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Pediatric Feeding Therapy Techniques to Support Your Baby’s Growth
At Infant Feeding Specialists, we understand that every baby’s feeding journey is unique. Our team uses a variety of evidence-based feeding strategies and therapy modalities to support infants with feeding challenges, promote healthy growth, and foster a positive feeding experience. Each strategy and therapy approach is tailored to your baby’s individual needs and developmental stage, helping them build stamina, coordination, skill and confidence during feeding.
Why Feeding Strategies and Pediatric Feeding Therapy Techniques Matter
- Target specific needs
- Promote safety
- Support growth
- Build important learning pathways in the brain
- Improve comfort
- Enhance nutrition
- Optimize Bonding
- Guide transitions
- Encourage future speech and language skills
- Facilitate later fine and gross motor development
Common Feeding Strategies and Therapy Modalities
Every baby is different and unique, so we use a mix of individualized approaches to meet your infant’s needs. These approaches are taught to you, the family, so that you feel better equipped to support your infant through anything!
Here’s how they fit together:
Optimizing Development for all Newborns
These feeding strategies ensure the safest, most efficient feeding patterns are learned to optimize growth, learning and a life-long love of eating.
- Cue-Based Feedings
- Bottle Selection
- Nipple Flow Rates
- Feeding Positions
- Stability Supports
- Pacing Technique
- Burping Technique
- Cue-Based Feedings
- Feeding Positions
- Infant Latching
- Milk Flow Rate
- Nipple Sheilds
- Pump Selection
- Pump Flange Sizes
- Combination Feeding Options
- Stability Supports
- Pacing Technique
- Burping Technique
Building Coordination
- Simulated Feeds – Slow introduction of small milk drops or purees
- Oral Motor Exercises – Gentle stimulation to promote sensory-motor learning of the lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw for sucking, swallowing, and chewing.
- NTrainer Therapy – A special device that provides rhythmic stimulation to improve your baby’s sucking pattern and coordination (Available in Garden City NY Only).
- Endurance Feeds – Gradually lengthening feeding sessions so your baby builds stamina without becoming overtired. Promotes positive learning and weight gain
Supporting Comfort & Regulation
- Skin-to-Skin Care – Holding your baby against your bare chest to regulate all body systems.
- Sleep Training - Tired babies do not eat well. Let’s ensure your baby has enough sleep so that feedings can be more successful.
- Infant Massage – Gentle touch that supports digestion, growth, and overall comfort.
- Trigger Point Release – Targeted massage of tight muscles in the neck, back or shoulders that may affect swallowing.
- Feeding Times
- Caloric Intake
- Energy Expenditure
- Nutritionally balanced meals
- Sleep intervals
- Meal time length
Establishing Hunger as a Motivator
- Feeding equipment - Selecting the correct infant feeding seat, utensils and cups are crucial for your child’s unique needs.
- Learning Tactics - Coaching parents on how to teach their infants how to eat
- Positivity - Removing all negative associations during mealtimes greatly improves success. Negativity reduces hunger and ruins motivation to eat.
- Meal Location - Controlling the amount of stimulation throughout the mealtime helps overall intake.
Structuring the Mealtime Environment
- Weaning Off Tube Feeding – Supporting oral feeding skills so babies can gradually transition away from tube feeds.
- Weaning from Thickened Liquids – Helping babies with dysphagia safely move back to thin liquids when they no longer need thickeners.
- Transitioning to Purees, Solids, Straw Cups and More! Each oral feeding milestone can be optimized with the right strategies.
- Weaning off Breastfeeding or Bottle Feeding - Ensuring nutrition and hydration goals are attained before, during and after the wean.
- Referrals to Specialists – Coordinating with pediatricians, speech and occupational therapists, or lactation consultants to ensure full support.
Creating Safe Transitions
What Happens Next
Here’s what you can expect when you work with us:
Schedule an Infant Feeding Evaluation
Get a Personalized Plan
Receive Ongoing Support
Our first step for every family, a 90-minute assessment where we learn about your baby’s feeding abilities and challenges.
You’ll be left with clear, practical strategies you can use at home.
Follow-up sessions (virtual, in-home, or in-office) to adjust the plan and celebrate progress together.
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Pairing Infant Feeding Evaluation with Proven Pediatric Feeding Therapy Techniques
Every baby’s feeding journey is unique, and having the right support and feeding therapy techniques in play can make all the difference. When you start with an Infant Feeding Evaluation, we carefully observe your baby’s feeding abilities and identify challenges. Then, we create a personalized plan that incorporates the right therapy techniques to fit your goals.
With this plan in hand, you’ll feel confident supporting your baby at home—and we’ll be here to guide you through each milestone with expert care and encouragement.
Feeding challenges can feel overwhelming—but with the right support, you and your baby can move forward with confidence. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
What if I have questions about the strategies?
- All of our appointments include 2 weeks of follow-up communication on our secure patient portal. We expect parents to have questions after we part, so this way we can support you while you try our recommendations. And you can report back about how things are going. We do not want to waste any time attaining your infant’s feeding goals. So providing timely responses are important to us!
Are these therapies safe for all babies?
- Yes. Everything we do is adapted to your baby’s age, medical needs, and comfort. Safety is always the top priority.They are also supported by evidence proving their effectiveness and safety.
How soon will we see progress?
- It depends on your baby’s needs. Some families notice positive changes after trying our initial recommendations made during the evaluation, while some babies require more support over a period of time.
Will it be hard for me to follow the recommendations?
- Not at all. We try to offer small, easy changes that will not overwhelm you or the baby. We are always re-assessing how things are working and take your feedback seriously.
Can different strategies be combined?
- Absolutely. Many babies make the most progress when we use more than one approach together.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to start?
- Not at this timeFamilies can reach out to us directly, but we often work closely with your pediatrician or other specialists to make sure your baby has full support.
Will my baby need ongoing therapy?
- Our goal is always independence. Some babies only need short-term support, while others do best with longer guidance—it all depends on your baby’s journey and your goals. We often share information for supporting both short-term and long-term goals during our time together.