Starting solids is a big milestone—and one that comes with a lot of questions. Should you spoon feed? Try baby-led weaning (BLW)? Or maybe a bit of both?

At Kids Feeding Wellness, we believe the best feeding journey is one that works for your baby and your family.

This article breaks down how to blend spoon feeding with BLW in a way that supports development, encourages independence, and keeps mealtimes low-stress and enjoyable.

Whether you're new to solids or looking to troubleshoot picky eating, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Introducing solids is a big milestone—but it can also come with a lot of confusion. From offering the right textures to knowing when (and how) to start, it’s easy to make a few missteps along the way. In this post, we’re breaking down five common mistakes parents often make when starting solids—and giving you practical tips to avoid them. Whether you're just beginning or need a little reassurance, these insights will help you feel more confident and better support your baby’s feeding journey.

This blog delves into the fascinating world of how babies develop their eating habits, balancing innate instincts and learned behaviors. From their natural preference for sweet flavors to the instinctual aversion to bitter foods, babies come into the world with built-in tendencies that help ensure their survival. As they grow, their food preferences are shaped by repeated exposure, family influences, and the emotional connections they form with food. We also explore the role of epigenetics and how experiences can modify taste preferences, as well as the challenge of food neophobia—fear of new foods—which is common in toddlers. By understanding these processes, parents can support their child’s eating journey and foster healthy, stress-free mealtimes.

From the moment they’re born, babies use their mouths to explore the world. Mouthing isn’t just about teething—it plays a critical role in oral development, sensory learning, and the foundation for feeding and speech skills. As a feeding specialist, I encourage parents to embrace this stage and provide safe, developmentally appropriate tools to support it. Early oral exploration helps babies develop coordination, body awareness, and self-soothing skills, all of which are essential for future milestones like chewing, swallowing, and even talking.

Whether your baby is just beginning to discover their hands and mouth or starting to teethe, here are my top recommendations for safe and effective tools to encourage healthy oral habits from the very start!

This blog explores the groundbreaking work of Dr. Clara Marie Davis, a pioneering physician who revolutionized the way we understand child feeding. In the 1920s, when strict dietary prescriptions led to widespread food refusal in children, Davis conducted a radical experiment that allowed infants to select their own foods without adult interference. Her findings laid the foundation for responsive feeding, proving that children can self-regulate their intake and develop healthy eating habits when provided with a supportive environment and nutritious options. Read on to discover how her research continues to shape modern feeding practices.

If your baby cries at the sight of a bottle or only feeds when drowsy, you're not alone. Learn how bottle-feeding aversion differs from ordinary bottle refusal, why it happens, and gentle ways to help your baby feel safe with feeding again.

Feeding success goes beyond getting your child to try new foods—it’s about fostering lifelong confidence, connection, and joy at the table. This blog shifts the focus from short-term wins to creating a supportive mealtime environment where your child feels safe to explore food at their own pace.

Discover practical strategies like the Division of Responsibility (DOR), reducing pressure, and making mealtimes about connection rather than food. By addressing stress and fostering trust, you can raise a confident eater who enjoys a variety of foods and builds a lasting, positive relationship with eating and family.

In this blog, we will explore the intricate relationship between sensory processing and how sensory experiences shape a child's willingness to try new foods. We’ll discuss what sensory processing is, the common signs of sensory challenges during feeding, and how these difficulties can manifest in a child’s eating habits. Additionally, we will provide practical tips for parents to support their children in expanding their food repertoire while considering their unique sensory profiles.

Eating is a sensory experience that can overwhelm young children. In this blog, we explore how sensory processing impacts eating behaviors and highlight the benefits of messy eating. By encouraging children to touch and play with their food, we can enhance fine motor skills, boost confidence, and promote acceptance of new tastes and textures. Join us to discover how messy play fosters resilience, curiosity, and emotional regulation. Plus, stay tuned for a freebie at the end, featuring fun activities to support your child’s sensory exploration during mealtimes!

Are you struggling to manage your child’s feeding difficulties? You’re not alone—nearly 50% of parents report feeding-related issues with their children. This blog post clarifies the difference between feeding difficulties and feeding disorders, unpacks the main causes of feeding disorders, and highlights the importance of collaborating with healthcare providers for effective intervention.

Are you struggling to manage your child’s feeding difficulties? You’re not alone—nearly 50% of parents report feeding-related issues with their children. This blog post clarifies the difference between feeding difficulties and feeding disorders, unpacks the main causes of feeding disorders, and highlights the importance of collaborating with healthcare providers for effective intervention.

In this discussion, we will explore the concept of tethered oral tissue, encompassing its three primary forms: tongue tie, lip tie, and buccal tie. We will also delve into the implications of these conditions on orofacial development, as well as their impact on essential functions like feeding, swallowing, and speech.

In this week's blog post, we discuss two gifts many of us take for granted, the prevalence of eating disorders and tube feeding in children, and how exactly we chew and swallow.

In today's blog post, we underscore the vital significance of a diverse, nutritious diet for a child's development. We delve into the impact of nutrition on cognitive functions like memory, attention, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Research findings on nutrition's positive and negative effects across various developmental domains, including academics, mood, behavior, and language skills, are presented.

In today’s blog post, we explore the concept of "food jags,” which occur when children become fixated on specific foods for an extended period, leaving parents puzzled. We discuss the the role of dopamine in food preferences and why children may suddenly reject once-loved items and provide strategies to prevent and address food jags, emphasizing the importance of fostering a diverse and nourishing diet for children.