Lafrance Pediatrics and Pelvic Health

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Lafrance Pediatrics and Pelvic Health

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🤍Pediatric + Pelvic Health OT
🫶🏼Supporting regulation from caregiver to child
👶Early intervention • Childhood-Adolescence • Pregnancy • Postpartum
💩Lover of all things potty

02/12/2026

The startle reflex or Moro Reflex is your baby’s very first stress response.

🗣️Big sound. Sudden movement. Arms fling out. Cry. Sound familiar?

It’s supposed to be there in infancy.

But if the Moro reflex doesn’t fully integrate, the nervous system can stay stuck in fight-or-flight longer than it should.

Over time, that can show up as:

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Big reactions to small problems
• Sensitivity to sound, light, or movement
• Anxiety or clinginess
• Poor coordination
• Potty training resistance or constipation
• Difficulty relaxing to p*e or p**p

Because regulation isn’t just behavioral — it’s neurological.🧠

👆In this video, my son is doing a simple integration exercise we typically use in therapy to support nervous system balance and motor development. And the best part of all- it all just seems like play!

This is why we care about reflexes.
Not to label kids — but to understand them.

If you’re wondering whether retained reflexes could be playing a role in your child’s sleep, behavior, or potty struggles, book a discovery call at the link in bio 🤍

02/11/2026

To piggyback on our last post… 🤍

That birth story wasn’t just about a smooth delivery.
It was about a regulated nervous system.

A regulated baby starts with a regulated mom.

When we support mom’s pelvic floor, breathing, core, and nervous system during pregnancy, we aren’t just preparing for birth — we’re shaping baby’s first environment. Babies borrow our nervous systems long before they’re born.

If you’re pregnant (or newly postpartum) and want to support both you and your baby from the inside out, let’s talk.
Book a discovery call at the link in bio. 🤍

And tomorrow, we’re diving into one of the earliest nervous system patterns that plays a role in regulation — the Moro reflex. Stay tuned!

02/09/2026

✨Story time 📖
Pregnancy support doesn’t end at birth—it shapes postpartum.
Feeling informed = feeling empowered.
And that confidence carries you and your baby through those early days 🤍

💫Starting your postpartum journey with a calm, regulated nervous system is the best tool you can have!

👀 Stay tuned for more nervous system content this week!

💜With the chaos of Mardi Gras going on, we’re finding our calm in the little moments

02/06/2026

If you’ve ever found your child tucked into a If you’ve ever found your child tucked into a tunnel, blanket fort, under the table—or proudly calling it a rocket ship 🚀—here’s what’s really happening:

Tunnels & forts support development in BIG ways:

🧠 They encourage crawling & floor-based movement
Crawling through tight spaces builds core strength, shoulder stability, bilateral coordination, and body awareness. Even after kids can walk, crawling is still powerful for brain–body connection and motor planning.

🧠 They build executive functioning skills
Inside a fort, kids are:
• planning how to get in and out
• problem-solving (“How do I fit?” “Where does this go?”)
• sequencing steps
• sustaining attention during play
• practicing flexible thinking
• learning cause and effect—even crashing it down and rebuilding is powerful learning

That’s executive functioning in action—through play.

🧠 They help kids understand where their body is in space
Small spaces give clear physical boundaries, which strengthens proprioception (body awareness). When kids know where their body is, they move with more confidence and control.

🧠 They support nervous system regulation
Darker, enclosed spaces naturally reduce sensory input. This helps kids feel calm, organized, and ready to engage—especially during busy or overstimulating moments.

🧠 They invite imagination & independence
A fort becomes a rocket ship, a cave, a house, a hiding spot. This kind of play builds creativity, autonomy, and confidence.

For some kids—especially sensory seekers or sensitive kids:
Feeling enclosed is where their nervous system feels safest. And when safety comes first, learning follows.

💡 OT reminder:
When kids seek small spaces, they’re not trying to disappear. They’re building their bodies, brains, and regulation skills exactly the way they’re designed to.

Sometimes the best learning happens in a tunnel… or a rocket ship 🚀💙

02/04/2026

🥭 Aside from being an awesome bowel mover (especially when paired with yogurt or a sprinkle of chia), there are so many reasons a mango pit is an OT’s best friend.

✨ Gentle, food-first constipation support
✨ Encourages chewing and jaw strength
✨ Great for oral sensory seekers
✨ Builds oral awareness for feeding
✨ Soothing for teething gums
✨ Naturally slows intake while babies explore texture and taste
✨ Encourages early fine motor skills and coordination

Simple. Functional. Kid-approved.

*Recommended once baby can sit up with good head/neck control (typically ~6 months)

*Be aware that mango can be fairly acidic and contains natural sugars, so it should be eaten in moderation with babies to prevent skin irritation/diaper rashes

02/03/2026

Let me introduce myself!

👋 Hi, I’m Haylie🤍
Occupational therapist. St. Bernard Parish native. Mom. And the heart behind Lafrance Pediatrics & Pelvic Health.

I’ve been an OT for 8 years, starting my career in inpatient rehab — a place that shaped me deeply and showed me just how resilient the human body can be. Back then, I had brief exposure to bowel and bladder health in neurologic populations… but I never imagined how central that knowledge would become in my own life.

Everything changed when I became pregnant with my son.

After experiencing infertility, I was finally pregnant — and suddenly terrified. Social media was loud, overwhelming, and full of “don’ts.” As someone who loved fitness and wanted to feel confident in my body, I realized quickly: I needed real, evidence-based information — not fear.

So I did what OTs do best. I learned.
Courses. Books. Workshops. Late nights of research.

And I kept saying to my husband, “People need to know this stuff.”

That passion became Down South Pelvic Health, where I had the honor of supporting so many women through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Watching women reconnect with their bodies was incredibly meaningful — but something still felt incomplete.

Then pediatrics entered my world.

As I cared for babies and children, I realized again and again that their healing/progress didn’t start with them alone—it started with their mom.

And suddenly my two passions collided:
✨ moms + babies
✨ pelvic health + occupational therapy

I saw firsthand how much our community was missing — and how badly families needed support that looked at the whole picture.

So here we are 🤍
I’m beyond excited to introduce Lafrance Pediatrics & Pelvic Health, LLC — a space where women, babies, and families are supported under one roof with education, compassion, and evidence-based care.

This is the work I was meant to do.
And I’m so grateful you’re here.

💬 Comment “HELLO” if you’re new here and want to learn more about services or discovery calls

01/30/2026

✨Care for kids. Care for moms.
Pediatric OT • Pediatric Pelvic Floor • Women’s Pelvic Health

💬Comment “INFO” to learn more and find out if our services are right for your family!

01/28/2026

✨ Big news + an expanding vision ✨

Down South Pelvic Health is officially becoming Lafrance Pediatrics & Pelvic Health 🤍

Over the past year, my work with early intervention clients led me on a learning adventure that reshaped this practice. While providing pediatric occupational therapy, I found myself supporting not only the babies—but also educating and caring for their moms. I saw firsthand how a mom’s regulated nervous system is deeply connected to a baby’s ability to regulate, grow, and thrive.

At the same time, I expanded my training into pediatric pelvic floor therapy, including support with potty training, constipation, toileting challenges, and body awareness. It became clear that pediatric OT, pediatric pelvic floor, and women’s pelvic health are beautifully connected—and belong together.

I’m so excited to share that Lafrance Pediatrics & Pelvic Health now offers:
• Pediatric occupational therapy
• Pediatric pelvic floor therapy (including potty training support)
• Women’s pelvic health care

This rebrand reflects a vision I’ve carried for a long time: supporting moms and their babies from delivery through childhood, now officially under one roof 💫

And with a new name comes a new home 🤍 We’re now located inside ConnectAbilities, alongside sp*ech therapist Brenna, in a collaborative, multidisciplinary space designed to support families all in one place.

📅⭐️ I am now welcoming inquiries for upcoming availability. To join the in person waitlist, click the “book now” link in my bio and select a waitlist from the bottom of the sign up page!

In the meantime, discovery calls and virtual consultations are available starting today! Link also in my bio!

Thank you for growing with me—this is just the beginning ✨

📲 504-249-8443
🌐 lafrancepph.com
📧hlafrance@lafrancepph.com

12/30/2025

❗️ATTENTION ❗️

✨We are sorry to announce that we are rescheduling our pelvic floor event to give everyone space to breathe during the holidays ✨ Stay tuned for the new date!

11/13/2025

If your answer is somewhere between “constant” and “is this just my life now?” — let’s talk about back breathing 👇

Back breathing helps your ribs expand in all directions — not just forward into your chest or down into your belly. When you breathe into your back and sides, you:
🌬️ Encourage better rib cage mobility
💪 Reduce tension and pain in your low and mid back
🍑 Support your pelvic floor by improving pressure management
🧠 And even help your nervous system chill out — which means more calm for you and your toddler (yes, tantrum regulation starts with your breath!)

Try this:
👉 Lean forward onto your thighs
👉Head supported on ball or ball placed on top your thighs
👉 Inhale gently into your back and sides
👉 Exhale slowly, letting your ribs melt down

✨And who knows, eventually your toddler may want to join in and start learning to regulate their own nervous system! Co-regulation means everyone wins 💪🏼

11/03/2025

✨ Did you know we offer virtual visits?

Busy schedules, holiday events, and jam packed to do lists but those pesky pelvic floor symptoms don’t have to linger around.

💻 Virtual visits are ideal for those “I just need a little guidance” or “I’m sick of googling” moments!

We all know scheduling an in-person appointment seems nearly impossible, especially this time of year!

Give us a call, send us a DM, or book online!

📲 504-249-8443
🌐 www.downsouthpelvichealth.com

10/22/2025

🤰Don’t forget these in those last couple weeks of pregnancy!

Links Below:
1. Compression Underwear: https://amzn.to/4qoS7EO
2. Peppermint Oil: https://amzn.to/476MOlK
3. Squatty Potty: https://amzn.to/4hxTz3B
4. Wedge Pillow: https://amzn.to/4qntet5
5. Electrolyte Supplements: https://amzn.to/4hxTn4n

Address

9079 West Judge Perez Drive
Chalmette, LA
70043

Telephone

+15042498443

Website

http://www.lafrancepph.com/, http://forms.gle/jeuuHhePUoU8j8K9A

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