GrowWellSTL

Every new parent has been there…

One person says one thing, another says the exact opposite. 🤯

Here are 5 topics parents get conflicting advice about all the time:

🤱 1. Feeding - Watch cues or follow a schedule? Breast or bottle? Start solids at 4 months or 6 months?

😴 2. Sleep - Wake to feed or let them sleep? Contact naps or crib naps? Sleep train or wait?

🍼 3. Pacifiers - Great for soothing…or avoid them? Which pacifier is best? When should you stop?

🧸 4. Tummy Time - It has to be on the floor. On your chest counts too. How much do they need?

👶 5. Milestones - “Just wait and see.” They need to meet milestones by the same age as your friend’s baby…knowing when to get help can be confusing!

The truth? Every baby is different, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Understanding the why behind the recommendations can help you make confident decisions for your family.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice, you don’t have to sort through it alone.

✨ Which of these has been the most confusing for you? Tell me in the comments!

Did you know that the nutrients in infant formula don’t stay exactly the same forever?

While unopened formula is safe to use until its expiration date when stored properly, some vitamins and other nutrients gradually decline over time. That’s why, when you have the option, it’s best to choose formula with a more recent manufacturing date rather than buying cans that have been sitting on the shelf for a long time.

A few quick tips:
🍼 Check the expiration date before you buy.
🍼 Use the oldest formula in your pantry first (“first in, first out”).
🍼 It is a good idea to store formula in a cool, dry place, not in the garage or a hot car when possible.

Small choices like these can help ensure your baby is getting the nutrition they need during this important stage of growth.

✨ Save this post for your next formula shopping trip, and share it with another parent who might find it helpful!

Not every new skill comes with smiles right away, and that’s okay!

This little one is learning how to use a Mombella mushroom teether as part of building oral motor skills and self-soothing. You might notice moments of frustration, and that’s completely normal. Learning takes practice, patience, and sometimes a break before trying again.

In therapy, we follow baby’s cues. We celebrate the little wins, support them through the hard moments, and never expect perfection.

Those tiny victories? They add up to big progress over time.

If you’ve ever worried because your baby gets frustrated while learning something new, know that you’re not alone. Progress doesn’t have to look perfect to be meaningful.

Save this to remind yourself that learning is a process.

Your baby doesn’t need a perfect parent...they need you.

Your voice, your cuddles, your comfort, your smile, your presence.

To your baby, you’re doing exactly what they need. You are their safe place, their favorite place, and their whole world.

So on the days that feel a little bleh, remember this: your love is shaping your baby’s world in ways you may not even see yet.

Occupational hazard? Maybe. 😅

Once you start a private practice targeted toward helping babies and families in their first year, and focus all of your trainings on topics related to babies, everything somehow comes back to feeding, development, sleep, tummy time, or milestones…or just how adorable they are!

I promise I have other interests…but babies are definitely my favorite topic!!

Anyone else have a job they can’t stop talking about?

Tip: You don’t have to choose between purées and baby-led weaning. Many babies do well with a combination of both. The best approach depends on your baby’s development, feeding skills, and your family’s comfort level.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that parents have to pick one feeding method and stick with it.

In reality, many families use a combination of purées and baby-led weaning. Sometimes parents start with one approach or the other and it is going as planned.

That’s exactly why I offer different types of support:

• First Foods Coaching — for families before or just getting started with solids.
• Feeding check-in — when feeding feels stressful or you’re running into challenges.
• Feeding Evaluation — when you have big concerns and want to look at the bigger picture of your baby’s feeding and oral motor development.

My goal isn’t to fit your baby into one philosophy, it’s to help you find an approach that works for your baby.

Development isn’t built in a day.

It’s built through tummy time that lasts 30 seconds and building. Through repeated opportunities. Through small moments that don’t seem like much at the time.

The little things count more than you think.

“What are you looking for during a baby evaluation or a developmental check-in?”

It’s one of the questions I hear most often.

During an evaluation, I’m not looking for a baby to “perform” or check off a list of milestones. I’m observing how your baby naturally moves, interacts with their environment, and uses their body.

I’m looking at things like:
✨ Muscle tone
✨ Movement patterns
✨ Symmetry
✨ Head, neck, and trunk control
✨ Emerging motor skills

But the evaluation is only the beginning.

My goal is to help you understand what I’m seeing, what it means for your baby, and give you personalized next steps you can confidently use at home. Sometimes that’s reassurance that development is on track. Other times, it’s simple strategies that can support your baby’s progress.

Every baby is unique, and every plan is tailored to that baby and family.

If you’ve been wondering about your baby’s development, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

📍Serving babies and families in St. Charles County through Grow Well.

POV: You spend so much time talking about bottles, feeding, and babies that a bottle becomes your microphone. 😂🎤

Occupational therapist by profession.
Professional bottle microphone singer by choice. 🤣

If you’re looking for holistic and evidence-based support for feeding and development during baby’s first year, I’m here to help.

Feel Good Friday is a little mix of goodness from the week.

You will find:
✨ Motivation for the days when parenting feels overwhelming
✨Recap of Tip Tuesday to make feeding and development smoother
✨A busted myth because there’s a lot of outdated or confusing baby advice out there
✨A little about Grow Well
✨And a little joy from the week because it’s important to focus on the positive!

If you would like to save one of the slides from the reel, just Comment or DM me and I can send it over!

My goal with Grow Well is simple:
To help parents feel confident, informed, and supported as their baby grows through the first year.

Because most of the time, parents don’t need more pressure. They just need the right information and a little guidance.