LEAP Speech & Lactation

08/28/2026

Tomorrow’s the day! 🤍

I’ll be at the 2026 Quad Cities Birth Fair tomorrow! Come say hi, meet me, and chat about all things breastfeeding, pumping, infant feeding/oral function, and speech & language development.

I’ll also have a $50 Target gift card giveaway and information about the next session of Nurturing Notes, offered in collaboration with Quad Cities Music Therapy, starting in January! 💛

Whether you have a question, want to learn more about LEAP, or just want to stop by and say hi, I’d love to meet you!

📍 Mercado on Fifth | Moline, IL
🗓️ Saturday, August 29
⏰ 10 AM–2 PM

See you tomorrow!

08/09/2026

So excited to be a part of the 2026 Quad Cities Birth Fair! 🤍

Come say hi on August 29! I’ll be there to chat all things speech, feeding, lactation, and infant oral function. I’ll have some fun goodies too. 😊

Hope to see you there!

08/04/2026

🤍 Happy World Breastfeeding Week! 🤍

Each year from August 1st–7th, World Breastfeeding Week is observed around the world to celebrate breastfeeding and raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding support.

Breastfeeding is a unique journey for every family. While it can be a rewarding experience, it isn't always easy. Whether your journey includes nursing, pumping, supplementation, or unexpected challenges, every parent deserves compassionate, evidence-based support.

This week, we celebrate the parents, babies, healthcare professionals, and support systems that help families reach their feeding goals.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week from LEAP Speech & Lactation! 💜

07/02/2026

You know your child best. 💜

Maybe you've been wondering...

• "Should my child be talking more by now?"

• "Why are other people having such a hard time understanding them?"

• "Will they catch up on their own?"

If you've asked yourself any of these questions, you're not alone.

At LEAP Speech & Lactation, I provide play-based speech therapy for toddlers and preschoolers in your home or daycare - where children are comfortable, engaged, and learning naturally.

Whether your child is a late talker, has unclear speech, or you're simply looking for guidance, I'm here to help.

💜 Free consultations are always available. I'll answer your questions, discuss your concerns, and help you decide whether an evaluation is the right next step - without any pressure.

📍 Proudly serving families throughout the Quad Cities.

📩 Send me a message to schedule your free consultation.

06/22/2026

✨ New Topic for Nurturing Notes This Week! ✨

When we first planned Week 3, we were going to talk about sleep. But after getting to know the families in our group, we realized there was another topic that felt even more relevant:

Family Rhythms: Finding Balance in Everyday Life

As parents, it's easy to feel pressure to constantly entertain, teach, and meet everyone's needs immediately. The reality? Babies learn through everyday experiences, family life is rarely perfectly scheduled, and connection doesn't require perfection.

This week we'll discuss:
🌿 Predictability vs. flexibility
🌿 Learning through everyday moments
🌿 Balancing the needs of multiple children
🌿 Why responsive parenting isn't the same as immediate parenting
🌿 The power of repair and reconnection

💜 "Responsive parenting is not the same as immediate parenting."

If you have a baby 0–6 months old, we'd love to have you join us!

📍 Quad Cities Music Therapy – Moline
📅 Wednesday, June 24
⏰ 9:30–10:30 AM

Nurturing Notes is a free parent-and-baby group hosted by LEAP Speech & Lactation and Quad Cities Music Therapy, combining evidence-based infant development information, parent discussion, and live music.

Join our Facebook group for updates and weekly resources:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1ByLQ3KHEA/

Tag a Mom who might enjoy this conversation! 💜

06/04/2026

✨ Less Than 1 Week Until Nurturing Notes Begins! ✨

Next Wednesday, we're kicking off the first Nurturing Notes series at Quad Cities Music Therapy, and we couldn't be more excited!

Created by a board-certified music therapist, pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and fellow moms, Nurturing Notes was designed to provide practical support, evidence-based information, meaningful connection, and a welcoming community for moms and babies during the early months.

Over 8 weeks, we'll cover:

• Feeding Foundations & Positioning
• Reflux, Gassiness & Fussiness
• Sleep & Soothing Rhythms
• Tummy Time & Early Play
• Early Communication & Connection
• Starting Solids & Oral Development
• When to Worry (and When Not To)
• Putting It All Together

Each session also incorporates music, connection, and developmentally appropriate activities for babies and their Mamas.

📍 Quad Cities Music Therapy – Moline
📅 Wednesdays, June 10–July 29
⏰ 9:30–10:30 AM
👶 Moms and babies (0–6 months)
💜 FREE to attend

We'd love to see you there!

Be sure to join our Facebook community, Nurturing Notes | Quad Cities Moms & Babies, for resources, discussion, and updates between sessions: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cv8BPEBYp/

05/29/2026

Did you know feeding and communication development are connected?

When babies feed, they're doing much more than getting nutrition.

They're also:
✨ Building oral motor skills
✨ Learning to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing
✨ Developing social engagement through eye contact and interaction
✨ Learning the rhythms of communication through back-and-forth exchanges with caregivers

Whether you're breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, combination feeding, or somewhere in between, feeding time can be a wonderful opportunity to support both connection and development.

One of my favorite reminders for parents: You don't need extra flashcards, toys, or complicated activities. Some of the most important developmental moments happen during everyday routines.

What feeding or newborn question do you wish someone had answered sooner?

05/25/2026

A welcoming, supportive space designed by moms, for moms. 💜

We had such a great time chatting with KWQC Morgan Ottier last Friday about Nurturing Notes. Thank you again to Quad Cities Live for hosting us!

During the segment, we shared more about our class lineup and our passion behind it - creating a welcoming, supportive space designed by moms, for moms. Our goal is to help families feel connected, encouraged, and supported during the newborn stage.

From feeding, soothing to sleep, tummy time, communication, and development, each week focuses on practical topics that naturally come up during life with a new baby. We also incorporate music, interaction, and simple everyday strategies that support bonding and early development.

Nurturing Notes is held weekly at Quad Cities Music Therapy in Moline:
🎶 Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
🎶 June 10th – July 29th

Whether you’re a first-time mom or just looking for connection and support during this season, we would love to have you!

If you know an expecting or new mom who might enjoy this kind of community, please share this post or tag them below 💜

05/18/2026

✨ We officially launched the Nurturing Notes Facebook community! ✨

This group was created as a supportive space for Quad Cities moms/caregivers of babies (0–6 months) to:
💜 connect with other local moms
💬 continue conversations from class
🍼 ask questions about feeding & development
🎶 access weekly resources and PDFs
✨ help shape this new pilot community together

Nurturing Notes is a FREE weekly support group focused on music, feeding, communication, and connection.
Each week includes:
gentle music experiences for babies
conversations around feeding, soothing, routines & development
practical support and education
space to connect with other local moms

Whether you plan to attend class or are simply looking for community, you’re welcome to join us 💜

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dyu74bPLr/

05/13/2026

Sometimes babies are growing well… and feeding still doesn’t feel easy.

Maybe feeds are painful.
Maybe your baby clicks, leaks milk, struggles to stay latched, gets frustrated during feeds, spits up frequently, seems uncomfortable after eating, or works hard just to feed.
Maybe your baby seems tense, uncomfortable when laid down, hates the car seat, arches frequently, or never fully seems relaxed during feeding or rest.
Maybe you’ve been told it’s “just reflux” or that things look “fine,” but something still feels off.

Feeding challenges can sometimes be connected to oral function and tethered oral tissues (tongue/lip ties).

At LEAP Speech & Lactation, I provide compassionate lactation and oral function support for families in the Quad Cities — including support before and after releases when appropriate, along with feeding guidance tailored to your baby and your goals.

Services may include:
• Breastfeeding & bottle feeding support
• Oral function evaluation
• Pre/post-release support
• Parent education & developmental guidance
• In-home and virtual visits available

You don’t have to wait until feeding feels impossible to ask questions. Sometimes reassurance is enough, and sometimes families finally get answers that make feeding feel easier.

📍 Serving families across the Quad Cities
📩 Free consultation calls available

Compassionate in-home and virtual speech therapy and lactation support for infants, toddlers, and families in the Quad Cities. Schedule a free consultation.