GrowWellSTL

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

08/20/2026

Skin-to-skin isn’t just about touch, it’s a full sensory experience for your baby.

When your baby is nestled against you, their developing nervous system is receiving input from so many senses at once:

Touch: Feeling your warmth, skin, pressure, and gentle movement.
Smell: Taking in your familiar scent.
Hearing: Listening to your voice, breathing, and heartbeat.
Vision: Looking at your face and taking in your expressions.
Taste: Especially during breastfeeding, familiar smells and tastes can support feeding behaviors.
Movement & body awareness: Being held and gently moved gives your baby vestibular and proprioceptive input, too.

And the beautiful part? Your baby is experiencing all of this at the same time.

That combination of familiar, predictable sensory input can help support regulation, bonding, connection, and your baby’s developing nervous system.

So when someone tells you, “You’re just holding the baby,” remember that you’re actually giving their brain a whole lot of important information.

08/17/2026

Sometimes readiness looks like this.

Baby reaching for the spoon, showing interest, and actively participating in the feeding experience is something worth noticing!

Starting solids isn’t just about what you offer or whether baby can check every box on a readiness list. It’s also about watching your baby and responding to their cues.

✨Are they interested?
✨ Are they reaching or moving toward the food?
✨ Are they opening their mouth for the spoon?
✨ Are they turning away or showing they’re finished?

Whether you’re offering purées, mashed foods, or finger foods, your baby should be an active participant in feeding.

Follow their lead, offer opportunities, watch and respond.

Save this for when you’re getting ready to start solids!

08/14/2026

Myth: Supplementing means you have to stop breastfeeding.

Truth: Supplementing does NOT have to mean the end of your breastfeeding journey.

Maybe this is more of a misperception than a true myth, but I felt like it was an important one to talk about!

When a baby needs additional milk, there can be more than one way to approach supplementation.

Depending on your baby’s individual needs and what’s available to your family, supplementation may include:
✨ Expressed breast milk
✨ Pasteurized donor human milk from a milk bank
✨ Formula
✨ A combination of these

And supplementation doesn’t necessarily have to happen by bottle, either. The method used can depend on your baby, the reason for supplementation, and guidance from your healthcare team or lactation consultant.

Did you know human milk banks are an option? Many parents don’t realize that screened donor human milk is available through milk banks for certain situations. Availability and eligibility vary, so you would want to ask your baby’s healthcare provider or lactation consultant about whether it’s appropriate for your baby.

There is no single “right” feeding plan. The goal is a fed, growing baby AND a supported parent.

08/13/2026

POV: It’s Wednesday night and you’ve made it halfway through the week…

You’ve nursed on demand…contact napped…carried your baby everywhere… pulled about 64 things out of their mouth…saved them from their latest adventure about 49 times…and somehow you are still standing!!

WE DID IT. WE DID IT. WE DID IT, YEAH! 🙌🏼

Motherhood doesn’t have to be perfectly balanced to be beautiful. Sometimes, getting through the week deserves a little celebration.

08/10/2026

We’ve been in the car for 12 hours, so I think it’s safe to say I’m ready to be home.

Vacation has been wonderful, but there’s something pretty special about knowing you’re headed home to work you genuinely love.

I even managed to book a sweet baby for next week while we were away, so I guess Grow Well didn’t completely go on vacation with me. 😂

Now pass me the coffee and get me home to the babies!

07/31/2026

Myth: You’re going to spoil your baby by babywearing.

Truth: Babywearing won’t spoil your baby.

You’ve probably heard someone say, “Don’t hold them so much or they’ll get used to it.” The same myth often gets applied to babywearing…but that’s not what the evidence shows.

When done safely, babywearing can:
✨ Support bonding and secure attachment
✨ Help babies feel calm and regulated
✨ Make it easier to respond to your baby’s cues
✨ Give caregivers an extra set of “hands”

Babies aren’t trying to manipulate us, they’re communicating a need. Responding with closeness helps build the foundation for healthy development.

07/30/2026

All jokes aside…

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are the number one complication of childbirth. They impact roughly 1 in 5 pregnant and postpartum individuals and can be more common than many of the physical complications we routinely talk about.

While this audio is meant to be lighthearted, the reality is that so many parents are quietly carrying anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, or overwhelming emotions during pregnancy and after their baby arrives.

If that’s you, please know this:
✨ You are not alone.
✨ You are not a bad parent.
✨ Support is available.

As an occupational therapist, I know that caring for a baby also means caring for the parent. Your mental health matters…not just for you, but for your entire family.

Let’s normalize asking, “How are you doing?” And meaning it, right alongside, “How’s the baby?”

If this resonates with you, share it with another parent who might need the reminder that they don’t have to struggle alone.

07/29/2026

Tip Tuesday: What is co-regulation?

If your baby is upset, the first person to regulate is…you.

Co-regulation is when your baby uses your calm nervous system to help calm theirs. Babies aren’t born knowing how to regulate their emotions, they learn through repeated experiences with a calm, responsive caregiver.

The next time your little one is crying or overwhelmed, pause for a moment. Take a slow, deep breath. Relax your shoulders. Then respond with a calm voice and gentle touch.

Your baby may not calm instantly, but your regulated presence gives them the best chance to settle.

Sometimes the best way to help your baby regulate…is to regulate yourself first.

07/27/2026

Baby girl may not have been thrilled with me for recording her while she was eating…but moments like these are about so much more than feeding.

Every bottle is an opportunity for connection, comfort, and learning. As babies watch your face, coordinate their little hands, and settle into the security of your arms, they’re building skills that go far beyond a full tummy.

The ordinary moments are often the ones that help them grow the most.

Now I’ll let her finish her bottle in peace. 😂

07/26/2026

Once upon a time, I was the one month old in the first photo.

Now I have the privilege of supporting babies and their families, supporting my community.

Every smile…every feeding…every milestone is part of the person a baby is becoming.

We can’t predict exactly who they’ll grow up to be, but we can support them as they build the foundation for whatever comes next.

That’s why I love what I do. Because today’s tiny moments become tomorrow’s big story.

Address

154 St. Peters Centre Boulevard
Saint Peters, MO
63376

Telephone

+16367484060

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when GrowWellSTL posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share