Olive Branch Feeding Therapy PLLC

02/14/2026

An oldie but goodie, Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❣️

Sending extra love to those with or affected by Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) during this American Heart Month. 🫶🏻

Did you know?
❤️ Roughly 40,000 babies are born with CHD per year
💙 25% of those are likely to need surgery within the first year
❤️ CHD can affect eating due to quickly tiring out and burning extra calories
💙 You can show love and comfort to your baby by holding, softly talking to, and looking at your little one when they eat no matter the route.. breast, bottle, tube, or combo

02/13/2026

Imagine operating on a heart as small as a walnut! We are so grateful for the specialized surgeons who care for our tiniest heart warriors.

Follow to see the stories of newborns and their families who are together.

02/10/2026

Did you know? Here are some of the most common types of CHD:
🩷 Ventricular Septal Defect
❤️ Atrial Septal Defect
🩵 Tetralogy of Fallot
💙 Single Ventricle Defects
🤍 Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
💓 Patent Ductus Arteriosus
💗 Transposition of the Great Arteries
💖 Aortic Valve Stenosis

02/09/2026

It's Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week! If you have a heart warrior in your life, show them some extra love this week! 🫶🏻

02/08/2026

You have to stay in the hospital if you have a feeding tube... FALSE!

Last one to wrap up our tube feeding trivia series. Hoping you or someone you know feels more aware!

02/08/2026

I’m sure you’ve all caught on by now… another ❌False❌ for the books! 😉

02/07/2026

It takes longer to learn to eat if a baby has a feeding tube… False! ❌

Did you know that babies practice their ✨suck, swallow, breathe✨ pattern in utero by swallowing amniotic fluid? BUT… swallow coordination takes time ⌛️and practice🤱🏼 to develop. For babies born prematurely, they have not had as long to practice and may benefit from a short term feeding tube while learning to eat (which btw takes quite a bit of energy!)

At Olive Branch Feeding Therapy, we can help navigate the delicate balance between practicing eating 👩🏽‍🍼 and offering rest 😌 to swallow safely.

02/06/2026

It's wear ❤️RED❤️ day!

❣️Happy Heart Month❣️ Today we wear red to bring awareness surrounding heart disease ❤️‍🩹 Congenital Heart Disease (CHD, or heart defects present at birth) affect 1 in every 100 children. Feeding difficulties are often related to CHD.

At Olive Branch Feeding Therapy, we love celebrating every milestone and accomplishment for our families affected by CHD. 🫶🏻❤️

02/06/2026

You cannot eat by mouth with a feeding tube.. False!!

This is a major misconception, and one I am extremely passionate about! Having a feeding tube can allow for a child led approach while working on the precursors to eating by mouth:
➡️ state/organization
➡️ breathing coordination
➡️ pre feeding skills
➡️ hunger cues
➡️ alertness
➡️ engagement
➡️ sucking skills
➡️ swallowing skills
➡️ building trust around mealtime
➡️ .... and more! 😊

I like to say that learning to eat is like having your ✨permit✨ in children with complex medical needs. Having a supplemental way to eat allows you to learn at your own pace, so that you can pass the test when you're ✨safe✨ to be on the road! 🚗💨

Reach out if your child is tube fed and you are interested in learning more about supporting them on the road to oral eating.

brooke@obfeeding.com
www.obfeeding.com
309-220-8130

02/05/2026

What a great idea - check out this creative way to pay it forward this Valentine’s Day! 💗

For just $5, we’ll send a Valentine’s e-card to someone you love and your donation supports families navigating feeding disorders and differences such as pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

One card. Two acts of love.
Order your card at the link in bio.

02/04/2026

A feeding tube is taking the easy way out... absolutely FALSE!

This holds true for the caregivers + the child. Deciding to move forward with a feeding tube takes courage, patience, and trust in the process. It is meeting your child where they are and supporting them on their journey to where they aim to be. At Olive Branch Feeding Therapy, we strive to lend a listening and compassionate ear to all families on this journey.

02/04/2026

A feeding tube is permanent...FALSE!

Although a feeding tube may be used "long term," the goal is often for the tube to be removed at some point. Even in children who learn to safely eat by mouth, having a feeding tube as a backup can be a huge relief for some families... think during illnesses, for medical procedures, or when giving very important and sometimes life saving medications. Of course every situation is unique - at Olive Branch Feeding Therapy we can provide insight and guidance on the long term prognosis for oral feeding/swallowing in your child who also uses a feeding tube.

Questions? Reach out to learn more!
www.obfeeding.com
309-220-8130