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

by Jill Rabin, Gill Rapley

Overview

No matter what challenges they face, your baby can self-feed, too!

One in four children has feeding challenges and difficulty eating. If your child is one of them, mealtimes may be a struggle. Whether the reason is neurodiversity (such as Down syndrome), feeding aversion, or a medical condition, feeding therapist Jill Rabin and baby-led weaning pioneer Gill Rapley are here to help with a groundbreaking new approach for parents, caregivers, and health professionals alike: adapted baby-led weaning (ABLW). Find out how to:

• Respond to your baby’s signals and appetite—and trust their abilities.
• Improve your baby’s chewing, posture, sensory development, and fine motor skills.
• Use “bridge devices,” like silicone feeders, to encourage independent eating.
• Support your baby to eat real, healthy food and enjoy mealtimes with the rest of the family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615199037
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	08/30/2022
Series:	The Authoritative Baby-Led Weaning Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Jill Rabin, MS, CCC-SLP/L, IBCLC, lectures nationally and internationally on adapted baby-led weaning and provides early intervention services to babies and their families. She lives in Northbrook, Illinois.
 
Gill Rapley, PhD, is known worldwide as the pioneer of baby-led weaning and is coauthor of the category-leading book series. She lives in Kent, England.

Table of Contents

Preface Jill Rabin 1

Introduction 7

1 How We Got Here 15

Luke's Story 26

2 Baby-Led Weaning 31

Henry's Story 44

3 How Babies Learn to Eat 50

Rewey's Story 82

4 Identifying Babies at Risk for Feeding Challenges 88

Addie's Story 113

5 ABLW: Planning Ahead 118

Sophia's Story 133

6 Getting Set Up 137

Adiel's Story 149

7 Foods for Learning 155

Luan's Story 178

8 Transitioning to Solids with ABLW 184

Micah's Story 211

9 Common Parental Concerns 219

Theodora's Story 235

Conclusion 243

Appendix 245

Notes 251

Resources 259

Image Credits 265

Acknowledgments 266

Index 268

About the Authors 281

Editorial Reviews

A valuable resource for the many families who face feeding challenges but still want to try the popular technique of self-feeding.”—Library Journal

“All babies deserve the opportunity to feed themselves! For babies with feeding challenges or atypical development, Adapted Baby-Led Weaning provides a fresh take and a positive emphasis on all the things these babies can do, allowing feeding professionals and families to feel confident about handing back control where it belongs: with the baby.”
—Katie Ferraro, dietitian and baby-led weaning specialist, host of Baby-Led Weaning Made Easy podcast
 
“Jill and Gill masterfully teach the specifics of ABLW, where the focus is so much more on what your baby can eat, versus what they can’t. This book is a game changer for parents looking to help their child thrive on their own timeline, no matter what diagnosis they might have.”
—Christiana Scott, founder of Real Food Littles
 
“This book is an exploration of how baby-led weaning can be not only safe, but a very effective method for teaching kids with special needs to eat—all based on the idea of trust. We applaud Gill and Jill for getting this work out to the world and hope more feeding therapists see this as a call to action.”
—Kary Rappaport, MS, and Kimberly Grenawitzke, OTD, pediatric occupational therapists, Solid Starts
 
“We can’t wait for more families to be exposed to the wisdom, hope, and practical suggestions offered in this book.”
—Sara Quirk, master’s-level social worker, and Sabrina Smiley Evans, MS, speech-language pathologist, founders of Able Appetites and parents of children who have Down syndrome
 
“This book is a masterpiece! Rabin and Rapley achieve the perfect blend: providing opportunities for babies to learn about independent eating with just the right amount of guidance by respectfully following each baby’s cues. It’s a must for parents and feeding professionals alike.”
—Marsha Dunn Klein, occupational therapist, founder of the Get Permission Institute
 
“This book will guide you on a path that is tried and true and offers insights to solve your feeding difficulties. Believe me, I certainly could have used their help when I was working with my children on feeding themselves.”
—Karen Pryor, PhD, physical therapist and author of Ten Fingers Ten Toes: Twenty Things Everyone Needs to Know
 
“I’m so happy to see that Your Baby Can Self-Feed, Too is available now to guide mothers and professionals who want to help children with Down syndrome benefit from this important skill!” 
—Ella Gray Cullen, founder and executive director, Julia’s Way
 
“This book comes at the perfect time to explain that babies with atypical development can feed themselves when they start solids. We now know that with ABLW, it is possible. There is nothing out there like this.”
—Jessica Coll, registered dietitian, founder of Healthy Institute and the Starting Solids Network
 
“I have worked with Jill Rabin for over ten years and watched her develop ABLW into what it is today. I have seen her help so many children learn to feed themselves and love food. I am thrilled that she is sharing her knowledge in this book!”
—Amy Manojlovski, RD, licensed dietitian nutritionist, founder of Happy Little Tummies
 
“I am so excited that Jill Rabin and Gill Rapley have joined together to bring our community this important book. Adapted Baby-Led Weaning adds to our knowledge base on responsive feeding and positively impacts the lives of families and their precious babies with feeding challenges.”—Lori Overland, MS, speech-language pathologist, founder of Alphabet Soup Therapy, coauthor of A Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding

“Jill Rabin and baby-led weaning pioneer Gill Rapley are here to help with a groundbreaking new approach: adapted baby-led weaning (ABLW). . . . [They] teach applied techniques to help children become happy and healthy self-feeders.”—City Parent

From the Publisher

08/01/2022

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. VERDICT A valuable resource for the many families who face feeding challenges but still want to try the popular technique of self-feeding.

Library Journal