SERVICES
Evidence-Based, Empowering, Collaborative, & Hopeful
At FirstSTAGES Feeding Specialists, we recognize the essential link between feeding and the parent–child relationship. Every strategy we use is thoughtfully designed to support skill development while nurturing trust, connection, and confidence throughout the feeding experience.
Our methods are evidence-based, grounded in over 25 years of clinical experience, and informed by the work of leading experts such as Catherine Shaker, Ellyn Satter, Dr. Britt Pados, Dr. Kay Toomey, Marsha Dunn Klein, Jill Rabin, Diane Bahr, Suzanne Evans Morris, and Dr. Irene Chatoor.
Through compassionate coaching, we empower parents to identify and respond to their child’s cues—whether signs of refusal, pleasure, distraction, or stress—while reducing pressure and building positive, intuitive feeding interactions. By thoughtfully adapting feeding patterns and supporting skill acquisition, we help families achieve peaceful, responsive feeding relationships that foster growth, comfort, and lifelong healthy eating.
FREE Phone Consultation
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Discuss concerns & FirstSTAGES' approach
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Offer initial thoughts
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Schedule assessment as needed and desired
Evaluation
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Bottle & breastfeeding
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TOTs/ tongue and lip ties, oral motor sensory deficits
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Poor weight gain & growth concerns
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Transition to Solids
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NG-tube or g-tube feeding
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Role of GERD, EoE, and allergies on food refusals
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Limited repertoire of foods
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Mealtime Battles
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Poor acceptance of solid and chewable foods
Treatment
At FirstSTAGES Feeding Specialists, we:
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Coach parents in responsive feeding techniques that restore reciprocal trust and confidence.
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Nurture self-regulation of hunger and satiation cues—the foundation for intuitive eating and lifelong, happy feeding patterns.
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Provide assessment of Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs)—including tongue-tie and lip-tie—to determine if a release is needed, with pre- and post-surgical care available, if a release is recommended, to support safe, successful feeding.
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Alleviate aversion and feeding stress, creating calmer, more peaceful mealtimes.
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Empower parents to trust their instincts and reduce fear and anxiety for both child and family.
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Support families with tube feeding, offering guidance in tube tolerance and individualized, responsive weaning when medically appropriate—avoiding rigid, protocol-driven approaches that often hinder progress.
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Build confidence and re-ignite curiosity with non-preferred foods, encouraging a sense of adventure and peace in eating.
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Collaborate closely with specialists (GI, dietitians, ENTs, PTs, OTs, and others) to ensure whole-child, holistic care.
COLLABORATION
FirstStages Feeding Specialists believes in the importance of treating the whole child and collaborating with the therapy and medical teams. Parents are often in the middle of messages and information from various providers, causing confusion and worry. It is important to implement a unified team approach to problem solving all aspects of the feeding issues. We need to work as a team, with parents as the primary drivers of the team.