Ah, the great debate of breastmilk vs. formula. Read our feeding journey after two babies. Spoiler alert: We used formula AND breastmilk!

Oral motor exercises improve coordination, strength, and mobility of the mouth to facilitate feeding, oral discrimination, or sensory needs.

What is feeding therapy? Does your child or toddler need therapy, and if so, how do you get a feeding evaluation for them? Get answers...

Are meal times a battle? Is your child's diet limited due to flavors, textures and trouble chewing? Here are the best strategies for feeding a child with oral sensory processing disorder.

Cluster feeding is something almost every new mom will face, and it's hard! In this post, we'll explainwhy, plus equip you with helpful tips and tricks.

The incidence of eczema has increased by 500% over the last 40 years and the exact cause is unclear. We do know that food and nutrition play a big part ...

Pediatric feeding therapy can be complex, but it can also be a lot of fun! Check out these effective feeding therapy tips, techniques, and activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTcsftZhlrY https://www.virtualmilestoneacademy.com/blog-1 For many of the kiddos I meet, mealtimes don’t trigger that it is time to relax, it triggers the opposite of relax. Instead of the parasympathetic nervous system readying the body to rest and digest, the sympathetic nervous system takes over, heart rate and breathing rate increase, and our body prepares for fight or flight. Let’s face it, because of this; mealtimes often become stressful for everyone when feeding challenges arise. It is understandable how these feelings develop into huge concerns overtime. Food is often thought to be the primary resource we need for survival, but the truth is that the number one resource we need is breath! Considering the connection between breathing and mealtimes will empower you to make simple, meaningful changes when you need them most.

Chatterboxes' Speech Language Pathologists are trained to utilize the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding, a family-centered treatment method to address pediatric feeding difficulties. Feeding is one of the most complicated tasks your child will ever complete and a skill that takes most children at least two years to learn. To eat an age appropriate diet that meets his or her nutritional needs, your child’s internal organs, sensory system, and oral-motor muscles must all be developing appropriately and working together. Given the complexity of feeding, it is no wonder that roughly 25% of children struggle with eating at some point in their lives. The SOS treatment approach takes the complexity of feeding into account, assessing the “whole child” to identify specific skills such as biting, chewing, and sensory modulation and regulation with which a child may be struggling. Often problematic feeding behaviors develop as a result of skills deficits and can be eliminated by building a child’s feeding abilities. For example, a toddler with weak oral motor skills who has difficulty chewing will learn quickly that tough-to-chew foods like meats and raw vegetable do not work for her mouth; she may develop problem behaviors such as running from the table or tossing her plate on the floor to avoid taking a bite of these challenging foods. Similarly, a child with Autism who is unable to recognize his favorite yogurt when it’s not presented in its usual container may scream and cry when it’s presented in a new bowl. Identifying the underlying cause of these behaviors allows our clinicians to develop a treatment plan specifically tailored to your child’s unique needs. During the therapy process, the SOS Approach uses systematic desensitization to enhance a child's ability to explore and tolerate novel foods, by providing him or her opportunities to interact with new foods in increasingly complex ways. For example, a child who initially is not able to tolerate the sight of a certain food on the table will be taught through play to touch the food, kiss the food, lick the food, and ultimately taste, chew, and swallow it- all while having fun in an encouraging and relaxed environment. Using play-based therapy techniques and positive reinforcement, children are taught the necessary skills they need to broaden the range of foods they consume and engage in positive mealtime behaviors. To ensure carryover to the home environment, clinicians work closely with parents and caregivers, offering detailed strategies to help children transfer skills from the therapy room to the dinner table. Contact Chatterboxes to learn more or click here: www.sosapproach-conferences.com/about-us/sos-approach-to-feeding

This educational digital illustration by Ashley Hunt, CLC, CBS of Mother Made Lactation shows several of the possible flange fittings and suggested ways to measure the nipple. These graphics were digitally hand drawn by Ashley Hunt, CLC, CBS. For informational purposes — Publisher: Ashley Hunt, Mother Made Lactation LLC Date: 2022 To see the original post, follow this link. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMu0L3yA1cX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Ashley always consults multiple evidence based research studies to confirm accuracy of content provided. This educational digital print would look wonderful in any classroom, lactation consultant’s office, midwife practice, birth center, or women’s health facility. Please send me in any photos of your poster in use. I love to see where they end up! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: THIS ITEM IS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Please note that this listing is for digital files only. No physical product will be shipped. Please keep reading below for printing recommendations. ::::::::::::: ABOUT :::::::::::: This educational digital illustration by Ashley Hunt, CLC, CBS of Mother Made Lactation shows several of the possible flange fittings and suggested ways to measure the nipple. These graphics were digitally hand drawn by Ashley Hunt, CLC, CBS. For informational purposes — Publisher: Ashley Hunt, Mother Made Lactation LLC Date: 2022 Ashley always consults multiple evidence based research studies to confirm accuracy of content provided. This educational digital print would look wonderful in any classroom, lactation consultant’s office, midwife practice, birth center, or women’s health facility. Please send me in any photos of your poster in use. I love to see where they end up! Download, print, and trim your art within minutes or send it to your local print shop. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A PDF file that contains a link to Dropbox folder (free to use, no app required) which contains your High-resolution 300-dpi PDF files in all of the sizes listed below. Some cropping and slight differences in design placement may occur. • 18x24 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: HOW TO DOWNLOAD :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Your files will be available for download here at www.etsy.com/your/purchases once payment has been confirmed. You should also receive an automatic email to the email address attached to your Etsy account with a download link to your files. If you checked out as a guest, you’ll receive an email from Etsy with your download links. If you don’t receive an email, be sure to check your junk folder. If you have any issues, contact me for help. PLEASE NOTE the Etsy app does not support downloading on mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, etc). However, you will be able to download on your device’s browser or a computer. ::::::::::::::::::::::::: PLEASE NOTE ::::::::::::::::::::::::: Your print quality will depend on the type of printer, settings, and paper quality used. Monitor and printer settings may cause colors to appear differently in print than on screen. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: RECOMMENDATIONS :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: For the best results, a heavyweight matte paper or card stock is recommended. For a clean cut, I recommend using a paper trimmer. You may also send these to be printed and trimmed by your local print shop. // Need help printing your download? // My shop is partnered with Prints of Love to provide fast, high-quality printing, offering free shipping within the US and free envelopes with your purchase! Use discount code: BYASH10 during checkout to receive 10% off your order at: https://printsoflove.com/ref/Printsbyash :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: COPYRIGHT NOTICE :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Purchased files are for personal use ONLY. Commercial use of any kind is strictly prohibited. Purchase of files does NOT transfer copyright or grant a license to re-sell the artwork. We protect our copyright interests. All artwork, designs, product images, text copy, banners and files are property of Ashley Hunt / Heirlooms by Ash and are legally protected by U.S. & International copyright laws. Please refrain from sharing, re-selling, or uploading files and product photos to publicly available websites. © Ashley Hunt | Ashley Hunt Creative. All Rights Reserved.

Children on the spectrum experience many barriers to eating a nutritious diet. Sensory issues that limit the variety of foods a child is willing to eat is one that parents find most frustrating. Try these protein ideas for every sensory seeker.

Most parents agree that middle-of-the-night feedings can be really rough! Learn how to ease the burden of night feedings with these 12 tips.

There are many foods to avoid for adhd kids. Sugary foods have many toxic ingredients -sweeteners and dyes that are anything but natural can be incredibly harmful for kids with adhd. Artificial preservatives can make ADHD symptoms worse and should also be avoided as much as possible.

Learn how to use the division of responsibility to help improve picky eating, whether you have a toddler, kid, or teen. Plus, strategies to implement this picky eating strategy.

Use the Division of Responsibility In Feeding To Help Your Child Transform Picky Eating into a Healthy Relationship with Food It’s pretty normal for children to be selective about what they eat. Picky eating can be just a phase, especially in the toddler and preschool years. Even if it’s normal, picky eating can bring up worries, frustration […]

Oral motor therapy works on the oral skills necessary for proper speech and feeding development. Check out some easy oral motor exercises to try today!

One box I can always count on being checked on the needs assessment is ☑WORRY. Our students are coming to school with worries about friendships, home life, their school performance and so much more. Researchers estimate that nearly 32% of adolescents (ages 13-18) experience an anxiety disorder. Additionally, in a survey of children aged 10-11 in England

I really hope you aren't eating. Or have just eaten. Or thinking about eating. Because I'm going to spend the rest of this blog post tal...

Introducing solids to your infant is an exciting milestone. Here's everything you need to know about baby's first food including timelines, safety, and recommended menu items.

Nourishing and delicious, this primal-friendly nutrient-dense Raw Milk Tonic is the perfect bedtime snack for little ones!

Learn 5 hidden reasons why your child won't eat anything and how to help them eat a wide variety of food from a feeding expert and mom.