Your Baby Can Self-Feed, Too: Adapted Baby-Led Weaning for Children with Developmental Delays or Other Feeding Challenges

Rapley, a pioneer in the field of baby-led weaning, joins with Rabin, a feeding therapist specializing in neurodiverse babies. The authors say that parents, with the understanding that some children may need to start later or progress at a different speed, should trust their child’s abilities and follow their lead to feed themselves. Examining the physiological skills involved in eating, the authors share how to plan to reach the best outcomes. They tackle such practical issues as choosing the best high-chair, pre-planning for a mess, and handling the logistics of mealtime. The authors include a real-life example for each chapter featuring babies Rabin has worked with, but they take care to note that the examples may not be completely applicable to every situation. Specific strategies are given for children with GERD, sensory issues, trauma-induced feeding aversions, premature birth–related issues, swallowing difficulties, Down syndrome, tongue-tie, Noonan syndrome, and a variety of other conditions.