Ep 3: First-Time Parent Feeding Mistakes (and What Actually Helps)

First-time parent feeding advice online can be so misleading — and it can create unnecessary anxiety around bottles, formula ounces, starting solids, choking fears, and what “healthy” really means. In this episode, Jen + Danielle (UCLA clinical pediatric dietitians) break down the most common mistakes we see first-time parents make—not to shame anyone, but to help you avoid the stress spiral and get your baby eating and growing confidently. We cover: Why Instagram/TikTok “rules” can create feeding anxiety (and when to ignore them) The truth about formula ounces (especially for preemies + corrected age) Why bland food and fear of salt can backfire (and the difference between salt used in home cooking vs ultra-processed sodium) Bottle habits that make weaning harder (and why “out of sight, out of mind” works) Why we don’t recommend mixing formula/breast milk into purees (most of the time) Easy ways to add calories the right way: avocado, yogurt, nut butter, eggs, coconut cream, cheese, etc. The “purees only” trap (and why waiting too long to introduce textures can hold babies back) How to reduce choking fear: Solid Starts, food prep tips, CPR/choking classes, and staying calm Why parent anxiety during feeding can affect feeding success, especially in failure to thrive / slow weight gain cases This episode is for parents thinking: “My baby isn’t following the textbook… am I doing something wrong?” You’re not. Let’s make feeding feel simpler and more realistic. 👇 Send us your questions (or your “I wish I knew this earlier” moments). We love turning real parent struggles into real solutions.