What Is Weaning & How Do You Do It? Weaning Methods Explained! With Stacey Zimmels - The Mamamade Podcast Episode 2
It's time for the second episode!
Get your tea, coffee, and cocktails at the ready because we're having some down-to-earth, open, and honest conversations about what modern-day parenting is actually like! We are so excited about this episode of The Mamamade Podcast because we are joined by none other than Stacey Zimmels, AKA the brains, the heart and the soul behind @feedeatspeak on Instagram!
Stacey has previously worked for the NHS for nearly 20 years; she holds an honorary contract at the NHS Royal Brompton Hospital in London and has also led their Paediatric Speech Therapy service for the last 8 years. She's an outstanding woman with excellent credentials; amongst all that, Stacey is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Feeding and Swallowing Specialist Speech Therapist. Plus, a mum of two! Wow, talk about being a super mum 🙌🏼 Go, Stacey! 
Stacey is always a wealth of knowledge, which is why we've worked on so many things together over on Mamamade's Instagram, from our expert Q&A live weaning discussion with Doddl to her collaborative blog with us on ‘How To Stop Breastfeeding?’. We just can't get enough of her here at Mamamade HQ 💜 So, we knew that we had to get her on board for the second episode of The Mamamade podcast, and we are so thankful to her for joining us. Because it was a pleasure!
We’re starting right from scratch
The episode is based on the most essential of questions for all parents regardless of their stages of parenting. We've all at some point asked or even googled "what is weaning and how do you do it?" Well, you, my fantastic community of Mamamates, are in luck because we are diving in and answering all your burning questions to explain what weaning is and how to actually do it? Oh, and we don't just stop there! In this episode, we're also covering weaning stages, the recommended equipment you'll need for introducing your little ones to the wild world of weaning, and so much more!
This episode between Sophie and Stacey is a combination of three things; firstly, a weaning workshop that you can access with the click of a button. Secondly, a chat between two mums who are genuinely so open about their experiences, opinions and thirdly, a shared mission to break down any weaning/ parenting stigmas that we've all carried for generations.
A snippet from the episode
How do you know when it's time to start weaning? What should I be looking for?
Around the 6-month mark is when your little one might start to show their readiness signs. For some infants, these signs might start before the 6-month mark or even after. There are lots of myths associated with starting solids! Some would be, sleep, putting things in their mouths, staring at you whilst you're eating. But in reality, the things that you should actually be looking out for are signs that suggest your baby's physical capabilities are at the stage where it would be safe to start giving them purées or finger foods. For example, can they sit upright on a highchair with a bit of support? Are they able to hold their heads up? Are they confident with their hand to eye coordination? Are they interested in reaching out, picking up foods and putting them in their mouth independently? And lastly, look at the physical body development. Are they past the reflex stage, thrusting food out with their tongue and or can they swallow?
This is just a tiny section of the episode, there’s so much more helpful information where that came from!
Thank you again to Stacey Zimmels for joining us for the second episode of The Mamamade podcast and for sharing all her fantastic insight. We've learned so much through this episode, and we hope you've all enjoyed our chat as much as we have ✨
If you haven't already, click here to listen to the recording and if you've already had a listen, then please share your thoughts below in the comments or send us a DM on Instagram. We at Mamamade love it when you share your thoughts, parenting experiences, and recommendations!
And one last thing, for all our listeners, please share the love by subscribing, learning a review and sharing our ultimate parenting guide. You can find us on Apple's podcast platform, Spotify, and our website.
Love, Team Mamamade x
