Baby-Led Weaning with 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
May 8, 2025 • 43 mins
#36: How does typical picky eating differ from severe picky eating and are both or either preventable?In this episode family doctor turned child feeding specialist Katja Rowell, MD walks us through steps to helping babies develop a foundational love of food from their first bites, along with tips on differentiating between typical and extreme picky eating, and what to do and where to go if you do think your baby’s feeding behavior ...
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May 5, 2025 • 18 mins
#34: Think your baby needs snacks? Think again. In this episode, we’re diving into why milk—breastmilk or formula—is your baby’s perfect “snack” between meals and why skipping snacks during the weaning phase can set your baby up for better eating habits in toddlerhood. You’ll learn how early snacking sabotages appetite and meals, and how to build a solid feeding routine without the snack trap.
Listen to this episode to learn:
...
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May 1, 2025 • 41 mins
#34: Is it possible you’ve been bottle-feeding your baby wrong all this time? In today’s episode Amy Peterson, IBCLC is here to teach about paced bottle feeding, a baby-led technique. Amy shares how baby-led bottle feeding works, how to recognize your baby’s feeding cues and simple ways to teach other caregivers this important skill so you’re all on board with your baby leading the way. If you’re offering bottles - or plan to - thi...
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April 28, 2025 • 12 mins
#33: Worried about salt in your baby’s food? In this episode, I’m sharing 3 easy, practical ways to minimize sodium for your baby without overhauling your entire meal plan. You’ll learn how to spot high-sodium foods on labels, why it’s totally fine to salt your own food after setting aside a safe portion for your baby, and how to add flavor with herbs and spices instead of salt. Minimizing salt doesn’t mean making bland food—it mea...
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April 24, 2025 • 33 mins
#32: Postpartum depression affects 1 in 10 mothers—but not all moms feel comfortable talking about it. In this episode, mom of two Carissa Rose shares how her struggle with postpartum depression after the birth of her first baby left her feeling like a failure—until starting solid foods with baby-led weaning gave her a new sense of purpose. Carissa explains how feeding her babies 100 different foods helped her reconnect with mother...
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April 21, 2025 • 15 mins
#31: How can I safely feed my baby fish? Fish is one of the Big 8 allergenic foods (...the 8 foods that account for 90% of food allergy) and there’s no evidence that waiting to feed fish helps prevent allergy. So it is a food you can feed to your baby early and often, but with some precautions.
In this episode we talk about types of fish babies can safely eat, both canned and fresh and how to choose a fish to feed your baby. You...
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April 19, 2025 • 29 mins
#30: Starting solid foods doesn’t mean breastfeeding has to end — but many parents worry about how to balance both. In this episode, IBCLC Robin Kaplan shares practical tips to support continued breastfeeding while starting baby-led weaning, how to manage feeding schedules, and what to expect as your baby transitions to solid foods. Plus, she offers reassurance for parents feeling overwhelmed by this exciting new stage.
Listen to ...
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April 17, 2025 • 22 mins
#29: How do you feed your baby wheat? Wheat is one of the Big 8 allergenic foods...the 8 foods that account for about 90% of food allergy. And it’s one of the easier foods to introduce early and often for your baby.
In this episode you will learn some easy ways to introduce your baby to wheat foods for baby-led weaning. And we’ll also cover why some people say babies should not have or can’t digest wheat foods and why that is not ...
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April 14, 2025 • 24 mins
#28: Starting solid foods is exciting… but what happens when your baby gets backed up? In this episode, I’m breaking down why constipation happens when babies start eating solid foods, which foods might be making it worse, and — most importantly — safe, simple remedies to help get things moving again.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. What are the normal, run of the mill changes you can expect to see in your baby’s poop and h...
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April 7, 2025 • 15 mins
#27: Honey might seem like a natural, harmless food—but it can actually be dangerous for babies under age 1. In this episode, we’re breaking down why honey can cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness, and why it’s also considered an added sugar that babies don’t need. Learn what makes honey risky, how to spot hidden sources of it, and what to offer your baby instead.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. Why babies shoul...
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April 3, 2025 • 23 mins
#26: Starting solid foods does not mean spending a lot of money. You don’t need fancy gizmos or gadgets to make safe finger foods for your baby…but a few affordable kitchen tools can make life a whole lot easier. In this episode I”m sharing 10 game-changing tools that will simplify food prep for your baby (...including one surprise item that I swore I would never buy but now love and 5 popular but dangerous or dumb feeding things y...
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April 1, 2025 • 21 mins
#25: Not sure what to feed your baby in the first week of baby-led weaning? In this episode, I’m walking you through a simple 5-day schedule to kick off solids with confidence. You’ll learn how to safely introduce real foods, why variety matters from day one, and how to avoid common first-week mistakes.
Ready to plan out week 2? Download my free guide, “10 Easy Starter Foods for Baby-Led Weaning,” to keep the momentum going: https...
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March 27, 2025 • 12 mins
#24: How much water should my baby drink? Do babies even need water? And if they do need water, when and how is the best way to give babies water?
In this episode we’re diving deep into your baby’s fluid needs. Breastmilk and/or formula meets the majority of baby’s water needs, plus the foods your baby is learning to eat contribute fluid too.
Adding extra water to your baby’s diet can be a problem. In this episode I map out the t...
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March 24, 2025 • 21 mins
#23: Ever wonder if feeding your baby fruit is going to give your baby a sweet tooth? Does offering fruit before vegetables cause babies to crave sweet foods?
Fruit is an important food group for your baby to tackle...but too much of a good thing is not a good thing! In this episode we explore why fruit is your friend (...albeit in moderation), why your baby does not need juice and tips on how to serve baby-led weaning fruits safe...
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March 20, 2025 • 26 mins
#22: Are you the only one who believes in baby-led weaning? What if someone else feeds your baby and doesn’t want to do baby-led weaning? In this episode I share 2 mom’s stories of how they are dealing with getting grandmothers on board with baby-led weaning.
There’s no script to follow to get your tribe on board with BLW. Every situation is different...yet, you can use these real-life moms’ stories and examples and tailor them to...
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March 18, 2025 • 30 mins
#21: Iron is helpful for your baby’s growing body. Knowing how much iron your baby needs and what foods have iron are important; but there are a few simple tweaks you can make that will help your baby absorb more of the iron your baby is eating.
In this episode you will learn why babies need iron, how much iron babies need and good sources of iron from both animal and plant foods. I also share 3 easy ways to increase your baby’s i...
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March 13, 2025 • 12 mins
#020: What if my baby vomits when doing baby-led weaning? Is vomiting normal when you start solid foods? It can be scary when your baby vomits, but it is not always a sign of a huge problem. In this episode I cover what you can expect as far as vomiting when your baby starts eating.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. Why a little bit of vomit is to be expected when your baby starts solid foods
2. How long to wait for solid fo...
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March 10, 2025 • 12 mins
#19: Are you scared to offer your baby meat? Meat offers a variety of taste, texture and nutrition experiences, but it can be hard to make meat safe for your baby to eat. In this episode I’m sharing my favorite cuts of meat for baby-led weaning, how to make them safe and the best gateway meat to start with if you’re freaked out to feed your baby meat.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. Which cuts of beef and pork are safest for...
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March 6, 2025 • 17 mins
#18: How do you do baby-led weaning if your baby goes to daycare? Daycare might say they only do purees, or they won’t offer finger foods. In this episode I share effective strategies for helping your daycare or childcare provider understand baby-led weaning and how and why your baby can safely self-feed even when they are away from home.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. How to talk to your daycare about baby-led weaning…eve...
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March 3, 2025 • 17 mins
#17: How often should babies eat solid food? And do they eat before they have milk or after breastfeeding? Finding a schedule for starting solid foods can be tricky but in this episode I’m sharing my exact feeding schedule for babies in 3 different ages and phases of baby-led weaning.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. How to schedule solid foods so most of your baby’s nutrition will come from food by age
2. How often yo...
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