I am excited to announce the creation of the term Baby-Led Oral Care (“BLOC”) as an approach that builds upon some of the fundamentals of Baby-Led Weaning (BLW). I coined the term in September when I had the privilege of teaching both parents and medical professionals about BLOC at events across the country (and Germany). Although my approach had some initial resistance, people got excited once I explained its significance. I hope that more families and healthcare professionals will adopt BLOC and empower infants & toddlers to take an active role in their oral hygiene. Baby-Led Oral Care A ..read more

Are you in a snack rut with your child? My easy-to-follow, 4-Ingredient Trail Mix Formula will help! Trail mix is a fun activity that can inspire your kiddo to try different texture combinations, learn about new tastes, and discover a multitude of ingredients that will please their palate. It also helps nurture their self-reliance skills and may increase the chance of them choosing healthier snack options in the future. And trail mix is great for school snacks, road trips, hiking activities, sporting events, play dates, and afterschool snacks. Besides being simple to make, trail mix can includ ..read more

Do you have a baby that holds food in their mouth and refuses (or is unable) to swallow it? In my baby-led weaning (BLW) courses, I educate parents on how pocketing can lead to gagging and choking incidents. In this blog, I’m sharing strategies to help your baby avoid and overcome pocketing. What is “Food Pocketing?” Food pocketing occurs when a baby holds leftover food in their mouth without swallowing it. Sometimes the food is chewed, but often there can be whole pieces of food. Pocketing can be a choking risk, especially if the food becomes dislodged during play or while sleeping. Where Doe ..read more

Did you know you can offer warm and cozy soups when doing baby-led weaning (BLW)? Introducing your baby to a wide variety of textures is important, including soups! When selecting a soup, it is vital to consider the consistency of the soup and the tools that will help baby’s feeding development. Here are my go-to tips on how to introduce soups to your baby. Soups for Sensory Awareness When you give babies the opportunity to try something new to eat, you want to provide them with multiple ways to succeed. For example, try soups from a spoon on one occasion, then from an open cup at another meal ..read more

Did you know that you can introduce your baby to a breastmilk or formula popsicle as early as 4 months? Here are some tips for starting your little one on frozen pops! Breastmilk or formula popsicles can be an exciting sensory experience while offering age-appropriate nutrition at the 4-month mark. It’s also a great way to practice self-feeding before transitioning to solids (at 6 months + showing signs of readiness). “… most popsicles in the market are sized for the mouths and hands of toddlers, not infants.” Problems with Traditional Popsicles However, most popsicles in the market are sized ..read more

When offering puree foods, it’s essential to select a consistency that is safe for baby’s development. Here are three puree textures to try with your baby to assess their swallow and the feeding skills you can teach with each respective texture. Thin Puree A thin puree is a food (vegetable, fruit, protein, or starch) that has been ground, pressed, blended, or strained to be slightly denser than liquid. Use this puree to gradually expose baby to a new texture, helping them learn to transition from their safe swallow of thin liquids (breast milk or formula) to the new, slightly thicker consisten ..read more

Learning to drink from a straw is an important developmental milestone. I designed the ezpz Mini Cup + Straw Training System to help babies and toddlers learn how to perform this skill safely. Here are five tips to help you teach your little one to use a straw safely and successfully. 1. Timing Throughout my (27+ years) feeding career, I have observed a lot of families and therapists trying to teach straw drinking to a baby between the ages of 4-8 months. Although some babies have the coordination to do this early, I find that most are not ready for this skill. These babies experience coughing ..read more

Smoothies are an excellent way for babies to explore a variety of textures, tastes, and temperatures. It’s also a common feeding therapy technique I use to help babies develop their open cup milestones. Here are a few tips to help you introduce smoothies to your little one. Age of Introduction A smoothie is a thick puree. So you can offer this texture to a 6-month-old baby if they show all the signs of readiness to eat. Remember, it’s essential to start introducing smoothies to your baby from an open cup (instead of a sippy cup) since drinking from an open cup (held by an adult) is a six-month ..read more

Whether you are making homemade baby food or offering safe baby-led strips, introducing herbs, spices, and minced veggies is an important way to challenge your baby’s taste buds. Since we want to avoid adding salt to a baby’s food (until their first birthday), adding these extra flavors is a great way to build their flavor preferences. Here are seven sensory profiles that can spice up your baby’s mealtime! Rosemary This herb can be a hit for baby-led weaning (BLW) since it has a fresh scent that entices babies to try it. For safety, finely chop or grind the herb when adding it to your baby’s r ..read more

It’s getting hot outside, and parents often worry about their kids staying hydrated. This is especially true for children who refuse to drink water or only take a few sips throughout the day. Is there such a thing as a picky drinker? We are all familiar with the term picky eater. Although it’s not my favorite term to describe a child who is struggling to eat, it is a common term parents use to describe the feeding difficulties they are experiencing. Parents also use the term picky drinker to describe a child that refuses to drink water (but will drink milk, soda, or processed juice). Some pare ..read more