Baby-Led Weaning Certification for Dietitians Ready to Lead
A 6-week advanced training and credentialing program for Registered Dietitians and qualified nutrition professionals seeking evidence-based expertise in baby-led weaning, responsive feeding, and starting solid foods.
The Fall 2026 cohort begins November 9, 2026. Enrollment is limited.
Giving Registered Dietitians a Seat at the Infant Feeding Table.
Families are asking more questions about baby-led weaning than ever before. They want guidance that is evidence-based, practical, responsive, and safe.
...but too often, that information comes from message boards, social media, or uncredentialed sources.
The Commission on Baby-Led Weaning Certification was created to give registered dietitians and internationally credentialed dietitians a rigorous, evidence-based pathway to specialize in baby-led weaning, responsive feeding, and infant nutrition.
Built for Dietitians Who Are Ready to Lead
Evidence-Based Training
Understand the research, safety considerations, and responsive feeding principles behind baby-led weaning so your recommendations are current, defensible, and clinically grounded.
Practical Clinical Application
Translate baby-led weaning evidence into real-world care with training in food preparation, texture progression, allergen introduction, choking-risk reduction, and family coaching.
Professional Authority
Earn a credential that signals specialized expertise in baby-led weaning to families, colleagues, referral partners, and interdisciplinary teams so your role in infant feeding is clear, visible, and recognized.
Created to Elevate the Role of Dietitians in Infant Feeding
The Commission on Baby-Led Weaning Certification is a nonprofit professional certification body created to elevate the role of dietitians in early childhood nutrition.
The Commission gives registered dietitians and internationally credentialed dietitians a rigorous, evidence-based pathway to specialize in baby-led weaning and infant feeding.
Our mission is to ensure dietitians have the advanced education, clinical credibility, and professional recognition needed to lead in starting complementary foods: at the bedside, in private practice, in public health, and in the community.
A 6-Week Certification Program: The Outline
Six structured modules build from baby-led weaning foundations to clinical application, helping dietitians translate evidence into confident, family-centered practice.
01
Introduction to Baby-Led Weaning
Explore the history, philosophy, guiding principles, responsive feeding foundations, and current research behind baby-led weaning.
02
Pre-Feeding Considerations
Assess readiness, growth, developmental milestones, infant milk intake, oral-motor skills, and realistic expectations before the first bite.
03
Starting Solid Foods Basics
Apply best practices for nutrient needs, food preparation, texture progression, choking-risk reduction, allergen introduction, open cup drinking, and family meals.
04
Challenges in Typical Infant Feeding
Troubleshoot common concerns including gagging, intake, throwing food, constipation, reflux, allergic reactions, schedules, travel, and picky eating prevention.
05
Medical Conditions and Referral Considerations
Learn how to adapt baby-led weaning for feeding differences, oral-motor concerns, tube feeding, special diets, and medical conditions while staying within scope of practice.
06
Opportunities in Professional Practice
Integrate baby-led weaning into clinical care, community nutrition, outpatient counseling, private practice, parent education, referral networks, and professional leadership.
What Credentialed Dietitians are Saying
The allergy section was really excellent. It clarified what mild symptoms can look like, what severe symptoms can look like, and exactly how to respond in each situation.
Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, BLW
@healthy.mom.healthy.kids
This training was outstanding. The texture progression and food preparation training alone had me filling half a notebook with practical takeaways.
Aileen Cox Blundell, MSc, ANutr, BLW
@babyledfeeding
There really hasn’t been a complete course to guide dietitians in baby-led weaning until now. This program gives you the confidence to safely help families.
Leah Hackney, RDN, CSP, BLW
@blwmealsapp
Who Should Get Credentialed?
Dietitians Counseling Families Starting Solid Foods
For RDs/RDNs who answer parent questions about readiness, safety, food preparation, allergens, intake, and mealtime confidence.
Pediatric and Family-Focused Dietitians
For dietitians working with infants, toddlers, parents, and caregivers in clinical, outpatient, private practice, or community settings.
Public Health, WIC, and Community Nutrition Dietitians
For professionals supporting families with practical, accessible, culturally responsive guidance around complementary feeding.
Dietitians Working Alongside Other Providers
For dietitians collaborating with pediatricians, lactation professionals, allergists, SLPs, OTs, feeding teams, and family health providers.
Internationally Credentialed Dietitians
For dietitians outside the U.S. seeking specialized baby-led weaning training grounded in evidence, safety, and responsive feeding.
Developed by Leaders in Baby-Led Weaning
Katie Ferraro, MPH, RDN, BLW
Katie Ferraro is a registered dietitian, infant feeding specialist, and founder of the original 100 FIRST FOODS™ approach to starting solid foods. Through her baby-led weaning education programs, podcast, and professional trainings, Katie has helped families and clinicians translate infant feeding research into practical, safe, and confidence-building mealtime guidance.
Jessica Coll, RD, BLW
Jessica Coll is a registered dietitian specializing in baby-led weaning, responsive feeding, and family-centered infant nutrition. She is the founder of the International Baby-Led Weaning Network. Her work supports parents and professionals in helping babies safely explore a variety of foods while building trust, skill, and confidence at the table.
“Registered Dietitians must play a larger role in helping infants develop the skills they need to become independent eaters.”
-Gill Rapley, PhD
Pioneer of the baby-led weaning approach and Senior Advisor to the Commission on Baby-Led Weaning Certification
Helping Families Succeed
Trusting that babies can safely eat real food is at the core of baby-led weaning. Dietitians are the ideal nutrition experts to lead the way.
A Credential That Signals Specialized Expertise
Upon completion of the certification program and successful completion of the exam, dietitians earn the BLW credential, a professional designation that reflects advanced training in baby-led weaning and infant feeding.
6
weeks of structured study
1
proctored certification exam
5
year credential cycle
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the details most dietitians want to know before joining the BLWPro waitlist.
Who is eligible to enroll?
The certification is designed for registered dietitians, registered dietitian nutritionists, and internationally credentialed dietitians.
How long is the program?
The certification program is completed over six structured modules, with training designed to build from baby-led weaning foundations to clinical application.
Is there an exam?
Yes. Dietitians complete a proctored certification exam to earn the BLW credential.
What does the training cover?
The curriculum includes baby-led weaning research, readiness, infant nutrition, food preparation, choking-risk reduction, allergen introduction, responsive feeding, common feeding challenges, referral considerations, and professional practice.
What credential do dietitians earn?
Dietitians who complete the program and pass the exam earn the BLW credential, reflecting specialized training in baby-led weaning and infant feeding.
When does the Fall 2026 cohort begin?
The Fall 2026 certification cohort begins November 9, 2026. Enrollment is limited.
Join the Summer 2026 Certification Cohort
If you've been looking to enhance your nutrition practice by adding expertise in a modern, evidence-based approach to starting solid foods, this certification and credentialing program was built for you.
The Summer 2026 certification cohort begins July 20, 2026.
- Confidently counsel families through readiness, safety, allergens, texture progression, and common feeding challenges
- Expand the ways you serve families through baby-led weaning education, private practice offerings, parent consults, or referral-based work
- Earn a professional credential that helps distinguish your expertise in infant feeding
The mission of the Commission on Baby-Led weaning Certification is to elevate the role of registered dietitians in early childhood nutrition by providing specialized, evidence-based certification in baby-led weaning.
We aim to equip dietitians with the advanced training, credibility, and global community they need to lead in the conversation around starting complementary foods, ensuring that nutrition professionals have a seat at every table where infant feeding decisions are made.