Expert Advice On Feeding Your Children

Teething and Mealtime

11/2/2019

Feeding Littles | Teething almost always affects mealtime for babies and toddlers. Here's some food ideas to help ease the pain for baby-led weaning baby starting solids and toddlers or young kids when teething.

Teething almost always affects mealtime in some way. A sudden change of eating patterns usually means something’s up - and teeth are a very likely culprit (even before you can see them poking through the gums).

When it comes to teething and mealtime, here's some things to keep in mind:

Expect regression - a mouth in pain is less motivated to eat.
Don't be surprised if your baby or toddler wants only milk - hydration is #1. Babies need at least 20-24 ounces of breast milk or formula, and toddlers or older kids need even more fluid! Watch for signs of dehydation like dry lips, decreased tears or less diaper/urine output.
Stay consistent with mealtimes and snacks, offering some cold and soft foods for pain relief.

Food ideas to help with the pain:

Homemade breast milk or formula popsicles
Homemade fruit, veggie, and yogurt popsicles
Smoothies and smoothie bowls
Cook your favorite veggies and then pop in freezer until slightly frozen
Freeze spoons and load with soft foods like yogurt, guac, or oatmeal
Offer slightly frozen bagels and teething biscuits

Remember, stay consistent with regular food at regular mealtime - you never know when they’ll pick it back up again, and we don’t want their eating to digress in the long-run!

Different Ways to Use Ice Cube Trays

9/9/2019

Feeding Littles | Ice cube trays can be helpful for kids and adults of all ages, including meal time tips and tricks. They can help your baby led weaning baby practice motor skills and so many other uses for baby, toddler, or kids.

Ice cube trays add novelty to mealtime.

How do you use ice cube trays? My sweet hubby picked up these summery silicone trays at the Target Dollar Spot (I’m sure my 5 year old had something to do with it) and it got me thinking of ALL the ways ice cube trays can be helpful with kids - and adults - of all ages! Here are some of our ideas:

Make flavored ice for water (or for adults - ice for LaCroix or cocktails)! Freeze juice or whole fruit pieces in water like cranberries, watermelon chunks, strawberries, cut up citrus, etc! Bonus: it makes water look more appealing so you'll drink more! Just watch tots with with ice as it can be a choking hazard.
Put a bean or pea in each section to help your older infant practice his pincer grasp skills.
Use as a novelty “plate” for toddlers - put pieces of their lunch throughout the tray and make mealtime more fun! Think of it as mini bento sections.
Create a dipping station when your child is trying new foods. Use familiar dips like hummus, guac, ranch, yogurt dip etc. with less familiar foods.
Place yogurt or yogurt/fruit in each section and freeze for little yogurt drops {slightly thaw before serving}.
Fill each section with breast milk or formula and offer in a mesh feeder for teething infants not ready for real food. (We only recommend mesh feeders for use as teething tools, not for learning how to eat.)

Helping your baby learn to chew (and our favorite teethers!)

2/10/2018

In our infant course, we talk about offering babies soft finger foods. Many families wonder, "How can babies eat whole - and not pureed - food without teeth?"

Even though six-month-olds lack a full set of teeth (and definitely don't have any molars, or chewing teeth), they have the ability to chew and swallow real food. Babies learn how to bring food to the side of their mouth, chew and swallow with lots of practice eating. We teach all about this in our Infant Course if you need help!

One tool that really helps our clients with learning to chew - besides eating, of course - is practicing using stick-shaped teething toys. These tools allow babies to practice biting with their back gums and strengthening their jaw, skills that will help when they have real food.

When do we recommend these teethers?
1. Start once your baby can put safe toys in their mouths, as early as 3-4 months. Offer them regularly leading up to solid food introduction (around 6 months).
2. Continue to offer them alongside real food so your baby continues to practice and build strength.
3. If your child is struggling to chew once you've introduced food (they're spitting everything out, gagging is not getting better, they're not swallowing food), make sure you're letting your baby work with these teethers regularly.

The video below explains how your baby's mouth works and how you can help them learn to chew, especially if they're struggling.

Need more help? Our online infant feeding course will teach you all you need to know to raise a skilled, adventurous eater!

Disclosure: the links below are affiliate links, which means (at no cost to you) we will make a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Check out our entire Amazon store here.

Note: these teethers (and more) can also be found at our Amazon Shop.

Fluxy

Como Tomo Silicone Baby Teether

Zoli BUNNY Dual Nub Teether

NumNum GOOtensils

Additional teethers not mentioned in the video

Zoli Chubby Gummy Teether

First Years Massaging Action Teether

Gerber Nuk Brush

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Teething and Mealtime

Different Ways to Use Ice Cube Trays

Ice cube trays add novelty to mealtime.

Helping your baby learn to chew (and our favorite teethers!)

Additional teethers not mentioned in the video

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