Baby Led Weaning has taken over as a new way to approach the move from exclusively bottle- or breast-fed children to first foods without the extra expense of prepackaged baby foods. I discuss one difference that a motor-based approach has with Baby Led Weaning as well as ways to incorporate those principles while still encouraging development of chewing skills in stages. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

Baby-Led Weaning: How to Start and Best BLW Foods | Pampers

15 Stage One Baby Food Purees (4-6 Months) - Baby Foode   (Medical guidelines have returned to the recommendation of 6 months to start purees- if the child is able to sit up independently)

Some of us were not raised with Nursery Rhymes likes Mary Had a Little Lamb, or the tunes to the songs feel outdated. What are other options for singing with your child?

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

Gracie's Corner TV – Come sing and dance with Gracie as she takes a fun imaginary journey with family and friends! (graciescornertv.com)

JOOLS TV™️: Home of the Original Trapery Rhymes™️ – Jools TV

Bino and Fino - African Culture For Children

Peppa Pig: Nursery Rhymes - Peppa Pig (Video Clip) | Nick Jr. US

Classical Nursery Rhymes: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I'm a Little Teapot, The Farmer in the Dell, Old McDonald, Five Little Ducks, 

Five Little Monkeys, Hickory Dickory Dock, Hey Diddle Diddle, If You're Happy and You Know It, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

"We can do hard things" is a phrase I use when I'm working with children who are resistant to trying things that are challenging for them. It really is part of the human condition that fear of failure sometimes stops little people (as well as adults) in their tracks rather than to try something and not do it well. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

In this episode of the podcast, I note several signs that a child might have an (as of yet) unidentified feeding issue. These soft signs can be less clear in indicating a feeding issue, but should be watched if you see one or more of them on a regular basis and there is not an alternate explanation for them.

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

In the final episode (probably?) about feeding issues, I delve into why you might be seeing some of your child's behaviors at meal time. If you have concerns about your child's feeding skills and would like more information about whether your child needs intervention or therapy, talk to your pediatrician about a referral to a local pediatric feeding therapist in your town's hospital or clinic. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

Two Websites/Instagram Accounts I Follow:

Home - Feeding Littles

Melanie Potock – Pediatric Feeding Expert and Author (mymunchbug.com)

Two of these are protective movements that the body naturally has to keep airways clear, the other is a sign that an airway is blocked and needs clearing. I go into more detail about three behaviors we see in children as they are exposed to more textures. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

Does your child eat only "bland" looking foods?  (yellow, tan, brown, white- with a dash of red)

Though they chew foods well, do they seem to be stuck eating only a few of them? 

Do they seem to get very upset if their usual foods are not available and they have to substitute?

Your child might be making food choices that feel safer for them based on how they are processing food-based information (appearance, taste, smell, texture). I cover ARFID and a few strategies that are used to help expand preferred foods. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I break down the motor ages of foods to try with kiddos based on how they are moving and why we see children cough on foods even when they like them. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

In recording this episode, it really hit me that there is a long process from the simple movements of the mouth in bottle, pouch, and sippy cups to higher texture foods. I cover what the mouth does during breast and bottle feeding, as well as during direct sips from a pouch and a sippy cup with a soft spout. The second part of this episode breaks down the textures after that, and why there is a heirarchy of chewability based on motor skills available to the child. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

How our body moves food from the mouth through the intestines has a large impact on how we perceive food, eating, and meals. I use a few anecdotes about clients I've seen regarding how issues with their GI systems affected their choices of foods and behaviors around eating.

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.