You Deserve to Enjoy Mealtimes, Too — A Baby-Led Weaning Guide to More Joy
Just because feeding your baby is about your baby doesn’t mean it can’t be meaningful — and even fun — for you too.
This isn’t just a feeding method. It’s a daily experience. And you’re allowed to enjoy it.
Prefer to listen?
Today’s episode is your gentle reminder that you deserve to enjoy mealtimes too.
We talk about baby-led weaning like it’s a milestone. A method. A safety issue.
And yes — it’s all of those things.
But it’s also part of your everyday life.
It affects your mood, your energy, your connection with your baby… and whether you get a bite of food yourself.
Let’s be real:
• You’re standing while eating
• Constantly wiping, refilling, narrating
• You finish the meal and realize you forgot to eat
The idea of enjoying baby-led weaning?
Might feel laughable right now.
If that’s you? I see you. I’ve been you.
And this episode is here to offer a little hope.
This isn’t just about feeding — it’s about motherhood
As a postpartum doula, I’ve been in so many homes where:
• The baby is fed, clean, and content
• And the parent is running on fumes
I get it. It’s easy to slip into survival mode.
To believe that your needs always come last.
But I’ve seen this over and over again:
When a mom gets even one moment of peace…
A couple bites of warm food…
A deep breath with her baby on her lap…
…it shifts something.
Not just for her.
But for the whole household.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful
Motherhood can be hard and joyful.
Messy and meaningful.
You can be tired and in love with your baby and this wild season of life.
This isn’t about adding pressure.
It’s about giving yourself permission.
To look for the beauty in the mess.
To feed both of you — body and soul.
To be present, even just for one moment.
Because even if it’s just:
• One peaceful meal
• One happy bite
• One deep breath together
That counts.
That matters.
That’s the magic.
Baby-led weaning isn’t just for baby — it’s a family experience
I once worked with a mom of two.
She’d done traditional spoon-feeding with her first, and tried BLW with her second.
She said, “I’m doing this mostly for the baby.”
But something unexpected happened.
Her picky toddler started copying the baby —
Watched her gnaw zucchini…
Picked it up…
And took a bite.
Dinner stopped being about the plate.
It became about the experience.
You matter at the table too
BLW brings your baby to the table as part of the family.
But you’re part of the family, too.
And you matter at the table just as much as your baby does.
It’s easy to fixate on:
• Are they chewing?
• Are they eating enough?
• Are they gagging?
But what about you?
There’s a big difference between feeding your baby and sharing a meal with your baby.
Picture this...
Your baby’s munching on roasted carrots.
You’re sipping coffee and eating toast.
Maybe it’s not hot.
Maybe it’s not perfect.
But you’re sitting.
You’re breathing.
You’re in the moment.
That’s not a small thing.
That’s a win.
When we let go of perfection and start looking for presence,
mealtimes become something we get to do — not something we have to do.
Small shifts create space for joy
Joy doesn’t just appear because everything’s easy.
(Spoiler: it probably won’t be.)
Joy shows up because we make space for it.
Even the tiniest shift can change the vibe:
• Light a candle
• Put on music you love
• Use your favorite mug
• Take a breath before you sit down
These aren’t Pinterest-perfect strategies.
They’re human ones.
They help you reconnect.
Drop into the moment.
Shift the energy.
You don’t have to wait to enjoy this
You don’t have to wait until your baby stops throwing food…
Until the mess disappears…
Until it’s all figured out…
You’re allowed to build the joy in now — even in the chaos.
A mom I worked with once dreaded dinner.
Food prep, clingy baby, toddler meltdowns. Total overwhelm.
But she tried something different:
• Turned on music
• Handed the baby a banana
• Sat down with her own plate
A few days later, she texted me:
“It still feels wild. But it also feels like mine again.”
That small shift helped her reconnect.
To the meal.
To herself.
Your baby learns joy from watching you
This might be the most powerful (and most overlooked) part of feeding.
We talk a lot about modeling skills — chewing, using a spoon, sipping from a cup.
But what about modeling joy?
When you smile and say, “Mmm, I love green beans,”
When you make eye contact and say, “I love eating with you,”
That lands.
You’re showing them:
• Food is safe
• Food is shared
• Food is joyful
Even if they gag.
Even if they throw.
Even if they don’t eat a single bite.
When you bring calm, curiosity, and joy to the table — they feel it.
And honestly? You will too.
Your action steps today:
✨ Eat with your baby
Even just a few bites. Sit down. Be part of the moment.
🎶 Set a vibe
Light a candle. Turn on music. Say something warm and joyful out loud.
💛 Say the joy out loud
“I love eating with you.”
“This toast is so yummy.”
“You’re doing such a great job.”
And most of all?
Give yourself permission to enjoy this.
Not because it’s good for your baby.
But because you matter here, too.
Meal times don’t have to be perfect to be good.
They don’t have to be clean or quiet to be meaningful.
You’re allowed to enjoy this season — even in the chaos.
Especially in the chaos.
💬 Did this episode bring a little light your way?
Leave a quick review — it helps this podcast reach more parents who need this same reminder.
📸 Screenshot your review and upload it at babyledweaningacademy.com/review
…and I’ll send you a little gift in the mail!