· Providing Specialized Care in NY · NJ · MA · FL · TX · CA ·
Welcome to Infant Feeding Specialists!
We provide highly specialized feeding, swallowing, lactation and developmental support for infants and families, especially those discharged from the NICU, PICU or CVICU.
Expert Feeding Therapy for Infants and
Medically Complex Babies
When Your Baby’s Needs Go Beyond Typical Feeding Challenges
Worried your baby may not meet their oral feeding or weight gain goals?
Tired of watching your baby in discomfort and struggling?
Already have a known diagnosis, and want to feel ready to support your newborn from day one?
Feel anxious, isolated, or unsure if you’re doing enough for your baby?
Feeding challenges can be stressful
for both babies and parents.
When partnering with Infant Feeding Specialists, you don’t have to navigate them alone.
You’re Not Alone in Your Baby’s Feeding Journey
NICU Care Consult
Developmental Advice Session
Infant Feeding Evaluation
Prenatal Care Consult
Our comprehensive evaluations uncover the root of your baby’s feeding challenges using a whole-child approach. We will equip you with practical strategies to make mealtimes safe, functional, and nurturing. Appropriate for bottle or breastfeeding infants.
Ask your pressing questions and get expert advice tailored to your baby’s unique needs. These sessions empower you to support your child’s happiness, growth, milestones, and daily routines with confidence. This session is also helpful if you want to discuss your infant with a specialist before you schedule a full evaluation.
At any point in your NICU journey rely on our NICU-Trained Specialists to offer added education, resources and support to optimize every day of your infants neuro-development.
Prepare for your baby’s arrival with evidence-based education on feeding, sleeping, early developmental milestones and Baby Registry Must-Haves. Our prenatal consults help expecting parents feel confident, informed, and ready to nurture their newborn.
Let us support you and your baby’s feeding journey. Schedule a session with one of our specialists today.
Compassionate and Effective Feeding Therapy and Support for Your Infant’s Unique Needs
Our sessions are designed to help you achieve your goals so that your family can feel confident, competent and empowered every step of the way. In-home, virtual, or in-office appointments vary by location and therapist.
Our Step-by-Step Approach to Feeding Therapy Success
At Infant Feeding Specialists, we make the path to feeding success clear and manageable with a three-step process designed to support both your baby and your family.
Schedule an Appointment
Get the Help You Need
Feel Confident and Connected
Choose a specialist in your state for a virtual, in-home, or in-office session, and complete our brief intake forms.
Share your full story. We listen without judgment, assess your baby’s unique needs, and provide a personalized plan with recommendations, resources, and ongoing support.
With expert, caring and thoughtful guidance and follow-up, feeding becomes a moment of connection rather than stress.
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Our Thoughtful, Evidence-Based Care Philosophy:
At Infant Feeding Specialists, Inc., we know how important it is to feel safe, seen, and supported—especially when you’re navigating the stress and uncertainty of caring for your baby with feeding difficulties. That’s why we offer more than just expert care—we provide a judgment-free space where all families are welcome, and every story is honored. You’ll be heard without interruption and without assumptions. We’ll meet you where you are, whether you’re overwhelmed and frustrated, or just looking for tips and strategies to help your infant thrive. Every care plan is tailored specifically to your baby’s medical needs, feeding history, and your family’s values, while drawing on evidence-based approaches and best practices in infant feeding. Never cookie-cutter, always attuned. Your baby is unique, and your journey deserves nothing less.
It was very hard to find a clinician who provided care for the mind, body, and spirit of the infant and the mother/caregiver. Dr. Louisa established a beautiful rapport with my son once he was discharged from the hospital at one month old. Dr. Louisa’s magical touch when helping my son feed safely from a bottle was just the sight a new mom needed to see. She coached me on how to read his cues and trust my “mommy instincts.” Without her, I am not sure where my son would be in terms of his development of feeding skills and nutrition.
~R.A.
Breastfeeding was really tough for me and my daughter. I saw a different lactation consultant who told me to give up because my baby had an aversion. But Dr. Louisa showed me different ways to support my baby and read her cues. It was a night and day difference! I highly recommend Dr. Louisa for anyone with breastfeeding concerns.
~E.P.
My son had laryngomalacia and kept coughing during feedings. Dr.Louisa was able to see us quickly and helped him so much. She taught us how to position him during feedings and pace his milk flow. She was extremely patient and explained everything to us in a way we can understand. Even though he got feeding therapy through EI, we didnt need them after seeing her. We are so grateful!
~A.I.
Testimonials
Why Parents Look to Us for Infant Feeding Therapy & Support
Access to NICU-Trained Feeding Therapists after Discharge
The transition to home can be daunting. You were receiving 24/7 care from highly trained specialists in the NICU, and then you were discharged home and you lost all that support. This transition can leave parents feeling stressed, frustrated and inadequate. We are here to provide that gap in care. We all have extensive knowledge of the NICU environment and the numerous difficulties your infant may face.
Support When & Where Families Need It
We work to meet you where you are — whether virtually, in-home, or in-office — and accommodate your needs as much as possible. Our growing nationwide network of NICU-trained therapists improves your access to care, allowing us to provide expert guidance close to home and with short wait times for your appointment.
Compassionate Care for Lasting Impact
With our guidance, your baby can gain weight, feed comfortably, and progress through feeding milestones more smoothly. Our goal is to build a strong foundation for more skills to build upon so that we optimize short-term and long-term feeding success — helping your baby thrive while ensuring future mealtimes are moments of connection, comfort, and joy for the whole family.
Uniquely Skilled at Treating the “Whole Child”
Your child is more than a number on a scale or the volume of a bottle. We take a whole-child approach—connecting feeding, nutrition, sleep, self-regulation, bonding, and motor development—so we can uncover the root causes of feeding challenges and create care that truly supports lasting progress.
California
Texas
Florida
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New york
We are a dedicated team of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and occupational therapists (OTs) with years of experience working in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), supporting some of the most fragile and medically complex infants — and their families.
All of our therapists have earned the advanced designation of Certified Neonatal Therapist (CNT), which means we go beyond traditional infant feeding and lactation support to address every aspect of neonatal care. Furthermore, many of our specialists hold additional certifications setting them apart from other therapists. We are uniquely trained to solve complex infant feeding challenges — from reflux and oral motor difficulties to transitioning off tube feeds and correcting oral aversions.
We believe parents are their infant’s best advocates. Our mission is to empower you with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to support your baby’s growth and thriving well beyond the NICU.
Shawna Townsend, OTD, OTR/L, IBCLC, CNT, NTMTC, SWC
Virtual In-Home
Zaida Chavez,
OTR, CNT, IBCLC, SWC, NTMTC
Virtual In-Home
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Our Team of Certified Neonatal Therapists
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Rokki Garcia
SLP.D., CCC-SLP, CLC, CNT, NTMTC, BCS-S
Virtual In-Home
Suzanne Schneider
MS, CCC-SLP, CNT
Caitlyn (Catie) Carey MA, CCC-SLP, CNT, NTMTC
Virtual In-Home
Virtual
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Our Team of Certified Neonatal Therapists
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Brittany Bullock
MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, CNT
Virtual
Kayla Hernandez
MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, CLC
Virtual In-Home
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Our Team of Certified Neonatal Therapists
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Aleksandra Popkowska,
MS, CCC-SLP, CNT, LBCLC, NTMTC
Virtual In-Home
Teni Lopez-Cardenas, M.S., OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC, IBCLC, SWC
Virtual In-Home
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Dr. Louisa
Ferrara-Gonzalez,
PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, CLC, NTMCT
Rachele Scala,
MS, CCC-SLP, CNT, NTMCT
Nicole Scafura,
MS, CCC-SLP, CNT
Aimee Liguori,
MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC
Virtual In-Home
In-Office
Virtual In-Home
Virtual
Virtual In-Home
Learn more about NY Services
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Our Team of Certified Neonatal Therapists
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Kristin Taylor, OTR, CNT, CLC, NTMCT
Virtual In-Home
Alissa Bobek, MS, CCC-SLP, CNT
Virtual In-Home
Click on a State to see the specialists available:
Our Team of Certified Neonatal Therapists
Don’t see a therapist in your area? Our growing nationwide network means we’re continuously expanding to meet families where they are — reach out, and we’ll help connect you with the right support.
Your Baby Can Thrive
After NICU Discharge & Beyond
Bringing your baby home from the NICU can be both joyful and overwhelming. Families need more than just instructions—they deserve guidance, support, and reassurance as they navigate feeding challenges that may linger after discharge.
Did you know… 43% of NICU graduates are at risk for continued feeding difficulties until 4 years of age!!1 They also risk slow growth and neurodevelopmental delays, while parents may feel anxious, isolated, or unsure of their ability to care for their child.
Pediatric Feeding Disorders :
The Numbers Don’t Lie
of normally developing children*
of children with developmental disorders*
of children with chronic medical conditions*
25-45%
80-90%
40-70%
Let’s work together to prevent these difficulties!
The bottom line is that your family deserves better.
You need:
- A safe, individualized feeding plan that meets their baby’s unique medical and developmental needs
- Compassionate guidance that helps parents feel confident and supported
- Mealtimes that foster connection, comfort, and calm rather than stress and fear
At Infant Feeding Specialists, we provide expert, trauma-informed care to help babies thrive and parents feel empowered, turning uncertainty into progress and mealtimes into moments of connection.
Let’s get your baby — and you — the support you deserve.
* Pados, 2023; Sdravou et al., 2021 ; Lukens 2020
Have a Question?
Want to consult with our Office Manager or Clinical Staff?
Call 516-252-6406 ~ Monday-Friday ~ 9-5pm EST
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