What It Is

When babies have trouble feeding, whether from the breast or the bottle, it can create a number of challenges from lack of sleep and extreme fussiness to poor weight gain.

What You Should Know

Lactation consultants typically focus on the mother, where speech language pathologists focus on feeding therapy for babies and the overall environment for feeding.

Sometimes even frequent reflux may not be a serious issue–my own son was a “happy spitter” –but there are strategies to mitigate it.

Indications feeding therapy for baby may be appropriate include:

• Trouble latching/ popping on and off the breast
• Clicking noises, gulping, coughing, or choking during feeding
• Poor weight gain
• Slow feeding–by the time you have finished one feeding, its just about time for the next
• Frequent or painful reflux, spit up or vomiting
• Challenges with the breast to bottle or bottle to solid food transition

As an SLP who has worked extensively on feeding therapy for babies in an outpatient medical setting, I have been specially trained to help spot the reason your infant is having challenges.

My Approach

During my evaluation, I first determine if there is a medical issue that will require collaboration with another medical professional. This could be a tongue tie, severe reflux, delayed gastric emptying (leading possibly to constipation), possible allergies or intolerances or other issues. 

In these cases, I’ll diagnose and provide the paperwork to ensure the child is able to move quickly through the next steps of the process with the appropriate medical professional. Once treated, for instance perhaps the tongue tie is revised, I’ll then often see the child again to help them get comfortable feeding with the new range of motion and build up adequate strength.

I’ll also evaluate physical issues that often don’t require additional medical attention such as an immature suck, swallow, breathe pattern or feeding fatigue.

And of course behavior and feeding strategies can come into play as well. I’ll work with the parents to help them develop a consistent baby feeding therapy routine that fits the baby’s patterns allowing them to thrive. I can also help with bottle feeding strategies and positioning the baby to help decrease reflux and vomit.

Do you need feeding therapy for baby in Herndon, Reston, or the Northern Virginia area? I can help!

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