Support for a Healthy Start

Whether your baby needs ongoing feeding assistance after leaving the hospital or you are experiencing new feeding issues once you return home, our experienced Occupational Therapists (OT) are here as a resource and support for you and your baby. Trained as neonatal therapists and certified as lactation specialists, our OT team can help: 

• Assist infants in the coordination of feeding (suck-swallow-breathe pattern)
• Increase success with feeding (bottle or breast)
• Provide bottle nipple recommendations that are appropriate to the infant's abilities
• Educate parents on feeding techniques and positioning options
• Provide environmental change recommendations and calming techniques for infant

Signs that your baby may benefit for OT

• Do you need to tell your baby when it is time to eat because they don't act "hungry"?
• Do you worry your baby is not eating enough?
• Is your baby slow to gain weight?
• Do you feel like you are forcing your baby to eat?
• Do you consistently spend over 30 minutes trying to feed your baby?
• Does your baby attempt to feed for less than 5 minutes?
• Is feeding painful at breast? 
• Does your baby always seem fussy and/or hungry and/or uncomfortable during feeding?

If you have answered YES to two or more of the above questions, speak to your pediatrician about an Occupational Therapy referral for feeding difficulties.

Results oriented, evidence-based approach

This team of experienced NICU Occupational Therapists/Certified Lactation Specialists are also IBCLCs or are pursuing this certification have extensive experience in both bottle and breastfeeding techniques.  The therapeutic interventions they provide focus on developmentally appropriate skills that ensure infants are receiving the nourishment they need to thrive.  Most babies show improvement after only 2 visits and have met their goals in an average of 4 clinic visits.

Resources

Download Infant Feeding Journal page.

How do I get a referral to the infant feeding clinic?

If you have concerns, or have answered YES to two or more of the questions above, ask your pediatrician for an Occupational Therapy referral for feeding difficulties.

For more information on the Infant Feeding Clinic at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, call 314-996-3500.