NICU feeding can feel overwhelming. Whether your baby is in the NICU now or navigating life after, you deserve to understand what is happening and to have someone in your corner.
Parents are often asked to understand a lot at once: complex medical information, feeding readiness, bottle systems, flow rates, cue-based feeding, discharge goals, weight-gain expectations, and team recommendations, all while caring for a fragile baby.
This service provides parent-centered education and advocacy for current NICU families and NICU graduates who want to better understand their baby's feeding journey. As a NICU speech-language pathologist, I help you understand common NICU feeding practices, prepare thoughtful questions for your care team, recognize what best-practice feeding support can look like, and feel more confident participating in conversations about your baby's care.
What we can cover
- •Cue-based feeding and feeding readiness
- •Bottle flow, pacing, and feeding quality
- •Reading stress cues and supporting your baby through a feed
- •Your role and involvement in feeds
- •Preparing thoughtful questions for your care team
- •The transition home
Consultations can also include the participation of an experienced NICU RN for medical questions that go beyond feeding.
You may be a good fit if you're wondering
- “Why is my baby struggling to finish bottles?
- “What does cue-based feeding actually mean?
- “Is my baby being pushed to feed when they're showing stress cues?
- “What questions should I ask before discharge?
- “How do I understand nipple flow, pacing, positioning, and feeding quality?
- “What should I ask the NICU team about feeding readiness?
- “How can I advocate respectfully and effectively for my baby?
- “What should I watch for after coming home from the NICU?