starting solid foods with your baby. This guide helps you get started on BLW with the busy mom in mind Baby-led Weaning for Beginners Baby-led weaning (OR BLW for short) is all the rage these days. You can’t spend more than 10 minutes in a new mom's group without seeing someone showing their baby eating adult-style finger foods. Let me tell you…mom groups have VERY strong opinions on baby-led weaning (and they don’t have a problem telling you if you aren’t feeding your baby in the “right” way. I created this post to act as a beginner’s guide to baby-led ..read more

Building your registry can be stressful. These tips from a pediatric nurse and feeding expert can help you build your registry with important essentials you will actually use. Building a baby registry can be a daunting task. There are so many products out there, and so many opinions on what registry items are “must-haves”. It’s a delicate process and you often don’t know what you are in the moment. I created this blog post with baby registry essentials that I use and love as a pediatric nurse practitioner, lactation counselor, and mom of two boys. My goal is to give you helpful tips and questi ..read more

Can you relate to this feeling…standing wide-eyed in the baby food aisle at Target, trying to figure out what to feed your baby…There are hundreds of options in front of you. Do you choose a stage one baby food? Or perhaps a stage two food? Or the brand that doesn’t even have stages… Figuring out what food to feed your baby can be stressful, and baby food companies don’t make it easier on us. Some tell you what to choose based on the stage (separated into stage 1, stage 2, or stage 3) and some by age, but it is not regulated between each brand and each stage. I’m here to walk you thr ..read more

If you're a new parent, one of the many decisions you'll have to make is how to introduce solid foods to your baby. It's an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming. There are two main approaches to starting solids: pureed baby food and baby-led weaning (also known as BLW, baby-led feeding, baby-led eating, or solid foods). I'm going to do my best to break down the pros and cons of each so you can choose the method that works best for your family. After all, social media tells us that BLW is the "right" way to feed our babies, but that does not mean it is right for every family.   P ..read more

 I’m going to start this blog post off with a truth-bomb. Your baby’s first holiday season will be so special, but they aren’t going to remember it no matter what you do. You can decorate the house perfectly. They won’t remember. You can wrap your baby’s first Christmas present beautifully. They won’t remember. You can make the most delicious meal. They may or may not be on solids yet, but they still won’t remember. You can rest assured that your baby will not remember the gifts they receive for their first Christmas. I know, I know. I sound a bit like the Grinch, but my hope is that this ..read more

Did you know that most breast pumps come with flanges that are too big? Yeah, me neither. I learned this lesson the hard (and painful) way with lots of chafing and rashes that made me dread pumping. Unfortunately, I was working 9-hour days in the clinic and I HAD no choice but to pump, even when it was painful. Flange sizing is crucial yet often overlooked aspect of successful pumping. Many mothers aren't aware of the significance of flange sizing until they experience discomfort, pain, or a decrease in milk output. In this post, I will explore the world of breast pump flange sizing ..read more

We are always concerned about doing what is best for our babies and toddlers - especially when it comes to nutrition. That made it extra scary when the reports came out saying that many baby foods tested positive for heavy metals. I know that I diligently scrolled through the lists and felt betrayed by brands I thought I could trust. Though I know that heavy metals are part of our soil, as a mother and a nurse, I want to decrease the risk of ingesting large amounts of heavy metals where I can.   Understanding heavy metal exposure in baby food   Heavy metals, including lead, merc ..read more