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LACTATION CONSULTING & Infant feeding

 

Breast or Bottle – We Can Help

 

how we support babies and their parents

Our providers offer a variety of services for infants and their parents in an effort to support them however they choose to nourish their little ones — breast or bottle. Our lactation consultant can help parents prepare for successful feeding and troubleshoot challenges. She also teaches therapeutic breast massage, infant massage, the Therapeutic TummyTime™ method, manual/hand expression, and how to use infant feeding aids and breast pumps.

 

What to Expect During a Session

Therapeutic TummyTime™ Method is often an important part of treatment sessions with our lactation consultant. TummyTime™ method was developed by an occupational therapist and goes beyond simply laying an infant on their stomach. Some of the other benefits of TummyTime™ may include:

    • Building strength in a variety of muscle groups of the head, neck, arms, shoulders, hips, legs, and core
    • Getting infants out of physiological flexion (also known as the “fetal position”) and promoting good breathing and postural development
    • Preventing flat spots on baby’s head
    • Preparing infants for gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling, thereby laying the groundwork for fine motor skills
    • Improving tongue function and oral motor/feeding skills
    • Enhancing side to side head movements, visual tracking, focus, balance, and head control, thus reducing head turning preferences and improving possibilities for different feeding positions
    • Regulating the autonomic nervous system
    • Activating hypoglossal and vagus nerves – both highly associated with tongue function
    • Lessening acid reflux symptoms, gas, and constipation

For more information, visit https://www.tummytimemethod.com/for-parents.html

Our lactation consultant is also trained in infant massage and Biodynamic Body Balancing. There are many benefits to gentle massage for infants, including:

    • Reducing stress and promoting relaxation
    • Inducing sleep
    • Enhancing parent/child interaction and bonding
    • Decreasing crying, colic, gas, and gastrointestinal challenges
    • Supporting the development of communication, motor, social, and other skills
    • Stimulating musculature for lip closure, relaxation of lips, nasal breathing, and more
    • Improving the nervous system, self-regulation, and body awareness

 

What makes our services unique?

👶 Other Caregivers Are Encouraged to Attend Appointments.
We realize that parents are major part of the triad. Social support plays a major role in improving feeding outcomes, and fathers can provide more support when they are knowledgeable of what to do. Spouses and/or other members of the triad’s support network are encouraged to participate.

 

👶 We Listen.
We often hear that by the time parents find our practice: (1) The birth may not have gone as planned; (2) Parents may not able to feed their child as they had expected; or (3) Parents’ concerns may have been dismissed by other providers. We take the time to listen, empathize, and validate parents’ concerns.

 

👶 We Provide Personalized Care.
We dedicate ample time for appointments compared to a typical lactation consultant appointment in a high-volume practice.

 

👶 We Have Years of Experience.
Our providers have years of clinical experience and are highly skilled in infant feeding. We’ve also had our own personal family history of breastfeeding difficulties that we’ve successfully navigated.

 

👶 Professional Team Members with Expertise in Tongue and Lip Ties.

All of our providers have extensive training in screening for tethered oral tissues. Each new patient evaluation involves a screening for possible tongue, lip, and buccal ties. We also provide referrals to release providers as needed, insight on what to expect and prepare for, and continued care peri-operatively. This may include coaching and suggestions on exercises and other activities to facilitate normal oral function for the tongue, lips, and jaw.

 

👶 Multidisciplinary Team.

Our practice involves a diverse team of providers with different skill sets who collaborate to meet our patients’ individual needs. In addition to a lactation consultant, we also have a massage therapist, speech/language pathologist, and occupational therapist in our practice.

    • Our massage therapist can provide parents with a Swedish/relaxation massage, and infants may benefit from gentle modalities, such as CranioSacral Therapy.
    • Our speech therapist can help with weaning from bottles and pacifiers, cup drinking, and introducing complementary foods.
    • Our occupational therapist can help with sensory challenges, positioning, and transitioning to cups and solids.

Not sure which provider is best for your child’s needs? Contact us today at info@pghomt.com for a complimentary phone screening.

Schedule an appointment with us today!
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