Feeding and Mealtime Support

Are you a first-time parent, or did the introduction to solids with your first or second child not go to plan, and you want to do things differently this time around? Not sure when to start or even how, and what do babies eat again?

I can help get you set up and prepared to make the introduction to solids enjoyable for both you and baby.

Initial 20-minute zoom or phone call to discuss the items you will need to source before commencing solids. You’ll be surprised at how little you need to get set up!

Once these items are in the home I can visit you at home (1 hour visit) and guide you in the following areas:

• Optimal positioning in the highchair that offers postural support for safe feeding

• How to tell if your baby may be ready to start solids

• How to prepare and store homemade purees and baby food. I’m guided by your choice to use a baby-led weaning approach, traditional spoon-feeding approach, or a mixed approach. Additionally, I’m guided by your food choices that may be an important part of your cultural background or dietary preferences

• How often, and at what times during the day to offer solids to your baby

• Education about common allergy foods and when and how to introduce them safely

• Learn how to read your baby’s feeding cues and identify when they are hungry or full during mealtimes

• How to use tools such as spoons or mouthing tools (like teethers) in a way that respects your baby’s autonomy and develops self-feeding skills

• Portion sizes, how much to serve and how much to expect them to actually eat

• Importance of offering a variety of flavours, and when ready a variety of textures

• A plan for texture progression to get you off purees and on to finger foods by an appropriate age

• When and how to introduce cup and straw drinking

• Tips to get your baby self-feeding and enjoying family foods

• Importance of eating together as a family with your baby and sharing mealtimes

• How to avoid picky or fussy eating behaviours

• Gagging versus choking and what to look for

Perhaps your baby did well with breast or bottle feeding and you were looking forward to starting solids but it just hasn’t gone as well as you imagined.

I take a responsive approach to feeding and coach parents to read their baby’s mealtime cues whilst building trust and connection between the baby and caregiver.

I can help with the following common scenarios seen in babies aged 6 to 12+months:

• Baby has started solids but is protesting, refusing or crying during most mealtimes

• Baby enjoys purees but is struggling to progress to lumps and bumps, showing signs of refusal, gagging or even vomiting

• Baby accepts foods happily but doesn’t appear to know how to chew or move the food to the back of their mouth, often resulting in spitting the food out

You survived the toddler years but wondered if their pickiness and mealtime battles was just a phase. But here you are now, and mealtimes are still stressful and you are worried about what your child is (or is not) eating.

I can help with the following feeding concerns seen in toddlers and preschool aged children:

• Picky or fussy eating preferences

• Neurodivergence, feeding differences and ARFID

• Food refusal

• Limited number of accepted foods (less than 20 different foods)

• Avoiding entire food groups

• Avoiding entire food texture groups

• Prolonged mealtimes (30+ minutes)

• Stressful mealtimes, for the child and other family members

• Coughing, gagging, choking or even vomiting at mealtimes

• Reluctance to try new foods

• Difficulty chewing and/or swallowing hard, crunchy, or chewy foods

• Poor oral motor skills for using utensils such as spoons, open cups or straws.

I have completed additional training including how to use inclusive practices to support neurodivergent children with feeding challenges including ARFID, the SOS approach to feeding as well as utilising the principles of a responsive approach to feeding.