You offer the food... and your baby pushes it right back out with their tongue.
Is it rejection? Are they not ready? Should you keep going—or pause?

In this episode, we’re talking all about the tongue thrust reflex—one of the most important (and misunderstood) signs of readiness for solids. If you’ve ever felt confused about what that little push means, this one’s for you.

We’ll cover:

• What the tongue thrust reflex actually is—and why babies are born with it
• Why pushing food out doesn’t mean your baby hates it
• The risks of starting solids before this reflex fades (even with purées!)
• How to know when your baby is truly ready to begin
• A real-world example of how this reflex shows up—and what to do instead
• What to try in the meantime while your baby’s still practicing

Because baby-led weaning is all about following your baby’s cues—and the tongue thrust is one of the clearest ones we’ve got.

✨ Mentioned in this episode:
– Free guide: Puree the Baby-Led Way: From Spoons to Solids
– Easy-to-hold oral motor tools from EZPZ: ezpzfun.com (use code BLWACADEMY10 for 10% off!)
– Want more clarity on BLW readiness? Go back to Episode 3

P.S. You can find this episode at babyledweaningacademy.com/33

Review the show and upload a screenshot at babyledweaningacademy.com/review for a little something in the mail 💌