Babyfoodandfun

Hello and welcome!

I am so glad you are here!!

My name is Jessica. I am a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with over 9 years of practice. I have an extra love of clinical/critical care nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, and infant/early life nutrition and feeding.

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I graduated from The University of Cincinnati with my Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition in 2013. I then completed my Dietetic Internship in San Antonio, Texas through the University of the Incarnate Word. I passed my R.D. exam in the summer of 2014, and I have been living in the nutrition world ever since!

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I spent the first years of my professional career in Texas. During this time, I had a range of opportunities, including Clinical Dietitian for an Acute Care Hospital, Nutrition Support Dietitian, Clinical Dietitian in Long-Term Care, Food Service Management, and NICU Dietitian. (*R.D.'s play a lot of roles-these were not all separate jobs*)

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During my 2+ years in NICU, I also obtained certification as a Certified Infant Feeding Technician. This means that I have had specific training when it comes to formula preparation, safety, and care.

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Currently, I reside in Ohio and work PRN as an Acute Care Clinical Dietitian. I love my job! I have enjoyed the hospital life as a dietitian from the first time I stepped in! 

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So how did I become Baby Food and Fun?!

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In some ways.. it feels like it kind of just, happened?!

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I am a mom of 2. 

My oldest is 7 years old, and my youngest is just over 2 years old.

Since I am not working quite as much during this season of life, I had decided to make homemade baby foods for my son when my youngest started solids in 2022. Over the last year+, I have made a majority of his foods in some capacity. I've done a mix of Purees and Baby Led Weaning, and I have really enjoyed it! I was already vaguely interested in sharing some of the information I knew...

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And then the infant formula shortage became a crisis in the spring of 2022.

 

My son was 9 months old and a Formula Fed Day 1 baby. Suddenly, we couldn't find the very basic of infant formulas on our store shelves. And I could feel the panic set in. On our way to a party with our friends, my husband went to the store to grab Similac Advance (standard formula). He came back with Enfamil Gentlease (not a standard formula). I was discussing this with our friends who also have babies under age 5, and each friend expressed that they would not know what comparable formula to grab..just like my husband.

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And I realized, as a society, we truly are not taught very much when it comes to formula. My R.D. and NICU background kicked in. I do have this knowledge! I started discussing all topics related to infant feeding on my Instagram, with a special focus on the formula shortage and food policy. Since then, things have continued to take off.

And I have learned A LOT!

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I hope to build a space for formula feeding support and education as well as infant feeding support as a whole.

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I have been talking about food and nutrition on the whole for over 10 years now. And I do not plan on stopping anytime soon.