Course Benefits

Feeding your baby is about much more than food. In this course, Rachel Coley, MS, OT/L, shares the techniques and tools for mealtime success with your child. You’ll learn about strategies to support your baby, the hierarchy of solids (from easiest to hardest), signs that your baby is ready for more challenging foods, and much more.

What You’ll Learn

  • A modified baby-led weaning approach that fits with your family’s life

  • Tips to encourage an adventurous eater, not a picky eater

  • How to navigate allergy and choking concerns

  • The tools and techniques to help you make feeding successful and fun

What You’ll Get

  • Bite-sized videos you can watch when (and where) it works for you

  • Downloadable Course Guides to put what you've learned into practice

  • A calm, confident, and informed approach to Food Before 1

  • Bonding, happy mealtime with your child as they grow

Course Curriculum

We know you’re busy, so we broke the Courses down into brief videos that you can watch in any order—at your own pace—and revisit for 6 months.

Featured Lessons

Choosing First Foods

Preview

choosing first foods
Baby-Led Spoon Feeding

Preview

drinking from cups and straws
Choosing First Foods

Preview

choosing first foods
Baby-Led Spoon Feeding

Preview

drinking from cups and straws

Below is the full course curriculum. Open each section to view the list of lessons.

  • 1

    Before You Begin

    • Before You Begin
  • 2

    Food Before 1 Basics

    • Welcome to Food Before 1

    • Why should I offer my baby food before 1? What are the benefits?

    • Is my baby ready for food?

    • Choosing First Foods

    • Helpful Gear and Recommended Feeding Tools

    • Top Feeding Questions and Answers
  • 3

    Baby-Led Feeding

    • Baby-Led Spoon Feeding

    • Transitioning Through Solids

    • Teaching Your Baby to Use Utensils
  • 4

    Course Guides

    • Food Before 1 Phases & Goals

    • First Solid Foods

    • Milk and Food Serving Sizes by Stage

    • Daily Food Log

Meet Your Instructor

Rachel Coley, MS, OT/L

I’m a pediatric Occupational Therapist, writer, mom of 3 kiddos, teacher, Albert Schweitzer Fellow, early childhood advocate, and total child development nerd. My OT training and 14+ years of experience have fostered my passion for supporting whole family development—bodies, minds, and relationships. I help parents rise above “doing it right” parenting pressures to learn, play, and grow right alongside their kiddos.

Just Imagine...

little girl playing with solid food
Stress-free Mealtime

Remove the mystery from what foods your baby can—and should—be eating at different stages.

baby led feeding with mom
Confident Baby-led Weaning

Put your baby’s safety first—and connect during mealtime—as you tune into your baby’s cues and encourage an adventurous eater.

happy baby eating solid foods
A Strong Developmental Start

Mealtime is about so much more than food: it gives your baby what they need for healthy brain and body development.

FAQ

  • When should I take this Course?

    “Food Before 1” includes helpful information for baby-led feeding from ages 5 to 12 months. You don’t need to start at the exact beginning age to take advantage of the information in the Course. The Course is also a great learning resource for before your child is ready for solid food.

  • What’s the format of the Course content?

    The Course is formatted in 9, easy-to-follow chapters with lessons that include bite-sized videos you can watch when (and where) it works for you. You can skip video to video, and go back to older content when you need a refresh. The total length of the Course is 88 minutes. You’ll have access to the Course for 6 months.

  • Is there a written version of the Course available?

    All Course videos include closed captioning, but we do not provide written versions of the Courses. When you sign up for a course, you’ll receive free Course Guides that complement the video content. Think of the Guides as your “quick tips” resource that you can revisit anytime.

  • Can I download the Course videos? Are there downloadable resources?

    You will have easy access to the Course videos with your unique sign-in for 6 months, but you cannot download the Course videos. When you sign up for a Course, you’ll receive a complementary Course Guide that you can revisit as our child grows.

Disclaimer: These Courses are for your informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, individualized medical, nutritional, or any other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please review our Parent Courses Terms of Use for more details.