Pediatric Therapy in Lutz, FL
Lactation Coaching for Breastfeeding Moms in Lutz, FL
Breastfeeding is supposed to help you and your baby connect while your baby receives nourishment. But for some Moms, breastfeeding can feel disappointing, frustrating, and painful. If you are one of those Moms, we are here to help you and baby reconnect, literally.
If your baby is struggling to latch, your nipples hurt or bleeding, milk production is low, or baby just isn’t getting enough, our therapist-led lactation coaching gives you the hands-on guidance and whole-family support you need to keep your baby on the right track for growth, comfort, and meaningful connection.
Therapist-Led Lactation Support, More Than Advice
Here at Sense Able Brain, we offer Lactation Coaching for those who are struggling with breast feeding, and can support you and your infant to help them nurse or take a bottle with more ease. We look at all of the components of healthy nursing and feeding: how their mouth, jaw, tongue, neck, body, sensory, and nervous system are working together during feeding, how positioning impacts feeding, if there are possible oral tethers, if there are fascial restrictions anywhere in the body creating tension and discomfort, and if muscle tone is sufficient for strong latch, suck, and endurance for a full feed. If any of these issues are present, we can help.
Our Lactation Coaching is provided by an Occupational Therapist or Speech-Language Pathologist with specialized training in infant feeding, oral motor function, sensory-motor development, and bodywork. That means we are able to not only give breastfeeding support, but also support your baby’s whole body comfort and participation in feeding. You will also gain insight into what your baby may need next in his or her developmental growth path.
Lactation Coaching vs. Infant Feeding Therapy, What’s the Difference?
This is a common question, and it makes sense because the two services often overlap.
Lactation coaching centers on the breastfeeding relationship itself. We address your baby’s positioning, latch, milk transfer, nursing comfort, and your confidence as a nursing mom.
Infant Feeding Therapy takes a broader look at your baby’s feeding abilities across all feeding methods, breast, bottle, and eventually solids. It may be a better fit when there are concerns like bottle refusal, reflux-like symptoms, slow weight gain, oral motor weakness, trouble coordinating sucking and swallowing, or feeding stress that goes beyond breastfeeding alone.
There are many families that can benefit from both. We’re here to help you determine which path is best for your baby.
How We Help With Your Breastfeeding Challenges
When a baby struggles to nurse, it can be emotional, confusing, discouraging, and exhausting. We understand this. Many of the moms we work with have already been told “the latch looks fine” while still living through real pain and real worry. We listen to you and we look deeper.
Conditions and Challenges Addressed
Is your baby experiencing any of the following?
Difficult or painful latchShallow latchNipple pain, damage, or sorenessPerceived low milk supplyClicking sounds during nursingLeaking or slipping off the breastPoor milk transferOral motor weaknessSensory-based aversion to breastfeedingLow muscle toneFascial restrictionsBody tension, neck tightness, or difficulty turning the head for feedingBaby falling asleep quickly at the breastLong or stressful feedingsBreast refusalNursing strikesDifficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathingDifficulty transitioning between breast and bottleBreastfeeding difficulty after a tongue or lip tie releaseConcerns that your baby is working too hard to eat
None of these have to be the end of your breastfeeding journey. Our goal is to help you understand what is happening, support you and your baby, and help you determine the best next steps so feeding can feel less stressful and more connected.
Breastfeeding After Tongue Tie or Lip Tie Release
We frequently support families through tongue tie and lip tie release, called a frenectomy, both before and after the procedure. A release can be an important piece of the puzzle, but it does not always resolve feeding difficulty by itself.
Before a release, babies often develop compensation patterns by using extra tension in the jaw, neck, shoulders, tongue, or body to get enough to eat. The tie may be released, but your baby may still need support to learn how to use the new freedom of movement to nurse successfully.
That is where our combination of Lactation Coaching, Therapeutic Fascial Bodywork, and infant feeding support can be especially helpful. We gently address fascial restrictions, body tension, and the old dysfunctional oral motor patterns to help your baby have a better feeding experience after the release. We also help parents understand what to watch for, what may be normal, and when more support may be recommended.
Getting Started
You can schedule a free 20-minute A.B.L.E. Baby Screening by choosing a time on our online calendar, or call our office. We can usually get you in within 7 days, often sooner. We understand the urgency of a baby who is not nursing well.
If your baby needs broader support beyond breastfeeding, our A.B.L.E. Baby Program might be a good fit for you. And if you are ready to explore all the ways we support little ones and their families, visit our full Services page.
You do not have to figure this out on your own. We are here to help you and your baby enjoy nursing, and for your baby to be comfortable, grow strong, and stay bonded with you.