Premature Babies: How to Estimate & Adjust Age for Starting Solids
Baby-Led Weaning with Katie FerraroShow Notes
#119: Starting solid foods can feel confusing when your baby was born early. Do you go by your baby’s actual age or adjusted age? And what if someone told you to start early so your baby can “catch up” with weight gain?
In this episode, I’m breaking down how to calculate adjusted age for premature babies and why it matters for starting solid foods safely. You’ll learn when to begin looking for readiness signs, why waiting is often safer than rushing, and how premature babies can absolutely succeed with baby-led weaning when they’re given the time and support they need.
I’ll also share how my own premature quadruplets inspired the 100 First Foods approach…and how your baby can learn to self-feed safely too.
Listen to this episode to learn:
1. How to calculate your premature baby’s adjusted age before starting solid foods
2. Why 6 months adjusted age matters more than chronological age for feeding readiness
3. What signs of readiness to look for before offering your baby their first foods
Shownotes for this episode can be found here:
https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/119
Links from This Episode:
• 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 2 - 5 Things Your Baby Should Be Able to Do Before Starting Solid Foods
• Episode 110 - Catch-Up Weight: Why Starting Solids Early Will Not Help Your Baby Gain Weight with Rosan Meyer, PhD, RD
• Episode 158 - How Premature Babies Can Succeed with BLW with @doctorterrimd Terri Major-Kincade, MD
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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 use the code BLWPOD50 to save $50 when you sign up.
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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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More from Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro
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#143: How is your baby supposed to eat tiny foods like quinoa, rice or finely chopped vegetables if they can’t pick them up yet? Fritters are one of my favorite ways to transform hard-to-grasp foods into soft, manageable pieces your baby can self-feed. In this episode, I’m sharing my simple baby-led weaning fritter formula, how to combine grains, vegetables and protein, what to use if your baby can’t have egg, and how to keep fritters soft and moist for easier swallowing.
#142: Do you really need to wait 3 days between new foods? Does baby-led weaning mean no purees or spoons? And does your baby need to sit completely unsupported before starting solid foods?
#141: Is your baby really ready to start solid foods? If you’re getting conflicting advice about starting at 4 months, waiting until 6 months, sitting independently or showing interest in food, it can be hard to know when it’s actually safe to begin. In this episode, I’m breaking down the signs of readiness that matter, what you don’t need to stress about, and how to know when your baby is developmentally ready to start learning how to eat.
#140: Why does starting solid foods make you feel like a brand-new mom all over again? Even parents who work in the baby space can feel nervous and unsure when it’s time to introduce real food. In this episode, I’m talking with Moms Interrupted hosts Natasha and Taylor about Taylor’s experience starting solid foods with her second baby, .especially after severe food allergy reactions with her first. Listen to hear what she was worried about before starting, what has surprised her so far, and why you don’t have to know exactly what you’re doing to confidently help your baby learn how to eat.