December 05, 2025

From First Bites to First Words: The Link Between Feeding and Talking with Stephanie Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC

39 minutes

#76: Did you know that feeding milestones can actually help your baby hit their speech milestones too? In this episode, I’m joined by Stephanie Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC, a speech-language pathologist, feeding therapist, and certified lactation counselor who breaks down the fascinating connection between eating and talking in babies.

We’re exploring how responsive feeding, oral motor skills, and early mealtime experiences lay the foundation for communication. Stephanie shares practical examples of how everyday feeding moments, from mouthing to chewing support speech development, plus tips for creating positive, communication-rich mealtimes.

Stephanie’s new board book I Can Say… Eat!, is designed to help families celebrate feeding milestones and foster language development through playful, baby-friendly interactions. Whether your baby is just starting solid foods or already exploring tons of tastes and textures, this conversation will help you understand how feeding and talking go hand in hand.

Listen to this episode to learn:

1. What early feeding milestones - like mouthing and chewing - have to do with your baby’s speech development

2. Why responsive feeding supports both communication and connection at mealtimes

3. How to use simple mealtime strategies to help your baby build the oral motor skills needed for talking

Shownotes for this episode can be found here:

⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/76

Links from this episode:

• Stephanie’s website Learn to Talk with Me https://www.learntotalkwithme.com/

• Follow Stephanie on Instagram @learntotalkwithme

• Get Stephanie’s new board book “I Can Say EAT!” for your baby here: https://a.co/d/7WmgnWa

• Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 428 - Mouthing Objects: What does this mean about my baby’s ability to start solid foods? with Marsha Dunn Klein, OTR/L, MEd, FAOTA

• Episode 312 - 3 Easy Responsive Feeding Techniques when Starting Solid Foods with Stephanie Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC

• Episode 306 - Picky Eating Prevention Tips with Stephanie Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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