Respecting your baby's cues is one of the most important pieces of advice I give all parents who come in for therapy. If your 6-month-old infant closes her mouth when you present the spoon, she's telling you she's not ready, she's not hungry, or she can't manage the food you are presenting. Babies and toddlers are very smart and we need to listen to them. It is important to figure out why they are refusing as the first step in turning things around.

There are so many reasons why feeding can get off track in the first few years of life. Concerns with weight gain and growth, oral motor incoordination, medical complications such as reflux, and even parent anxiety and/or depression will influence the feeding dynamic. No matter what leads to the path of stressful mealtimes, there is one way back, and that is to learn to be a responsive feeder. In our daily practice, this is the approach we use and model for parents. Whether it is a newborn who