What we feed our babies can set the stage for healthy eating habits down the line, but how we feed them is just as important. You already know about starting solids, purees, and baby-led weaning, but there’s a term that maybe you haven’t heard of: responsive feeding.  In this episode, I sat down with Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP,  a certified speech-language pathologist, a pediatric feeding expert, international speaker, media expert, and an award-winning author of several titles including her new book, “Responsive Feeding: The Baby-First Guide to Stress-Free Weaning, Healthy Eating, and Mealtime Bonding.” Melanie talks about what responsive feeding is, what the research shows about its benefits—and how it can help you raise a healthy eater—and how to get started whether you’re feeding your baby purees or doing baby-led weaning. She also talks about the signs your baby may have a feeding disorder and where you can turn to for help. Welcome 2:20 Let’s talk about your story! 3:46 A lot of people don’t know you can turn to a speech-language pathologist for feeding difficulties. What should people know? 4:52 What are the most common questions new parents have about feeding their babies?  5:47 Do you think there’s a lot of anxiety around feeding babies? 6:14 Is responsive feeding new and is it only for babies? 8:11 What are the major tenants around responsive feeding? 10:23 Where do you think the fear-driven mentality that we need to get our babies to eat more originates from? 11:52 Is there research about responsive feeding?  14:32 Is responsive feeding time-consuming? 15:47 Why is responsive feeding so important right now in the U.S.? 21:27 How do parents know their baby might be hungry? 27:27  Purees and baby-led weaning can be a part of the responsive feeding model. What should parents know? 28:36 For working moms who have a caregiver or have their children in daycare, what are some tips?  30:25 For kids with special needs, sensory disorders, or feeding disorders, where should parents go to get help, and can they still follow responsive feeding? 32:56 What are the signs that may indicate your child has a feeding disorder? LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Melanie mentions that responsive feeding has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Unicef, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Melanie talks about the U.S. Dietary Guidelines 2020-2025. Melanie mentions this study which found that moms who practiced responsive feeding had babies who were more than twice as likely to accept bites of a meal.  Learn more about Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP on her website and follow her on YouTube and Instagram. FROM OUR PARTNERS Kids Cook Real Food eCourse The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener. Thrive Market Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-inc...