GrowWellSTL

Pediatric OT committed to providing feeding and developmental care that empowers you that you are doing everything right for your baby.

04/02/2026

If something feels not quite right with your baby, pay attention to that.

As a pediatric OT, I can tell you:
parents often notice concerns before they have words for them.

Feeding difficulties, asymmetry, tension, delayed skills, regulation challenges, or persistent struggles are all worth exploring.

You don’t have to “wait and see” if your gut is telling you to look closer.

Early support matters.

03/31/2026

Some days feel productive…Some days feel like survival.

And sometimes courage looks less like “doing it all” and more like trying again tomorrow.

03/30/2026

Babies are really good at telling us what they need… if we know what to look for.

A side preference, a little extra tightness, movement that doesn’t quite match side to side...

These things can seem small, but they can show up in feeding, tummy time, head shape, rolling, and overall comfort.

That’s why I look closely at symmetry and muscle tone during sessions…because sometimes early support is all it takes to help things feel easier for both baby and parent.

If you’ve been worrying that something is just a little different for your baby, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

03/29/2026

If you’ve been trying everything and it’s still hard… this is for you.

Whether it’s:

🍼 feeding
😴 sleep
👶 milestones
🤯 or feeling like you’re living in a Google rabbit hole

You do not have to wait until things feel “bad enough” to get support.

Not every family needs help with every stage. But if something has been feeling stressful, confusing, or just not how you hoped…you deserve support.

Sometimes the right support is not about doing more.
It’s about having someone help you make a plan, answer your questions, and make things feel easier for both you and your baby.

That’s exactly why Grow Well exists.

What has felt hardest lately?

03/28/2026

Feel Good Friday is a little mix of everything that makes parenting babies feel a bit easier.

I am so excited this week about the future of teaching parents how to do infant massage with their babies!!

Around here you’ll find:
✨ Motivation for the days when parenting feels overwhelming
🍼 Practical tips (like Tip Tuesday!) to make feeding and development smoother
🧠 Myth busting because there’s a lot of outdated or confusing baby advice out there
💛 And a little joy from the week because it’s important to focus to focus on the positive!

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.

Happy Feel Good Friday!

03/27/2026

Me when someone tells a parent their baby is “behind” because they aren’t walking at exactly 12 months.

Let’s bust this one. ⬇️
MYTH: Babies should hit milestones at the exact same age.

Truth: developmental milestones happen in a range of normal. They are as I like to say, a guideline…not a deadline. The reason we track them isn’t to create a checklist your baby has to nail on a specific date, it’s to give us a window to notice when extra support might be helpful.

For example:
✨Sitting independently ranges from 5–7 months
✨Crawling typically emerges between 7–10 months (and yes, we already talked about whether crawling is even required…go check that post! 👀)
✨Walking typically happens anywhere between 9–15 months

Every baby is wired differently. Temperament, environment, floor time, birth order…it all plays a role.

What I do pay attention to as a pediatric OT is the quality of movement and development, not just whether a milestone happened by a certain date.

Here’s the important balance: busting this myth doesn’t mean dismissing your concerns. If something feels off, trust that instinct. Milestones exist for a reason. They help us identify when a baby might benefit from a little extra support early, and early support is always a good thing. The goal isn’t to ignore development, it’s to stop measuring your baby against an imaginary perfect timeline.

Questions about your little one’s development? That’s exactly what Grow Well is here for.

03/26/2026

When I ask a new mom if she’s taking care of herself too…

And she’s like:
“Totally.”
Meanwhile she’s running on:
• cold coffee
• half a granola bar
• 3 hours of broken sleep
• baby snuggles
• pure adrenaline

The first year is beautiful… and also a complete blur sometimes.

If no one’s asked you lately:
Have you eaten? Had water? Sat down?
Because you matter too, mama.

03/25/2026

After talking all things baby sleep at the .and.bumps St. Louis event this weekend, I wanted to share this tip today.

Experts say that 5–6 months is the “ideal window” for sleep training…and from a developmental standpoint, that may be true but that doesn’t mean you have to sleep train in that timeframe. Babies are biologically able to sleep 5-6-7 hours to sleep “through” the night around 6 months, rhythms are regulating, and they can learn independent sleep skills.

But here’s what I always want to make sure families hear and I think doesn’t get said enough…

If you’re breastfeeding, co-sleeping, or loving those overnight snuggles, you and your baby may not be looking to sleep train right now. And that’s okay too.

Sleep training isn’t a milestone. It’s a parenting choice.

Some families are ready for more structure and longer stretches of sleep.

Some families prioritize closeness, responsiveness, and flexibility.

👉 Both can be supportive.
👉 Both can be intentional.

The goal isn’t to follow a rule…It’s to find what works for your baby and your family.

And when you’re ready (if you ever are), there are ways to support sleep that don’t mean ignoring your baby or going against your instincts.

You don’t have to choose between responsiveness and rest.

03/24/2026

Parenting was never meant to be a solo experience.

Support doesn’t replace your instincts…it strengthens them.

You’re allowed to lean on others while you care for your baby. Find your tribe and reach out to trusted professionals as needed!

03/23/2026

If your baby is crying and you’re being told to “just keep trying”… read this.

This is a common pieces of feeding advice I hear…and one of the most harmful.

When a baby is crying or overwhelmed, they’re not in a place to learn.
Pushing through doesn’t build skills, it builds stress.

In this moment, I made a quick adjustment to support her posture (because that does matter)…
and then we paused so mom could comfort her.

Because feeding support should never come at the expense of trust.

We’re not here to force it. We’re here to guide, support, and respond.

You can build feeding skills and keep the experience positive.

Sweet baby girl did not like the attention of a crowd watching as we tried to do a live feeding skills demo at .and.bumps today in St. Louis. This is a great example of when we may want to discontinue feeding if a baby is upset by the feeding experience. We want to keep feeding a positive experience!! I am happy to report for anyone who saw the demo, that baby girl did love the silicone fruit feeder once mom was holding her!!

03/21/2026

Feel Good Friday is a little mix of everything that makes parenting babies feel a bit easier.

Around here you’ll find:
✨ Motivation for the days when parenting feels overwhelming
🍼 Practical tips (like Tip Tuesday!) to make feeding and development smoother
🧠 Myth busting because there’s a lot of outdated or confusing baby advice out there
💛 And a little joy from the week because it’s important to focus to focus on the positive!

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.

Happy Feel Good Friday!

03/20/2026

Truth: You’re not holding your baby too much.

Myth:
“Don’t hold your baby too much or you’ll spoil them.”

This advice has been around for generations… but it’s not how babies work.

Babies aren’t manipulating you, they’re communicating a need.

Being held helps regulate their nervous system, builds secure attachment, and creates the foundation for independence later.

So if your baby wants to be held? That’s not spoiling.

That’s exactly what they need.

Address

154 St. Peters Centre Boulevard
Saint Peters, MO
63376

Telephone

+16367484060

Website

http://GrowWellSTL.com/

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