BloomBaby Occupational Therapy and Wellness

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Emily Daigle | Pediatric OT | Infant Feeding and Development

08/10/2026

The Hybrid Feeding Approach 🥕

The basis of baby-led weaning (BLW) is using FOOD to promote oral motor development.

You’ve probably seen it—a baby gnawing on a celery stick, rib bone, or another large piece of food. 🍗

The idea behind BLW is that the FOOD becomes the TOOL instead of a traditional teether.

There are great benefits to this approach! By giving babies opportunities to explore food with their mouths, you’re not only working on oral motor skills, they’re also getting exposure to different textures, smells, tastes, and sensory experiences. 🍉

I love this option when introducing solids

BUT…

I understand why BLW can feel scary or overwhelming for parents, especially if you aren’t sure what oral motor skills you’re looking for. 😱

On the other hand…

If you start with purées and ONLY offer purées, your baby may miss opportunities to practice chewing, tongue lateralization, and oral exploration.

These skills don’t just magically develop when we introduce more textured foods later. Babies need opportunities to practice moving their tongue, exploring textures, developing a chewing pattern, and learning how to manage food in their mouths. 👅

✨This is why I often teach a HYBRID feeding approach.✨

We’re still using food to develop oral motor skills, but we’re also intentionally using utensils and teethers as tools for oral development. 🥄

For example, a spoon like the NumNum can function similarly to a celery stick or rib bone by giving baby the opportunity to explore with their mouth while encouraging tongue movement and oral exploration.

Then we pair that with a variety of foods with different tastes, smells, and textures for sensory exploration! 🥑

It’s not about choosing baby-led weaning OR purées.

It’s about giving your baby opportunities for oral motor development while also exposing them to a wide variety of foods! 🍌

Hey there 👋🏻 I’m Emily - owner of Emily Daigle | Pediatric OT | Infant Feeding Specialist, pediatric occupational therapist trained in neuro-developmental treatment, and infant feeding specialist 🫐 I help families help their babies flourish, thrive, and 🌸 BLOOM 🌱 follow for more if this was helpfu

07/21/2026

With a little help from my therapy doll 💻

Why choose virtual OT sessions?

🤍 Parents are actively involved.
There is no therapist present to perform the facilitation techniques! You’ll learn hands-on strategies (thanks to my trusty doll 😜) and feel confident supporting your child between sessions.

🌷More time focused on you and your child.
Virtual therapy allows for meaningful conversations about your child’s history, your concerns, and your goals. Instead of a quick handoff, I spend time understanding the whole picture and creating strategies that fit into your family’s daily routines.

🏠 Therapy happens in your child’s natural environment.
You can use your child’s own toys, feeding setup, and daily routines so I can get a clear picture of your child’s current skills.

📍Location doesn’t matter.
Whether you’re in Louisiana or across the country, you can access expert pediatric OT and feeding support.

⏰ No commute. No waiting room.
More flexibility for busy families.

To book a FREE 15-minute virtual consult call or a virtual appointment, go to my booking site on my website in my bio!

Hey there 👋🏻 I’m Emily - owner of Emily Daigle | Pediatric OT | Infant Feeding Specialist, pediatric occupational therapist trained in neuro-developmental treatment, and infant feeding specialist 🫐 I help families help their babies flourish, thrive, and 🌸 BLOOM 🌱 follow for more if this was helpful!!

07/17/2026

We focus on skills, not food!

Wondering what to do for your baby’s first meal?
❗️Start here ❗️

If your baby can sit upright with minimal support and independently bring a toy or teether to their mouth, they’re developing the skills needed to begin exploring food.

One of my favorite first feeding activities?
✨A teether dipped in puree.✨

Here’s why I love it:

🌱Encourages self-feeding from the very beginning.
🌱Introduces new flavors and textures in a low-pressure way.
🌱Promotes tongue lateralization as your baby moves the teether from side to side.
🌱Encourages early chewing patterns and jaw strength.
🌱Provides safe oral exploration that helps the gag reflex integrate over time.
🌱Builds the oral motor and sensory foundation needed for successful eating.

Every exposure matters. Before babies learn to eat meals, they’re learning how to chew, move food around their mouth, tolerate different textures, and become confident eaters.

Feeding isn’t just about nutrition—IT’S ABOUT SKILL DEVELOPMENT. 💪🏼

This is one of my favorite teethers by ARK Therapeutic

I like the ARK teether because its unique shape promotes both chewing and tongue lateralization. The design encourages side-to-side tongue movement and helps develop mature chewing skills, making it an effective oral motor tool for feeding!

Save this for when your little one is getting close to starting solids! 🥑🍌

06/12/2026

Introducing BloomBaby Bites: Introduction to Solids Workshop!

Starting solids can be exciting, overwhelming, and full of questions. That’s why I created BloomBaby Bites—a hands-on class designed to help families confidently navigate this important milestone.

As a pediatric occupational therapist and feeding specialist, I’ll cover:
🥑 Signs of readiness for solids
🥄 Purees vs. baby-led weaning
🪑 Proper positioning and feeding equipment
👶 Oral motor and developmental skills
⚠️ Gagging vs. choking
🍓 How to support a positive feeding experience from the very beginning

This class is perfect for parents and caregivers preparing to start solids or those who have recently begun the journey.

My goal is to help you feel confident, informed, and excited about introducing your baby to food while building a strong foundation for healthy feeding skills.

Spots are limited! See the flyers for details and registration information.

Hope to see you there! 💚

05/29/2026

It’s that time again!

Join us for the first Belly Babies class of the summer! ☀️

Belly Babies is a casual and educational class designed for babies and caregivers to learn:
🌻tummy time positions and progressions
🌻 ways to support motor development
🌻 tips to prevent torticollis and flat spots
🌻 fun ways to make tummy time enjoyable for baby

Email [email protected] to secure a spot!

05/20/2026

Messy mealtimes = LEARNING 🧠

Babies learn about the world through their senses!

Touch✋🏻, Taste👅, Smell👃🏻, Movement🌀, Sight👁️, and Sound👂🏻

That’s why allowing babies to explore with their whole body is such an important part of development. 🌻

When babies squish, smear, and play with food, they’re building sensory pathways and learning to tolerate different textures. 🍓

This process is called desensitization! 🌸

Desensitization is the process of gradually reducing sensitivity or negative reactions to a sensory experience through repeated, safe exposure.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “A baby has to try a food 10 times before they figure out if they like it.”

This is desensitization. Each time the baby is exposed to the food and allowed to freely explore and play, the baby is being desensitized to the texture, taste, smell, sight, and sound of that food.🥑

The earlier we introduce it, the easier it can be!

So if mealtime gets messy, that’s OK! The mess is an essential part of learning. 💚
Hey there 👋🏻 I’m Emily - owner of , pediatric occupational therapist trained in neuro-developmental treatment, and infant feeding specialist 🫐 I help families help their babies flourish, thrive, and 🌸 BLOOM 🌱 follow for more if this was helpful!!

05/13/2026

✨The Guppy Pose ✨

The “guppy pose” is one of my favorite gentle stretches for babies.

It’s a gentle chest-opening position used to help lengthen tight neck muscles and encourage better posture which support optimal feeding skills!

During this session ⬆️, I am facilitating the “guppy pose” over the therapy ball.

This is one of the more advanced/challenging variations of the pose. There are many other medications that can be used depending on your baby’s age, comfort level, strength, and tolerance.

Some benefits of the “guppy pose” for infants:
🌸 Opens the chest and shoulders
🌸 Encourages neck extension and improved posture
🌸 Promotes mobility of neck and jaw
🌸 Supports more efficient breathing patterns
🌸 Encourages midline orientation and body awareness
🌸 Stretches tight anterior neck muscles and fascia
🌸 Supports vestibular and proprioceptive input

Babies spend a lot of time curled up both in the womb and after birth in containers, carriers, and swings. The “guppy pose” gently opens up the front of the body to encourage stretching, movement, and better alignment.

This pose is especially helpful for babies with torticollis, reflux-related posturing, feeding difficulties, tongue ties, and overall tightness through the chest, neck and jaw.

🌷In this picture, I added an extra challenge! 🌷
Suck training with the Avent Soothie pacifier to promote tongue range of motion AND strengthening…at the same time!

The “guppy pose” on the therapy ball can feel like an overwhelming stretch/exercise for caregivers at first! I provide hands-on education, guidance, and coaching to help families safely and confidently perform this stretch with their baby.

I also provide modifications tailored to each baby and caregiver’s comfort level! Because all babies are NOT the same.

Please only try this stretch under the guidance of a trained professional.

🌱This content is educational only and is not medical advice! Always consult your pediatric therapist before attempting new exercises with your baby. 🌱

04/08/2026

Does your baby only look one way?
Prefer feeding from one breast over the other?
Have flattening on one side of the head?

These can all be signs of torticollis ‼️

Torticollis is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by unilateral shortening or tightness of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, resulting in ipsilateral head tilt and contralateral cervical rotation.

In other words….
If your baby has torticollis, a tight muscle in their neck causes the head to tilt to one side while turning to the other side.

This postural asymmetry can lead to difficulty turning head to both sides, delays with head control (poor tolerance to tummy time), and feeding difficulties.

📽️ In this video, I’m gently stretching the lateral flexors of the neck (both sides) while stabilizing the opposite shoulder to ensure a deep, prolonged stretch.

It’s never too early to try this stretch! Newborns have been in a tight space for months🤰🏻Early movement helps to keep their muscles flexible and supports healthy development! 💪🏻

Babies tend to tolerate and even ENJOY this stretch! They are face-to-face with their parent which supports eye contact, connection, and even early communication (babbling)! 🗣️

Early detection and treatment of torticollis is KEY 🔑
The earlier we address the neck tightness, the easier it is to improve the baby’s range of motion and prevent issues caused by torticollis.

If something feels off with your baby’s head shape, preferences, or movement, DON’T WAIT!
Trust your gut and reach out. 🌸

Save this video for later or share with a new parent! 🌻

Hey there 👋🏻 I’m Emily - owner of , pediatric occupational therapist trained in neuro-developmental treatment, and infant feeding specialist 🫐 I help families help their babies flourish, thrive, and 🌸 BLOOM 🌱 follow for more if this was helpful!!

Address

Baton Rouge, LA

Telephone

+12256142882

Website

http://www.bloombabyot.com/

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