What Clara Davis’s Study Can Teach Us About Feeding Our Babies

In the 1920s and 30s, Dr. Clara Davis, a pediatrician from Chicago, conducted one of the most fascinating experiments in human nutrition—a study that still challenges how we think about feeding our children today. Dr. Davis’s work wasn’t backed by corporations or government programs. It was a simple, bold question: if we allowed babies to feed themselves from a variety of whole, unprocessed foods, could they instinctively choose what their bodies needed to thrive? The results were astonishing. Over six years, Dr. Davis observed 15 orphaned infants as they were offered a selection of 34 fresh foods—everything from fruits and vegetables to liver and bone marrow. The children were free to eat as much or as little of whatever they wanted, with no adult guidance or interference.

What Did She Discover?

The infants, despite their young age and lack of dietary knowledge, consistently selected a balanced and nourishing diet. They chose foods rich in fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals—all in the right proportions for their growing bodies. If one baby was deficient in a nutrient, they instinctively gravitated toward foods that corrected the deficiency. This happened without anyone telling them what was “good” or “bad” to eat, without flashy labels or marketing campaigns, and without prepackaged meals designed to appeal to parents’ anxieties. Dr. Davis’s study showed that our children, when given the freedom and access to real, unprocessed foods, are incredibly capable of knowing what their bodies need.

Why Does This Matter Today?

Think about the baby food aisle in your local store. It’s full of bright packaging, promises of “added nutrients,” and a lot of products designed to make feeding easier and faster. But underneath the marketing lies a deeper truth: many of these products are heavily processed, stripped of their natural nutrients, and filled with ingredients your baby doesn’t need. Dr. Davis’s study is a reminder that we don’t need corporations or government guidelines to tell us how to feed our kids. What we need is simple, wholesome, real food. The kind of food babies have eaten for generations—before the rise of industrial farming and corporate marketing.

How This Can Inspire Your Approach

As mothers, you’re already equipped with the most important tools to feed your baby: intuition, observation, and love. You don’t need to rely on a system designed to prioritize convenience and profit over your child’s well-being.

Here’s how you can apply Dr. Davis’s insights to your own baby’s first foods:

• Offer Variety: Present your baby with a range of unprocessed foods, such as soft-cooked vegetables, small pieces of meat, and mashed pasture-raised eggs.
• Trust Their Choices: Let your baby decide what and how much to eat. Trust that their instincts will guide them toward the nutrients they need.
• Stick to Real Food: Avoid prepackaged purees and processed snacks. Choose fresh, whole foods that are minimally altered.

A New Perspective on Baby-Led Weaning

Dr. Davis’s work is more relevant than ever in the context of baby-led weaning. By allowing babies to feed themselves from a variety of healthy options, we’re respecting their innate wisdom while helping them develop a healthy relationship with food. At Tyner Pond Farm, we believe this starts with access to real, sustainably raised foods. Our pasture-raised meats and eggs are as close to nature as possible—free from the additives, chemicals, and shortcuts that dominate industrial farming. These foods are ideal for starting your baby on a journey of healthy eating, guided by their own instincts.

Feeding Our Kids Without Self-Serving Corporations

Dr. Davis’s study reminds us that our babies are capable of more than we realize. When we step back and let them explore food as it was meant to be—real, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense—we’re giving them the best foundation for a healthy life. You don’t need big companies, flashy labels, or government guidelines to raise a healthy eater. You just need the courage to trust your baby, the way Dr. Davis did almost a century ago. If you’re ready to feed your baby with real food raised responsibly, we’re here to help. Let’s go back to the basics and rediscover the simple power of food that nourishes both body and soul.