Food & Solids, Parenting

Let’s talk about mesh feeders & similar products…

I know many parents are currently using these to feed their babies — and while I understand the appeal, P2B isn’t a big fan. Let me explain why…

✨ When introducing solids, babies need to learn the skill of eating real food.
It can be slow, messy, sometimes frustrating — but also an exciting stage of development. Through exploring food, babies learn to tolerate different tastes, textures and sensations. They learn how to move food around their mouth, manage lumps and bumps, chew and swallow.

And remember… there’s a difference between a gag and a choke — gagging is often part of the learning process.

✨ What parents may not realise:
When food is placed inside a mesh or silicone feeder, babies often only receive the sugar from the fruit — not the fibre, which remains trapped in the net. Increased sugar exposure may contribute to early tooth decay, something we’re seeing more frequently in children.

✨ From a speech therapy perspective:
These feeders encourage sucking rather than chewing. Chewing is essential for developing the muscles around the mouth and ears. The chewing motion helps clear fluid from the middle ear — and when fluid lingers, ear infections and hearing issues can follow. Chewing also strengthens tongue movement patterns, which are important for speech development.

These products were originally designed for frozen breastmilk or formula to help soothe teething discomfort — not as a replacement for learning to eat solids.

Just some gentle food for thought when introducing foods to your little one

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