Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro

Latest Episodes:

Eggs: 7 Easy Ways to Safely Offer Your Baby Eggs Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

#49: Introducing eggs early and often is key to helping prevent egg allergy…but, figuring out how to safely offer those eggs to your baby can be tricky. In this episode, I’m breaking down 7 easy ways to safely offer eggs using the baby-led weaning approach. From quick prep methods to texture tips that support self-feeding, you’ll walk away with practical ideas you can put to use in your own kitchen starting this week.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. Why eggs are one of the easiest allergenic foods to offer to your baby...and why we no longer wait on feeding babies egg white until after age 1

2. 7 different ways that babies can safely eat eggs - and why scrambled eggs aren’t the best bet for early eaters

3. A vegan substitute for eggs if you don’t eat eggs because of egg allergy or because your family does not eat animal products

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/49

Links from this episode:

• Easy zucchini egg cup recipe for baby-led weaning from my Instagram account @babyledweanteam is here.

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 15 - Egg: How to Introduce Your Baby to This Potentially Allergenic Food

• Episode 124 - Using an Egg Ladder for Babies with Egg Allergy with Carina Venter, PhD, RD

• Episode 143 - BLW Basics: How to Make Fritters for Self-Feeding Babies

• Episode 487 - Egg Substitute Ideas for Baby-Led Weaning (...that actually work)

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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

Oatmeal: How Your Baby Can Safely Self-Feed Oatmeal Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

#47: Oatmeal is a warm, familiar food, but what’s the best way to introduce oatmeal to your baby? In this episode, I’m breaking down how to safely serve oatmeal so your baby can self-feed from the start. We’re talking about which types of oatmeal to use (and which to skip), how to cook it for the right texture, and why you don’t need to buy baby-specific oatmeal to get enough iron. Plus, I’ll show you how to keep the self-feeding principles of baby-led weaning, even with puree-textured foods like oatmeal. Listen to this episode to learn:

1. Why oatmeal is a more preferable starter cereal for babies over rice cereal

2. How iron levels differ in oatmeal types, and why “baby oatmeal” isn’t necessary

3. Which type of instant oatmeal has surprisingly more iron than other oats

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/47

Links from this episode:

• ⁠Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 64 - How to Pre-Load A BLW Spoon Self-Feeding Technique with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP

• Episode 99 - Are Organic Foods Better for My Baby?

• Episode 169 - Iron: Does My Baby Really Need to Eat 11mg Iron Per Day?

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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.

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrating Dads who Do Baby-Led Weaning Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

#46: Let’s shine the spotlight on dads who are diving headfirst into baby-led weaning. From pediatricians and military dads to first-timers and seasoned pros, these proud fathers share what they love most about watching their babies explore real foods. Whether your partner’s already on board or needs a little nudge, these dad stories are sure to inspire. Listen to this episode to learn:

1. How these dads learned to love baby-led weaning even though it freaked them out at first

2. Which foods are actually easier to get the dads to offer for the first time vs. moms

3. What a pediatrician dad and a deployed dad did to come around on baby-led weaning

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/46

Links from this episode:

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 22 - Grandparents, Spouses & Partners: Getting Doubters on Board with Baby-Led Weaning

• Episode 53 - Explaining Baby-Led Weaning to a Skeptic: 10 Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning

• Episode 203 - Vegan Mom, Cattle-Rancher Dad & a BLW Baby: Family Feeding Dynamics with Suzy Quebbeman

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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

How to Build a Balanced Baby-Led Weaning Plate Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

#45: Wondering what should actually be on your baby’s plate during baby-led weaning? In this episode, you’ll learn how to build a balanced plate using a simple structure that supports independent eating and provides the nutrients your baby needs. Learn why less variety is okay in the beginning, how to structure a 20-minute meal, and which foods go where on your baby’s plate.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. Why there are no such thing as set portion sizes for babies (....if you see them: they are made up!)

2. How to offer 1 new food per day while still continuing to expose your baby to familiar foods

3. Which foods to place where in the ezpz Mini Mat / suction plate (...it actually does matter)

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/45

Links from this episode:

• ezpz feeding gear - get 15% off with code BABYLED here (this is an affiliate code): https://ezpzfun.com/BABYLED

• ezpz bowls for introducing 1 new food each day - I use the ezpz Tiny Bowl (5 oz) and the ezpz Mini Bowl (8 oz) - code BABYLED for 15% off shop here.

• ezpz Mini Mat for offering 1 new food + 2 familiar foods - this is the original silicone suction mat and code BABYLED works for 15% off here.

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 93 - Reintroducing Familiar Foods Back on Your Baby's Plate

• Episode 358 - My Baby is Dropping Food: What Do I Do?

• Episode 485 - Silicone Feeding Gear Tastes Like Soap? Here's How to Fix it...

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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

Just Starting Baby-Led Weaning? Ask Me Anything... Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

#44: Are you just starting out with baby-led weaning and FULL of questions about whether your baby can safely self-feed? Well then, this is the episode for you! I’m going to rapid fire answering your questions about getting a SAFE start to baby-led weaning.

In this Ask Me Anything episode I’m covering the topics of readiness to feed, gagging, food refusal, scheduling, weaning from the bottle, dealing with doubters and family members who say, “you were spoon fed and you turned out fine!!”. Also diving into what your baby should drink, flavoring your baby’s food without salt and sugar, daycare, constipation and CHEESE!!

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. How much gagging is normal? My 7 MO seems to be hating BLW b/c he is gagging a lot

2. If baby refuses a food, should we get something different out or accept & try again next meal?

3. @ckbillman1 How many times a day offer BLW to 6-7m old, how many meals/d until 1 year

4. @mrsrobinson1229 How/When to wean from bottle, what should timeline be

5. @jessigreer1 What to tell family when they say “but you turned out fine” I didn’t; I don’t like veg

5. @jenc818 Do you offer water every meal? How much?

6. @patelzil how can i incorporate indian vegetables dishes with spices...trying to raise veg baby

7. @babielonian how do I know if my 6m old ready to start?

8. @vidd.au what cheese can 8 month old baby have?

9. @bri0085 v interested in BLW but do daycare 3X a week, recommend purees there?

10. @reginanelan how to deal with extreme constipation and pain?

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/44

Links from this episode:

• Use KATIE10 for $10 off on all Online CPR Training Courses

• Today’s podcast is brought to you by Baby Quip, the #1 baby equipment rental service delivering clean, safe & insured rented baby gear RIGHT to your door. They’re now available in more than 500 cities in the US & Canada & you can check them out at babyquip.com

Other episodes related to this topic:

• Episode 55 - How to Drop a Milk Feed

• Episode 58 - What do I do if My Baby Has an Allergic Reaction? with Ron Sunog, MD

• Episode 368 - Using a Milk Ladder for Babies with Dairy Allergy with Carina Venter, PhD, RD

• Episode 227 - When Does the Food Allergy Prevention Window Close? with @allergykidsdoc David Stukus, MD

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

💯 💯 💯 💯 💯

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

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

Sesame: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

#43: Sesame is now officially recognized as a top allergenic food—but is it safe for your baby? In this episode, you’ll learn how to safely introduce sesame using baby-led weaning. From the rise in sesame allergies to simple and safe ways to serve tahini or black sesame powder, I’m sharing everything you need to confidently introduce this important food.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. What sesame allergy is and how common it is in babies around the world

2. Why sesame seeds and crunchy sesame snacks aren’t ideal for early eaters

3. How to safely introduce your baby to sesame to help lower the risk of sesame allergy down the road

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/43

Links from this episode:

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 58 - What do I do if My Baby Has an Allergic Reaction? with Ron Sunog, MD

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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

Is Cow's Milk a Must for Toddlers? with Sophie Egan May 29, 2025

Show notes

#42: Does your one-year-old really need to drink cow’s milk? In this episode, food writer and mom of twins Sophie Egan, author of How to Be a Conscious Eater, joins me to explore the cultural, environmental, and ethical reasons some families choose to skip cow’s milk after age one. We’re digging into what it means to make conscious food choices for your baby—and your planet…and whether or not skipping cow’s milk is a good idea.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. Challenge the idea that cow’s milk is a toddler must-have and explore where that recommendation really comes from

2. Discover why some families are skipping cow’s milk—for reasons that go beyond just nutrition

3. Learn how to make food choices that reflect your values around health, culture, and the environment—even with young kids

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/42

Links from this episode:

• Visit Sophie’s website https://www.sophieegan.com/

• Read Sophie’s email newsletter “Climate Kitchen” written for climate curious parents and empowering food loving families who care https://climate-kitchen.beehiiv.com/

• Read Sophie’s book How to Be a Conscious Eater on Amazon (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/426PUUs

• Listen to Sophie Egan on the Pressure Cooker podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-why-american-kids-drink-so-much-milk/id1625942344?i=1000657895609

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50

• 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 285 - Are Plant-Based Milks Safe for Babies?

• Episode 76 - Sustainable Meat: Smart Selections for Starting Solids with Diana Rodgers, RD

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

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

Shellfish: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food May 26, 2025

Show notes

#41: Shellfish is one of the Big 8 allergenic foods (...the 8 foods that account for about 90% of food allergy) and even though it is one of the more common pediatric food allergies, it’s the one that I find parents are the most hesitant about introducing to their babies. That may be because we are less inclined to be making shrimp and crab and scallops at home than some of the allergenic foods, but it’s still a category of food we should introduce to baby early and often to help prevent shellfish allergy down the road.

In this episode we’re looking at a few easy ways to introduce babies to shellfish. You can do pieces of shrimp or some of the more rubbery mollusks, but I prefer to wait until baby has at least 1 tooth and has tried some trickier textured foods out before diving right into the rubbery pieces of shellfish. Making shrimp into shrimp cakes or patties is a really easy way to offer shellfish in a baby-led weaning form that is easy and safe for babies to self-feed.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. Which types of shellfish are considered more vs. less allergenic

2. How to safely prepare 3 types of shellfish (...and rubbery shrimp cocktail is not one of them!)

3. Why your baby is unlikely to react the first time they have shellfish…but pay attention time 2 👀

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/41

Links from this episode:⁠

Other episodes related to this topic:

• Episode 31 - Fish: How to Introduce Your Baby to This Potentially Allergenic Food

• Episode 130 - Why Benadryl is Not the Best Idea when Introducing Allergenic Foods with @raisinggoodparents Phil Boucher, MD

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

💯 💯 💯 💯 💯

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

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

6 Reasons to Skip the Sippy Cup with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP May 22, 2025

Show notes

#40: Did you know it’s TOTALLY find to skip the sippy cup phase? As a new mom, this was news to me. I just assumed baby went from breast or bottle to a sippy cup and then eventually to an open cup.

But my guest Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP set me straight! She’s a speech language pathologist specializing in infant feeding and pediatric swallowing and she designed my FAVORITE baby-led weaning cup, the Tiny Cup for ezpz.

Dawn’s sharing 6 reasons why you want to skip the sippy cup and I think they’re going to blow your mind. From not being necessary to actually downright dangerous and potentially interfering with baby’s ability to hit feeding and speech milestones, you’re going to be looking at the sippy cup in a whole new skeptical way my friends!

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. How sippy cups were invented by adults, for adults and they’re not developmentally ok for babies

2. Why sippy cups impede feeding and speech milestones…and what to do instead

3. How to help your baby move from the breast or bottle right to an open cup, no sippy cup needed

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/40

Links from this episode:

• Learn more about Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP on her website www.msdawnslp.com and her Instagram @msdawnslp

• ezpz Tiny Cup (6 months+), ezpz Mini Cup + Straw System (9 months+) - use the code BABYLED for a 15% discount, shop here (this is an affiliate link): https://ezpzfun.com/BABYLED

Other episodes related to this topic:

• Episode 101 - Straw Cup vs. Open Cups: Which Comes First? with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP

• Episode 356 - Open Cup Practice: 3 Tips for Simplifying Your Technique

• Episode 396 - Are 360 Cups Ok? with Dawn Winkelmann, MS, CCC-SLP

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

💯 💯 💯 💯 💯

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

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

Tree Nuts: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food May 19, 2025

Show notes

#39: Can you safely offer tree nuts to your baby if whole nuts and thick nut butter are choking hazards? Yes…and it’s a good idea to do tree nuts early and often! Tree nuts are one of the Top 9 allergenic foods, and early introduction may help reduce the risk of developing a tree nut allergy. In this episode, you’ll learn how to safely serve tree nuts to your baby using almond flour and thinned out nut butter. We’ll also cover why almond milk doesn’t count and how to watch for signs of an allergic reaction.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. How to safely modify common tree nut foods so they’re ideal for even early eaters to try

2. Why almond milk is not an appropriate option for introducing tree nut protein to babies

3. Which tree nuts to try out for your baby (...and why coconut isn’t one of them

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/39

Links from this episode:

• ⁠Puffworks Baby Almond Puffs are a no-stress, low-mess way to safely introduce your baby to tree nut (do this after you introduce peanut as these puffs do contain peanut too); use the code BLWPOD to save 15% here (this is an affiliate link).

Other episodes related to this topic:

• Episode 14 - Peanut: How to Introduce Your Baby to This Potentially Allergenic Food

• Episode 58 - What do I do if My Baby Has an Allergic Reaction? with Ron Sunog, MD

• Episode 380 - Why Doctors STILL Aren't Talking About Introducing Allergenic Foods with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH

🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱

💯 💯 💯 💯 💯

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 and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50.

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected